Bronx Zoo Rarities of the Bronx Zoo.

Newt

Newt

Well-Known Member
After spending some time browsing Zootierliste, I’ve noticed that the Bronx Zoo had a recurring pattern of exhibiting species that were either minimally kept or completely absent from other U.S. collections. I’ve listed a few that piqued my interest:
  • Big Lutrine Opossum (Lutreolina crassicaudata)
  • Black-Shouldered Opossum (Caluromysiops irrupta)
  • Common Striped Possum (Dactylopsila trivirgata)
  • Pygmy Treeshrew (Tupaia minor)
  • Prince Demidoff's Bushbaby (Galagoides demidoff)
Some of them only have basic details listed — like acquisition dates or the duration of time the species was held. With that being said, does anyone know where and/or how any of these species were obtained? How long they were actually exhibited? And where in the zoo they were displayed?

Any information that can be provided is what I’m seeking, and that applies to any of the species listed above. Any other species you'd like to add to list are also encouraged. :p
 
komododragon said:
possums are so cool man, got any pictures?
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Unfortunetly not. All species above derived from listings (former holdings) on Zootierliste. I have not seen nor do I have any photographic resources of the species listed above.
 
Newt said:
After spending some time browsing Zootierliste, I’ve noticed that the Bronx Zoo had a recurring pattern of exhibiting species that were either minimally kept or completely absent from other U.S. collections. I’ve listed a few that piqued my interest:
  • Big Lutrine Opossum (Lutreolina crassicaudata)
  • Black-Shouldered Opossum (Caluromysiops irrupta)
  • Common Striped Possum (Dactylopsila trivirgata)
  • Pygmy Treeshrew (Tupaia minor)
  • Prince Demidoff's Bushbaby (Galagoides demidoff)
Some of them only have basic details listed — like acquisition dates or the duration of time the species was held. With that being said, does anyone know where and/or how any of these species were obtained? How long they were actually exhibited? And where in the zoo they were displayed?

Any information that can be provided is what I’m seeking, and that applies to any of the species listed above. Any other species you'd like to add to list are also encouraged. :p
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Lest we forget: Water chevrotains, Wooly Spider monkeys, Philippine eagles, Thylacines, Sumatran rhinos and- at the aquarium - Caribbean monk seals, narwhals and Basking sharks.
London, Berlin, Amsterdam and the Bronx stand alone in their collections- if you value collections for collection’s sake.
While the way many were exhibited was wanting the collections themselves were unprecedented
I am glad to have been around to have witnessed some of the species in the, “ Golden Age” .
Lest we forget, Staten Island zoo exhibited Solenodon and Central
park- however briefly, was the only mainstream zoo in the USA to have held a Mountain gorilla -albeit briefly- en route to Yerkes Miss Congo
 
Newt said:
After spending some time browsing Zootierliste, I’ve noticed that the Bronx Zoo had a recurring pattern of exhibiting species that were either minimally kept or completely absent from other U.S. collections. I’ve listed a few that piqued my interest:
  • Big Lutrine Opossum (Lutreolina crassicaudata)
  • Black-Shouldered Opossum (Caluromysiops irrupta)
  • Common Striped Possum (Dactylopsila trivirgata)
  • Pygmy Treeshrew (Tupaia minor)
  • Prince Demidoff's Bushbaby (Galagoides demidoff)
Some of them only have basic details listed — like acquisition dates or the duration of time the species was held. With that being said, does anyone know where and/or how any of these species were obtained? How long they were actually exhibited? And where in the zoo they were displayed?

Any information that can be provided is what I’m seeking, and that applies to any of the species listed above. Any other species you'd like to add to list are also encouraged. :p
Click to expand...
Here's a few more noteworthy species exhibited at Bronx Zoo and many more could be added to the list:-
  • the first platypus outside Australia (1922)
  • the first bongo exhibited in any zoo in the world (1932)
  • one of the few zoos to have had hoatzin
 
Tim May said:
Here's a few more noteworthy species exhibited at Bronx Zoo and many more could be added to the list:-
  • the first platypus outside Australia (1922)
  • the first bongo exhibited in any zoo in the world (1932)
  • one of the few zoos to have had hoatzin
Click to expand...

I had forgotten about the hoatzin. A very distinctive species - albiet unconscionable - to display for the Bronx Zoo. That being said, dozens had died in the attempts to exhibit the species at the zoo.

I also believe they displayed the first shoebill in the U.S - correct me if I'm wrong.
 
Newt said:
I also believe they displayed the first shoebill in the U.S - correct me if I'm wrong.
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Yes I believe Bronx Zoo acquired the first shoebill in the USA in 1926; Washington Zoo then acquired the species only ten days after New York. (The first zoo in the world to obtain shoebills was London Zoo in 1860.)
 
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