Native Ungulates in South African Zoos

[Austin the Sengi]

As random and out of nowhere as this thread might be. Recently, I took it upon myself to list every ungulate native to South Africa from the perspective of being held (currently) in regional institutions.

This is especially true for international members that may have plans to travel to South Africa at some point (myself included) and would like to know about the current situation of those native species beforehand.

This thread was also made as a collaborative place to recommend locations for where wild populations of the listed species could be easily seen, so for all of the South African members out there; please feel free to chime in and to clarify any updates or mishaps that might’ve been made since the time of this thread’s creation.

Now does that make the title of this thread a bit misleading, it depends on who you ask; but either way, I hope that the following list should make things a little easier for those needing to figure out the captive status of every native species (and subspecies) in the region:


Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)

• Zoo/s: Johannesburg Zoo (minor)

Wild: TBD


White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg Zoo (simum)
  • National Zoo [Pretoria] - (simum)
  • Bothongo (simum)

Wild: TBD


Plains Zebra (Equus quagga)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg Zoo (burchellii + non-subspecific)
  • National Zoo [Pretoria] - (non-subspecific)
  • Mokopane / SANBI (non-subspecific)
  • Emerald Resort (burchellii + non-subspecific)
  • Birds Paradise (burchelli)
  • Knysna Elephant Park (burchellii)
  • African Bird of Prey Sanctuary (burchellii)
  • The Elephant Sanctuary [Hartbeespoort] - (burchellii)
  • Giraffe House [Cape Town] - (burchellii)
  • LIONSROCK (burchellii)

Wild: TBD


Mountain Zebra (Equus zebra)

• Zoo/s: nonexistent* (according to Zootierliste)

Wild: TBD
{*to elaborate, non-native subspecies are present in zoos; while native subspecies are absent}


Bushpig (Potamochoerus larvatus)

• Zoo/s: nonexistent (according to Zootierliste)

Wild: TBD


Common Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus)

• Zoos:
  • Bothongo (sundevallii)
  • Felidae Centre (sundevallii)
  • Giraffe House [Cape Town] - (sundevallii)
  • Mystic Monkeys and Feathers Wildlife Park (sundevallii)

Wild: TBD


Common Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg Zoo
  • National Zoo [Pretoria]
  • Bothongo
  • Emerald Resort

Wild: TBD


Southern Giraffe (Giraffa giraffa)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg Zoo (giraffa)
  • Bothongo (giraffa)
  • National Zoo [Pretoria] - (giraffa)
  • Mokopane / SANBI - (giraffa)
  • Giraffe House [Cape Town] - (giraffa)
  • Queens Park Zoo (giraffa)
  • The Elephant Sanctuary [Hartbeespoort] - (giraffa)
  • Lion & Safari Park [Broederstroom] - (giraffa)
  • African Dawn - (giraffa)

Wild: TBD


Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus)

• Zoo/s: Bothongo (caama)

Wild: TBD


Black Wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou)

• Zoos:
  • Bothongo
  • Birds Paradise
  • Giraffe House [Cape Town]

Wild: TBD


Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus)

• Zoos:
  • Bothongo (taurinus)
  • Emerald Resort (taurinus)
  • African Bird of Prey Sanctuary (taurinus)
  • The Elephant Sanctuary [Hartbeespoort] - (taurinus)
  • LIONSROCK (taurinus)

Wild: TBD


Blesbok / Bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg (pygargus)
  • African Dawn (pygargus)
  • Bothongo (phillipsi)
  • Emerald Resort (phillipsi)

Wild: TBD


Tsessebe (Damaliscus lunatus)

• Zoo/s: nonexistent (according to Zootierliste)

Wild: TBD


Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis)

• Zoos:
  • National Zoo [Pretoria] - (marsupialis)
  • Bothongo (marsupialis)
  • Felidae Centre (non-subspecific)
  • Giraffe House [Cape Town] - (non-subspecific)
  • Birds Paradise (marsupialis)
  • Emerald Resort (marsupialis)

Wild: TBD


Suni (Nesotragus moschatus)

• Zoo/s: nonexistent* (according to Zootierliste)

Wild: TBD
{*to elaborate, non-native subspecies are present in zoos; while native subspecies are absent}


Klipspringer (Oreotragus oreotragus)

• Zoos:
  • Bothongo (oreotragus)
  • Mystic Monkeys and Feathers Wildlife Park (non-subspecific)
  • Mokopane / SANBI (non-subspecific)

Wild: TBD


Oribi (Ourebia ourebi)

• Zoo/s: nonexistent (according to Zootierliste)

Wild: TBD


Steenbok (Raphicerus campestris)

• Zoos:
  • National Zoo [Pretoria] - (campestris)
  • Felidae Centre (campestris)
  • African Dawn (campestris)
  • Giraffe House [Cape Town] - (campestris)

Wild: TBD


Cape Grysbok (Raphicerus melanotis)

• Zoos:
  • Exotic Animal World
  • African Dawn
  • Giraffe House [Cape Town]

Wild: TBD


Sharpe’s Grysbok (Raphicerus sharpei)

• Zoo/s: nonexistent (according to Zootierliste)

Wild: TBD


Cape / African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg Zoo (caffer)
  • National Zoo [Pretoria] - (caffer)
  • Bothongo (caffer)

Wild: TBD


Lowland Nyala (Tragelaphus angasii)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg Zoo
  • African Dawn
  • Emdoneni Lodge
  • Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre

Wild: TBD


Common Eland (Taurotragus oryx)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg Zoo (oryx)
  • Bothongo (oryx)
  • Giraffe House [Cape Town] - (oryx)
  • Emerald Resort (oryx)
  • Birds Paradise (oryx)

Wild: TBD


Cape Bushbuck / Imbabala (Tragelaphus sylvaticus)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg Zoo
  • African Dawn
  • World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary

Wild: TBD


Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg Zoo (strepsiceros)
  • Giraffe House [Cape Town] - (strepsiceros)

Wild: TBD


Blue Duiker (Philantomba monticola)

• Zoos:
  • Exotic Animal World (non-subspecific)
  • Bothongo (monticola)
  • African Dawn (monticola)
  • Birds of Eden (monticola)
  • Mitchell Park Zoo (monticola)
  • Mystic Monkeys and Feathers Wildlife Park (monticola)
  • Montecasino Bird Gardens (bicolor)
  • Johannesburg Zoo (bicolor)

Wild: TBD


Red Forest Duiker (Cephalophus natalensis)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg Zoo (non-subspecific)
  • Bothongo (non-subspecific)

Wild: TBD


Common Duiker (Sylvicapra grimmia)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg Zoo
  • Bothongo
  • Emerald Resort
  • African Dawn
  • The Elephant Sanctuary [Hartbeespoort]
  • World of Birds Wildlife
  • Giraffe House [Cape Town]

Wild: TBD


Roan Antelope (Hippotragus equinus)

• Zoo/s: Bothongo (equinus)

Wild: TBD


Sable Antelope (Hippotragus niger)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg (niger)
  • Bothongo (niger)
  • Emerald Resort (niger)

Wild: TBD


Gemsbok (Oryx gazella)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg Zoo
  • Bothongo
  • Emerald Resort

Wild: TBD


Grey Rhebok (Pelea capreolus)

• Zoo/s: nonexistent (according to Zootierliste)

Wild: TBD


Impala (Aepyceros melampus)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg Zoo (melampus)
  • Bothongo (melampus)
  • Emerald Resort (melampus)
  • LIONSROCK (melampus)
  • Emdoneni Lodge (melampus)

Wild: TBD


Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus)

• Zoos:
  • Johannesburg (ellipsiprymnus)
  • Bothongo (ellipsiprymnus)
  • Emerald Resort (ellipsiprymnus)

Wild: TBD


Southern Reedbuck (Redunca arundinum)

• Zoo/s: Johannesburg Zoo

Wild: TBD


Mountain Reedbuck (Redunca fulvorufula)

• Zoo/s: Johannesburg Zoo

Wild: TBD