Recife Zoo New population plan at Recife zoo

David Matos Mendes

David Matos Mendes

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
The Recife zoo (parque dois irmãos) launched a new population plan today. The main objective is to COMPLETELY phase out the exotic species of the institution (@Onychorhynchus coronatus , I feel you'll like this change) and also all the native species that don't belong to either atlantic forest or caatinga biomes. The zoo's highlights will be from now on the neotropical otter, maned wolf, greater rhea, jaguar, white-browed guan and black-fronted piping guan.

The zoo is still nowadays one of the three largest collections of the northeast region, and the phasing out program seem to be coming with a renovation: Zoo Dois Irmãos não abrigará mais animais exóticos, como ursos e leões
 
David Matos Mendes said:
The Recife zoo (parque dois irmãos) launched a new population plan today. The main objective is to COMPLETELY phase out the exotic species of the institution (@Onychorhynchus coronatus , I feel you'll like this change) and also all the native species that don't belong to either atlantic forest or caatinga biomes. The zoo's highlights will be from now on the neotropical otter, maned wolf, greater rhea, jaguar, white-browed guan and black-fronted piping guan.

The zoo is still nowadays one of the three largest collections of the northeast region, and the phasing out program seem to be coming with a renovation: Zoo Dois Irmãos não abrigará mais animais exóticos, como ursos e leões
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You are definitely right, this sounds like an excellent move ! :D

I think this is a decision that has been chosen with a lot of foresight and deliberation.

It doesn't suprise me that my colleague Claudia Igayara was part of this discussion about the future of Recife Zoo and played a part in the formulation of this new conceptual focus, she is fantastic !
 
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Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
You are definitely right, this sounds like an excellent move ! :D

I think this is a decision that has been chosen with a lot of foresight and deliberation.

It doesn't suprise me that my colleague Claudia Igayara was part of this discussion about the future of Recife Zoo and played a part in the formulation of this new conceptual focus, she is fantastic !
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Oh, really? That's great then, she seems like a great profesional indeed. No surprise she was chosen as the director of AZAB.
Did you already know about this project? Do you have more infos about it?
 
David Matos Mendes said:
Oh, really? That's great then, she seems like a great profesional indeed. No surprise she was chosen as the director of AZAB.
Did you already know about this project? Do you have more infos about it?
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Yes, she's quoted in the article :)

Definitely, she is an incredible director of the AZAB

No, actually I had no idea about the project at Recife zoo as haven't talked about it with her, mostly our conversation is centred on marmosets haha.
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Yes, she's quoted in the article :)

Definitely, she is an incredible director of the AZAB

No, actually I had no idea about the project at Recife zoo as haven't talked about it with her, mostly our conversation is centred on marmosets haha.
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Oh yes haha. Well, this project really surprised me. For what I know, Recife wasn't following the most productive way for changes, as they were still keeping some old concepts in their methods and structures. It's great to know they have a completely new plan now, and I hope the institution evolves a lot in the following years.
 
David Matos Mendes said:
Oh yes haha. Well, this project really surprised me. For what I know, Recife wasn't following the most productive way for changes, as they were still keeping some old concepts in their methods and structures. It's great to know they have a completely new plan now, and I hope the institution evolves a lot in the following years.
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Well I don't really know much about Recife zoo other than it wasn't in good shape.

I suppose it really needed innovation and that is one thing that Claudia really is, an innovator.
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Well I don't really know much about Recife zoo other than it wasn't in good shape.

I suppose it really needed innovation and that is one thing that Claudia really is, an innovator.
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As I said, Recife's collection is surelly between the three largest ones in the Northeast (among with Bica zoo (João Pessoa) and Salvador zoo) but the structure in there was much probably the worst of these three. Bica received great renovations recently, ( I was about to visit it last month, once I made a fast trip to Paraíba, but it was closed. The entrance and some glances I had of the main plaza seems good) and Salvador also seems to be receiving nice improvements lately. Between all this, Recife seemed stuck in it's old and outdated structure. Very few improvements were made there in the last years, so it's really great that they are gonna pass through a drastic proccess like this one now. I can really see an improvement in northeastern institutions in the country. Really hope this wave continues (specially in the zoos it already is and a few more, once there are not many other institutions in the region that would be worth a renovation, between many motives... )

About mrs. Igayara, I'm very happy to hear she looks for innovation! That's surely what our zoos need the most, and I'm very happy to know one more good aspect of her person. Surelly great!
 
David Matos Mendes said:
As I said, Recife's collection is surelly between the three largest ones in the Northeast (among with Bica zoo (João Pessoa) and Salvador zoo) but the structure in there was much probably the worst of these three. Bica received great renovations recently, ( I was about to visit it last month, once I made a fast trip to Paraíba, but it was closed. The entrance and some glances I had of the main plaza seems good) and Salvador also seems to be receiving nice improvements lately. Between all this, Recife seemed stuck in it's old and outdated structure. Very few improvements were made there in the last years, so it's really great that they are gonna pass through a drastic proccess like this one now. I can really see an improvement in northeastern institutions in the country. Really hope this wave continues (specially in the zoos it already is and a few more, once there are not many other institutions in the region that would be worth a renovation, between many motives... )

About mrs. Igayara, I'm very happy to hear she looks for innovation! That's surely what our zoos need the most, and I'm very happy to know one more good aspect of her person. Surelly great!
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Going forward I think that these sorts of changes / reforms are most likely to occur in the smaller zoos across the country with outdated designs and structures rather than the larger modernized ones.

I think that this is ultimately a very constructive development because if these sorts of zoos are not suited for keeping large exotic mammals like brown bear, lions and tigers (because of lack of infastructure or outdated enclosures) then many of these enclosures with a minimum of a revamp may be suitable for smaller native mammal, bird or reptile species.

Because we have so many threatened and endemic species here in Brazil many of which are found in very localized habitat often within a single state and often within an ecosystem that is surrounded by urbanization these smaller zoos can play a critically important role in ex-situ conservation of these species.

In the case of Recife zoo it is in a really interesting location in biodiversity terms because it is in the North-East where you have some of the most imperiled Atlantic rainforest fragments, the Pernambuco coastal forests and the Caatinga all of which have some of the most endangered primate and bird species in the country.

Think about it, the blonde capuchin is native to Pernambuco and how wonderful would it be to have these animals ex-situ at the Recife zoo for captive breeding and for residents of the city to see and learn about ?
 
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David Matos Mendes said:
The Recife zoo (parque dois irmãos) launched a new population plan today. The main objective is to COMPLETELY phase out the exotic species of the institution (@Onychorhynchus coronatus , I feel you'll like this change) and also all the native species that don't belong to either atlantic forest or caatinga biomes. The zoo's highlights will be from now on the neotropical otter, maned wolf, greater rhea, jaguar, white-browed guan and black-fronted piping guan.

The zoo is still nowadays one of the three largest collections of the northeast region, and the phasing out program seem to be coming with a renovation: Zoo Dois Irmãos não abrigará mais animais exóticos, como ursos e leões
Click to expand...
What a great idea! It seems like a lot of Brazilian zoos want to follow the steps of the one in Rio de Janeiro. However, I'd like to know what will happen to the Eurasian spoonbills and blue-throated macaws.
 
Enzo said:
It seems like Brazilian zoos want to follow the things the Rio de Janeiro zoo did. However, I'd like to know what will happen to the Eurasian spoonbills and blue-throated macaws.
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Yes, these are probably the biggest highlights of the zoo (at least for people who care for the rarity of species). They will probably send them to neighbor institutions, much probably Bica zoo in JP.
The zoos in the country are following the evolution of this kind of institutions worldwide, but yes, probably some influence from Rio too.
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Do they have spoonbills and blue-throated macaws at Recife ?
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They have one individual from each species; I hope both get sent to Rio. The Carioca zoo has already held blue-throated macaws, so I think they'd be a better choice for them. The spoonbill, on the other hand, could live in the African Savanna exhibit, along with the guineafowl, geese and cranes.
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Going forward I think that these sorts of changes / reforms are most likely to occur in the smaller zoos across the country with outdated designs and structures rather than the larger modernized ones.

I think that this is ultimately a very constructive development because if these sorts of zoos are not suited for keeping large exotic mammals like brown bear, lions and tigers (because of lack of infastructure or outdated enclosures) then many of these enclosures with a minimum of a revamp may be suitable for smaller native mammal, bird or reptile species.

Because we have so many threatened and endemic species here in Brazil many of which are found in very localized habitat often within a single state and often within an ecosystem that is surrounded by urbanization these smaller zoos can play a critically important role in ex-situ conservation of these species.

In the case of Recife zoo it is in a really interesting location in biodiversity terms because it is in the North-East where you have some of the most imperiled Atlantic rainforest fragments, the Pernambuco coastal forests and the Caatinga all of which have some of the most endangered primate and bird species in the country.

Think about it, the blonde capuchin is native to Pernambuco and how wonderful would it be to have these animals ex-situ at the Recife zoo for captive breeding and for residents of the city to see and learn about ?
Click to expand...

I agree... The destiny of small zoos in the country is to phase out most or all exotics from the collection IMO. This way, as you said, they will surely be great instruments of native species conservation.
Anyway, Recife is quite a big zoo, if compared to smaller others in the country (the order, in therms of species IMO would be: São Paulo, Rio, BH, Brasília, Pomerode, Sapucaia, Curitiba, Goiânia, Recife, Salvador, Bica and Teresina (no aquariums included))
 
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I'm gonna make a list of the main exotic species Recife keeps, so that we can make personal predictions about wich zoo they will probably be sent to in the following months/years:
Great white pelican
Emu
Tiger (probably bengal)
Brown bear
Common hippo
Chimpanzee
Red deer
Ostrich
Individuals of cercopithecidae family (probably green monkeys?)
 
David Matos Mendes said:
I'm gonna make a list of the main exotic species Recife keeps, so that we can make personal predictions about wich zoo they will probably be sent to in the following months/years:
Great white pelican
Emu
Tiger (probably bengal)
Brown bear
Common hippo
Chimpanzee
Red deer
Ostrich
Individuals of cercopithecidae family (probably green monkeys?)
Click to expand...
Do you have a picture of the monkey?
 
Enzo said:
Do you have a picture of the monkey?
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No. I only mentioned it because I seem to remember having heard somewhere they kept some species of the cercopithecidae family... Searched a bit, but couldn't find anything. Let's disconsider it for now.
 
David Matos Mendes said:
I'm gonna make a list of the main exotic species Recife keeps, so that we can make personal predictions about wich zoo they will probably be sent to in the following months/years:
Great white pelican
Emu
Tiger (probably bengal)
Brown bear
Common hippo
Chimpanzee
Red deer
Ostrich
Individuals of cercopithecidae family (probably green monkeys?)
Click to expand...
To the list, I'd like to add the previously discussed blue-throated macaws, as well as the Eurasian spoonbill, the black-striped capuchins, (maybe mainland) sambars, and waterbuck. They also hold a scarlet macaw, which they used to form a pair with the blue-throated one.
 
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