Most elusive zoo animals

Jambi said:
For me it's giant anteaters. For one thing I've never seen one awake, they're always huddled up asleep in the far corner of their enclosure. But the last few times I've been to zoos that have giant anteaters, I wasn't able to spot them anywhere. Wherever they were hiding they do a very good job at it.
Click to expand...
I used to go to the Calgary zoo a lot when they had anteaters and literally every time they were asleep. The park gave them these big buckets they liked to sleep in, so they’d curl up with their tails overtop like a lid so you couldn’t see anything but a bucket filled with fur
 
Giant Anteaters are definitely one I have trouble seeing as unfortunately have never got to seen them on both of my Saint Louis Trips. Duiker of any species are another that I always have trouble seeing, any small prosimians are also quite tricky to find along with most nocturnal animals.
 
I'm a bit surprised by all of the giant anteater comments, I can't recall the last time I didn't see one up and moving around.
 
There are animals which are harder to see that have been mentioned, but I think of wolves as the animals that the public wants to see the most that are usually the least likely to be seen. A lot of the other species we're mentioning here tend to be ones that the general public isn't as into, but everyone knows what wolves are and wants to see them. They just seldom do.
 
I agree on the giant anteater comment. At one of my local zoos, the Cotswold Wildlife Park they have them as part of a mixed South American exhibit and I would estimate I only see them in about a quarter of visits.

On the other hand another of my local zoos used to have them too and I never had trouble seeing them there.
 
Not once have I seen the beavers at the Detroit Zoo, I guess because they’re mostly nocturnal and tend to spend the days resting in their lodge. For this reason, I’m hoping to see them when I go to the Wildlights in a few weeks, during the evening.
 
When was the last time hoatzin were at Shedd Aquarium? I don't recall even knowing hoatzin in the aquarium at all
 
Some tips:
- For nocturnal animals, the key is coming when staff members are working in the exhibit. Even the sleepiest animals usually come out to check what is going on and whether there is some snack for them. Try visiting this exhibit first time in the morning, or hang around whenever staff is working in a nearby exhibit, or come back time and again.
- For birds in large aviaries and greenhouses, don't try too much to spot them, but hang near feeding stations, usually 30 min is sufficient.
- If you see staff around the exhibit, politely ask about your animal. However, be polite, and ask at the information point or the likely staff member - a hoofstock keeper usually knows nothing about birds in the bird house in the other part of the zoo. It is not uncommon that the animal has died, or is temporarily out of exhibit, and a name plate can hang for quite a long time afterwards.
Nevertheless, finding all species in a large zoo can require a real detective work - if you already know all the big mammals but are interested in small mammals, birds or reptiles.
 
The species that gets me every time is the Demoiselle Crane at the Minnesota Zoo. It’s apparently on-exhibit with the Malayan Tapir since 2019, but I have still yet to see the species on display.
 
I've been to Riverbanks Zoo half a dozen times since they got binturongs and have yet to see them. I've had similarly bad luck with Greenville Zoo's bat-eared foxes (only seen them once in 4-5 visits), and giant anteaters in general.
 
Sugar Glider and Ring-tailed Mongoose are at the Bronx Zoo, yet I've never seen them in the couple of times in the last 5 years I visited. Have yet to see one anywhere else, not even sure they're in other US zoos.
 
Back in the day the cheetahs were rarely ever viewable at the St. Louis Zoo. Until the cubs came in 2018 (I believe), it was basically not even worth trying. Post "Bingwa Bunch", I have a lot more luck with them, and are pretty reliably viewable. The females have been sent to other zoos, but the males formed a coalition and still live at the Stl Zoo.
 
How fitting that beavers and aardvarks started this thread, because those two species consistently elude me at Detroit. Especially the aardvarks ever since their habitat was merged with the former hippo habitat.
In another thread, I mentioned that the Wildlife World Zoo had a Giant Anteater that never showed itself before being replaced by Sarus Cranes. I have a theory that the zoo put up the anteater signage to make guests think that there was an anteater at the zoo, when there never was.
I’ve also had consistently bad luck with the White-Nosed Coatis at the Phoenix Zoo.
 
I think the plains viscacha at Dierenpark Zie-Zoo in Volkel, the Netherlands would probably qualify.

I so far have almost always been unlucky with Pallas's cat/Manul, a species I would really like to see and photograph. Also missed them at Zie-Zoo recently.

Back when Planckendael still had Eurasian beavers they proved very elusive, I can count the times I saw them in 20 years or so and probably close to 100 visits on one hand. I did however see and photograph the final beaver not long before he passed.
 
Possums. The Hamerton possums (all of them) elude me and had I not seen a photo of a possum I’d actually think they were a mix of fruit and veg as that’s all I’ve ever seen in their enclosures.

Mind you after I posted I’d never seen the Pallas cat at CWP I saw it on the next visit so maybe if I keep posting about possums I’ll get to see one!
 
Earlier in this thread I mentioned Sugar Gliders, but it was actually Feathertail Gliders I was thinking of (never been to a zoo that had Sugars on display). Anyways, I finally got to see these little guys in the flesh at Staten Island Zoo a couple of months back, so no longer on my "not-seen" list.
I agree with Maned Wolves either being a no-show or hidden. They were a no-show at National and Philadelphia and were barely visible in LA and San Diego when I visited; only at Audubon Zoo were they active and easily seen.
Another barely seen species for me is the Collared/Brown Lemur. In fact I only saw it in the flesh at a small rescue sanctuary despite the species being at a number of zoos that I've visited (Bronx, SD, National, Brevard etc).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top