A special little deer (bovid actually) and a special seal are not the only, but yes the main reason to visit. Without them, for my interest, it just passed from be a "special" zoo to a "normal" zoo.
Yes I know that there are much more rare species than those. But those was the most exciting for me. Since I has been in California, ringtail and bighorn are not novelties for me, despite how rare are them. I also have photo of beisa oryx. Other species are nice, but not all animal groups are equal for me... a distinctive pinniped and a distinctive hoofstock are much more wished to me than rodents and small birds.
I don't share your point of view, Vision. Zoo staff and directors are persons too! Really do you think that nobody should contact them for whaterver reason except inconveniences caused to people???? That sounds weird to me... Many times a zoo don't reply for bannal questions (for example I asked Pairi Daiza if Bulwer's pheasants will be off exhibit or not, before knowing that not, but they didn't replied).
You know than a wildebeest subspecies from a species that I already have, have not the same value than a distinctive species from the point of view of a species photo collector
Anyway, the zoo already replied me. I asked them to please don't move these jewels of the crown, but they told me that they already did. The seals will go to Ecomare, and the duiker to Flamingo Land in UK. Nothing can be done now for retain them. They abandoned the place.