Pacaranas in Captivity Outside South America

[captain alligator]

Pacaranas are currently not kept outside of South America, though they were kept in several zoos in Europe, The United States, and Japan in the past. Why are pacaranas no longer kept outside of South America?

 

[Velas]

Pacaranas are currently not kept outside of South America, though they were kept in several zoos in Europe, The United States, and Japan in the past. Why are pacaranas no longer kept outside of South America?

Pretty simple, and the same goes by for other South American exclusive species: lack of interest on bringing species back. As you pointed out, Pacaranas were more present on zoos worldwide in the past, but you've gotta remember that in this same past, a lot of (if not basically all zoos) still remained with a "collection mentality", where they wanted to maintain the most ammount of species they could, not necessarily thinking about the animal's welfare. So, I'd say that these Pacaranas were kept with only the thought of having the species in a zoo, but not maintaining a healthy population of them (and I'm not saying that this is a thing of zoos outside SA - In Brazil, for example, they were also kept by quite a lot of zoos in the past, but there's none as of today).

So, if the animals that other zoos maintained weren't sucessfull in creating a healthy population of the species, and than all the individuals ended up dying out, it was up to them to see if they wanted to restart the whole process, and considering the Pacarana's captive status nowadays, it's clear what they have chosen. The reasons of why the interest on restarting such process didn't happen could vary a lot, but to me the the clearest answer is: A lot of effort and investment of resources for a species that isn't guaranteed to succeed again. If a zoo wants to have a large south-american native rodent, Capybaras are much more popular and readily available, and then the money that would be spent on the importations can then be used on other projects.

 

[captain alligator]

Pretty simple, and the same goes by for other South American exclusive species: lack of interest on bringing species back. As you pointed out, Pacaranas were more present on zoos worldwide in the past, but you've gotta remember that in this same past, a lot of (if not basically all zoos) still remained with a "collection mentality", where they wanted to maintain the most ammount of species they could, not necessarily thinking about the animal's welfare. So, I'd say that these Pacaranas were kept with only the thought of having the species in a zoo, but not maintaining a healthy population of them (and I'm not saying that this is a thing of zoos outside SA - In Brazil, for example, they were also kept by quite a lot of zoos in the past, but there's none as of today).

So, if the animals that other zoos maintained weren't sucessfull in creating a healthy population of the species, and than all the individuals ended up dying out, it was up to them to see if they wanted to restart the whole process, and considering the Pacarana's captive status nowadays, it's clear what they have chosen. The reasons of why the interest on restarting such process didn't happen could vary a lot, but to me the the clearest answer is: A lot of effort and investment of resources for a species that isn't guaranteed to succeed again. If a zoo wants to have a large south-american native rodent, Capybaras are much more popular and readily available, and then the money that would be spent on the importations can then be used on other projects.

Incidentally, the Lowland Paca, another rodent native to South America, is still kept in zoos outside South America today, albeit in small numbers.

 

[Velas]

Incidentally, the Lowland Paca, another rodent native to South America, is still kept in zoos outside South America today, albeit in small numbers.

Not quite in small numbers. According to Zootierliste (not the most reliable source, but I'm going with it), there are 48 holders of Lowland pacas worldwide, with the numbers in Europe and North America matching the ones in South America (although I'm 100% sure there are more pacas being kept in South American zoos, just not listed there). This means that the populations outside their native range managed to survive in captivity until now (but if they're thriving or not, I'm not aware).

 

[captain alligator]

Not quite in small numbers. According to Zootierliste (not the most reliable source, but I'm going with it), there are 48 holders of Lowland pacas worldwide, with the numbers in Europe and North America matching the ones in South America (although I'm 100% sure there are more pacas being kept in South American zoos, just not listed there). This means that the populations outside their native range managed to survive in captivity until now (but if they're thriving or not, I'm not aware).

Conversely, Mountain Pacas appear to have almost no captive individuals remaining, not only outside South America but also within their native range in South America itself.

 

[Velas]

Conversely, it appears that Mountain Paca individuals are not currently kept in captivity, not only outside of South America but also within South America itself.

I believe they're indeed not kept in captivity anymore, but the answer to that is also clear to me, although not necessarily for the same reasons as happened for the Pacaranas.

Zoos in South America often receive rescued animals, native or exotic, from different situations. In the case of the natives, these animals could either be from the illegal pet/bush meat trade; victims of car and/or human accidents and the list goes on, so if the animal is not fit enough to be reintroduced back into the wild, the zoo that helped to take care of it most probably will end up keeping it on their collection, and I believe that's the case of the Mountain paca. Some individuals were rescued, weren't fit enough to be released, and then stayed in captivity until they died, not necessarily with the intention of maintaining a captive population.

 

[carlos55]

Also pacas and pacaranas are nocturnal animals and do not make good exhibit animals except in nocturnal houses. Lowland pacas are native to southern Mexico, but very few zoos here have them on display. In contrast agouti are kept in various collections and can be seen wild in protected natural areas.

 

[Velas]

Also pacas and pacaranas are nocturnal animals and do not make good exhibit animals except in nocturnal houses. Lowland pacas are native to southern Mexico, but very few zoos here have them on display. In contrast agouti are kept in various collections and can be seen wild in protected natural areas.

Well remembered! I myself have only seen the pacas on my local once, and it was only last year (and I've been going to the Belo Horizonte zoo since I was born basically...)