Pelicans in collections

[Zoovolunteer]

I have created this thread because I was interested in how sustainable current pelican populations in captivity are, and whether they can potentially be used as a source for reintroductions if needed. In particular, potential rewilding of Dalmatian Pelicans to their former range in northwest Europe would need a sufficient output of young birds. So how often are pelicans of various species bred in zoos and other collections? Zootierliste has the collections holding a species but does not have records of breeding. What collections have bred pelicans in the last 5 years and of what species?

Thanks everyone!

 

[Ned]

Here are some recent pelican hatchings to get you started, Dresden, Folly Farm, Paultons Park, Basel
Asian Adventure Welcomes Pink-Backed Pelican Chick
Meet our Pelican Chicks! - Paultons Park Blog
After almost 20 years, Basel Zoo’s pelicans have some new arrivals
Pelican babies hatch - Zoo Dresden

 

[Tapirus Lar]

I have created this thread because I was interested in how sustainable current pelican populations in captivity are, and whether they can potentially be used as a source for reintroductions if needed. In particular, potential rewilding of Dalmatian Pelicans to their former range in northwest Europe would need a sufficient output of young birds. So how often are pelicans of various species bred in zoos and other collections? Zootierliste has the collections holding a species but does not have records of breeding. What collections have bred pelicans in the last 5 years and of what species?

Thanks everyone!

If you click on a particular listing on zootierliste, it will usually show records of animals currently held,[i.e how many are held, and of what gender] , records of breeding, and the sources for this data

 

[Tapirus Lar]

Also, the data is in German, so you have to use a translator like google translate to translate it to English
or any other language of your preference

 

[Jana]

Most pelican species kept in European zoos are self-sufficient however there is not much suplus (only great whites produce enough chicks that this species spills into small parks).

Two zoos with traditionally large number of bred pelican chicks of several species (Berlin and Dvur Kralove) unfortunately slowed down in recent years.

If you want to know situation with Dalmatian pelicans, I recomend to start with this text (it is from 2022 but not much changed since then).
Study

 

[Iguana_Cabana]

The Florida Aquarium in Tampa has brown pelicans (possibly rehab) in the Florida Wilds Exhibit.

 

[birdsandbats]

Rehab birds of American White and Brown Pelicans are not uncommon in North American zoos. I believe the only species with an actual zoo population here is Pink-backed.

 

[Aardwolf]

Rehab birds of American White and Brown Pelicans are not uncommon in North American zoos. I believe the only species with an actual zoo population here is Pink-backed.

There are also Dalmatians and eastern whites. All three were SSPs prior to the recent AZA reorg

 

[15399]

Rehab birds of American White and Brown Pelicans are not uncommon in North American zoos. I believe the only species with an actual zoo population here is Pink-backed.

There should still be one or two individuals of Peruvian pelicans at Bronx Zoo, or at least there were on my 2023 visit.

 

[birdsandbats]

There should still be one or two individuals of Peruvian pelicans at Bronx Zoo, or at least there were on my 2023 visit.

That's not really a population though, is it?

 

[15399]

That's not really a population though, is it?

True- not much of a population at all. However still a notable species that is present in US zoos.