San Diego Zoo Safari Park San Diego Zoo Safari Park Field Exhibit Species List - 28 April 2023

[Kudu21]

While I might not have the patience for a full species list for a facility the size of the Safari Park, I will always have the patience for hoofstock I figured there would be enough interest in an exhibit-by-exhibit breakdown of the collection in the field exhibits, as the field exhibits are the main drawcard for the park amongst enthusiasts, and because the Asian field exhibits are still behind an additional paywall that some people might not be willing or able to pay for. I will list the exhibits in the order that they appear along the Africa Tram for the African field exhibits and then as they appear along the Cart Safari route for the Asian field exhibits. The African exhibits that are not visible from the tram will be denoted "Cart Safari Only".

East Africa:

1. Angolan roan antelope
2. Cape buffalo
3. Common impala
4. Defassa waterbuck
5. Eastern Thomson's gazelle
6. Eastern white-bearded wildebeest
7. Fringe-eared oryx
8. Generic giraffe
9. Lowland nyala
10. Nile lechwe
11. Southern white rhinoceros

Bird Delta:

1. Saddle-billed stork
2. West African crowned crane

Greater Flamingos:

1. East African grey crowned crane
2. Greater flamingo

Nikita Kahn Rhino Rescue Center:

1. Southern white rhinoceros

South Africa:

1. Cape buffalo
2. Ellipsen waterbuck
3. Gemsbok
4. Masai giraffe
5. Patterson's eland
6. South African springbok
7. Southern sable antelope

Arid Africa (Cart Safari Only):

1. Defassa waterbuck
2. Ellipsen waterbuck
3. Grevy's zebra
4. Nile lechwe
5. Scimitar-horned oryx
6. South African springbok

Bird Marsh:

1. Dalmatian pelican
2. East African grey crowned crane
3. Great white pelican
4. Lappet-faced vulture
5. Ruppell's griffon vulture
6. Yellow-billed stork

Mammal Marsh:

1. Nubian Soemmerring's gazelle

Somali Wild Ass:

1. Dromedary camel
2. Nubian Soemmerring's gazelle
3. Somali wild ass

Central Africa:

1. Angolan roan antelope
2. Grevy's zebra
3. Lowland nyala
4. Ugandan kob

Goat & Sheep Mountain (Cart Safari Only):

1. Desert bighorn sheep
2. Transcaspian urial

African Forest:

1. Common impala
2. Eastern bongo
3. Nubian red-fronted gazelle
4. Red lechwe
5. Speke's sitatunga

Hillside Exhibit (Viewed from Above, Across from North Africa):

1. Empty

North Africa:

1. Ankole cattle
2. Bactrian hanglu
3. Barbary deer
4. Ellipsen waterbuck
5. Nile lechwe
6. Red lechwe

Central Asia (Paid Safari Only):

1. Burmese brow-antlered deer
2. Indochinese sika
3. Javan banteng
4. Przewalski's wild horse
5. Transcaspian urial

Asian Plains (Paid Safari Only):

1. Bactrian hanglu
2. Barasingha
3. Blackbuck
4. Greater Indian one-horned rhinoceros
5. Javan banteng
6. Malayan sambar
7. Nilgai

Asian Hillside Exhibit #1 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Indochinese sika
2. Malayan sambar
3. Mandarin sika
4. Nubian ibex

Asian Hillside Exhibit #2 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Empty

Asian Hillside Exhibit #3 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Arabian oryx

Asian Hillside Exhibit #4 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Przewalski's wild horse

 

[Kudu21]

While I might not have the patience for a full species list for a facility the size of the Safari Park, I will always have the patience for hoofstock I figured there would be enough interest in an exhibit-by-exhibit breakdown of the collection in the field exhibits, as the field exhibits are the main drawcard for the park amongst enthusiasts, and because the Asian field exhibits are still behind an additional paywall that some people might not be willing or able to pay for. I will list the exhibits in the order that they appear along the Africa Tram for the African field exhibits and then as they appear along the Cart Safari route for the Asian field exhibits. The African exhibits that are not visible from the tram will be denoted "Cart Safari Only".

East Africa:

1. Angolan roan antelope
2. Cape buffalo
3. Common impala
4. Defassa waterbuck
5. Eastern Thomson's gazelle
6. Eastern white-bearded wildebeest
7. Fringe-eared oryx
8. Generic giraffe
9. Lowland nyala
10. Nile lechwe
11. Southern white rhinoceros

Bird Delta:

1. Saddle-billed stork
2. West African crowned crane

Greater Flamingos:

1. East African grey crowned crane
2. Greater flamingo

Nikita Kahn Rhino Rescue Center:

1. Southern white rhinoceros

South Africa:

1. Cape buffalo
2. Ellipsen waterbuck
3. Gemsbok
4. Masai giraffe
5. Patterson's eland
6. South African springbok
7. Southern sable antelope

Arid Africa (Cart Safari Only):

1. Defassa waterbuck
2. Ellipsen waterbuck
3. Grevy's zebra
4. Nile lechwe
5. Scimitar-horned oryx
6. South African springbok

Bird Marsh:

1. Dalmatian pelican
2. East African grey crowned crane
3. Great white pelican
4. Lappet-faced vulture
5. Ruppell's griffon vulture
6. Yellow-billed stork

Mammal Marsh:

1. Nubian Soemmerring's gazelle

Somali Wild Ass:

1. Dromedary camel
2. Nubian Soemmerring's gazelle
3. Somali wild ass

Central Africa:

1. Angolan roan antelope
2. Grevy's zebra
3. Lowland nyala
4. Ugandan kob

Goat & Sheep Mountain (Cart Safari Only):

1. Desert bighorn sheep
2. Transcaspian urial

African Forest:

1. Common impala
2. Eastern bongo
3. Nubian red-fronted gazelle
4. Red lechwe
5. Speke's sitatunga

Hillside Exhibit (Viewed from Above, Across from North Africa):

1. Empty

North Africa:

1. Ankole cattle
2. Bactrian hanglu
3. Barbary deer
4. Ellipsen waterbuck
5. Nile lechwe
6. Red lechwe

Central Asia (Paid Safari Only):

1. Burmese brow-antlered deer
2. Indochinese sika
3. Javan banteng
4. Przewalski's wild horse
5. Transcaspian urial

Asian Plains (Paid Safari Only):

1. Bactrian hanglu
2. Barasingha
3. Blackbuck
4. Greater Indian one-horned rhinoceros
5. Javan banteng
6. Malayan sambar
7. Nilgai

Asian Hillside Exhibit #1 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Indochinese sika
2. Malayan sambar
3. Mandarin sika
4. Nubian ibex

Asian Hillside Exhibit #2 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Empty

Asian Hillside Exhibit #3 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Arabian oryx

Asian Hillside Exhibit #4 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Przewalski's wild horse

There are, of course, scimitar-horned oryx in the North Africa habitat, as well — I somehow missed highlighting them when I copied the North Africa list over

 

[twilighter]

While I might not have the patience for a full species list for a facility the size of the Safari Park, I will always have the patience for hoofstock I figured there would be enough interest in an exhibit-by-exhibit breakdown of the collection in the field exhibits, as the field exhibits are the main drawcard for the park amongst enthusiasts, and because the Asian field exhibits are still behind an additional paywall that some people might not be willing or able to pay for. I will list the exhibits in the order that they appear along the Africa Tram for the African field exhibits and then as they appear along the Cart Safari route for the Asian field exhibits. The African exhibits that are not visible from the tram will be denoted "Cart Safari Only".

East Africa:

1. Angolan roan antelope
2. Cape buffalo
3. Common impala
4. Defassa waterbuck
5. Eastern Thomson's gazelle
6. Eastern white-bearded wildebeest
7. Fringe-eared oryx
8. Generic giraffe
9. Lowland nyala
10. Nile lechwe
11. Southern white rhinoceros

Bird Delta:

1. Saddle-billed stork
2. West African crowned crane

Greater Flamingos:

1. East African grey crowned crane
2. Greater flamingo

Nikita Kahn Rhino Rescue Center:

1. Southern white rhinoceros

South Africa:

1. Cape buffalo
2. Ellipsen waterbuck
3. Gemsbok
4. Masai giraffe
5. Patterson's eland
6. South African springbok
7. Southern sable antelope

Arid Africa (Cart Safari Only):

1. Defassa waterbuck
2. Ellipsen waterbuck
3. Grevy's zebra
4. Nile lechwe
5. Scimitar-horned oryx
6. South African springbok

Bird Marsh:

1. Dalmatian pelican
2. East African grey crowned crane
3. Great white pelican
4. Lappet-faced vulture
5. Ruppell's griffon vulture
6. Yellow-billed stork

Mammal Marsh:

1. Nubian Soemmerring's gazelle

Somali Wild Ass:

1. Dromedary camel
2. Nubian Soemmerring's gazelle
3. Somali wild ass

Central Africa:

1. Angolan roan antelope
2. Grevy's zebra
3. Lowland nyala
4. Ugandan kob

Goat & Sheep Mountain (Cart Safari Only):

1. Desert bighorn sheep
2. Transcaspian urial

African Forest:

1. Common impala
2. Eastern bongo
3. Nubian red-fronted gazelle
4. Red lechwe
5. Speke's sitatunga

Hillside Exhibit (Viewed from Above, Across from North Africa):

1. Empty

North Africa:

1. Ankole cattle
2. Bactrian hanglu
3. Barbary deer
4. Ellipsen waterbuck
5. Nile lechwe
6. Red lechwe

Central Asia (Paid Safari Only):

1. Burmese brow-antlered deer
2. Indochinese sika
3. Javan banteng
4. Przewalski's wild horse
5. Transcaspian urial

Asian Plains (Paid Safari Only):

1. Bactrian hanglu
2. Barasingha
3. Blackbuck
4. Greater Indian one-horned rhinoceros
5. Javan banteng
6. Malayan sambar
7. Nilgai

Asian Hillside Exhibit #1 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Indochinese sika
2. Malayan sambar
3. Mandarin sika
4. Nubian ibex

Asian Hillside Exhibit #2 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Empty

Asian Hillside Exhibit #3 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Arabian oryx

Asian Hillside Exhibit #4 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Przewalski's wild horse

Thank you for the efforts to create this llist @Kudu21 ! Can we say that the Grant's Gazelle, White-lipped Deer, Armenian Mouflon and of course Gaur left the collection for good?

 

[Kudu21]

Thank you for the efforts to create this llist @Kudu21 ! Can we say that the Grant's Gazelle, White-lipped Deer, Armenian Mouflon and of course Gaur left the collection for good?

Of course! I am happy to have been able to compile it.

Unfortunately, yes— all of those taxa are now completely gone. The Armenian mouflon have been gone for quite some time, while the last of the white-lipped deer left in the past month. “For good” is always subjective because as management changes, species can come and go and come again. For now, though, I would not expect any of the above to return.

 

[15399]

Of course! I am happy to have been able to compile it.

Unfortunately, yes— all of those taxa are now completely gone. The Armenian mouflon have been gone for quite some time, while the last of the white-lipped deer left in the past month. “For good” is always subjective because as management changes, species can come and go and come again. For now, though, I would not expect any of the above to return.

Did the white-lipped deer go to Hemker, Rosamond Gifford, or some to both? I hope Rosamond Gifford (only remaining AZA holder) won't have any problems maintaining this species in the future as they are really cool animals that the zoo has a really nice exhibit for.

 

[wild boar]

Did the white-lipped deer go to Hemker, Rosamond Gifford, or some to both? I hope Rosamond Gifford (only remaining AZA holder) won't have any problems maintaining this species in the future as they are really cool animals that the zoo has a really nice exhibit for.

I know that the Hemker family received a lot of them and sent them down to their facility in Texas, I think it is, where they have plans to breed them. The owners frequently work with AZA zoos so I could see them sending some out to zoos that want them. The Bronx Zoo administration might acquire a few if their remaining Formosan sika have passed away. As for the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, do you know if they're committed to the species in the sense of breeding them?

 

[wild boar]

While I might not have the patience for a full species list for a facility the size of the Safari Park, I will always have the patience for hoofstock I figured there would be enough interest in an exhibit-by-exhibit breakdown of the collection in the field exhibits, as the field exhibits are the main drawcard for the park amongst enthusiasts, and because the Asian field exhibits are still behind an additional paywall that some people might not be willing or able to pay for. I will list the exhibits in the order that they appear along the Africa Tram for the African field exhibits and then as they appear along the Cart Safari route for the Asian field exhibits. The African exhibits that are not visible from the tram will be denoted "Cart Safari Only".

East Africa:

1. Angolan roan antelope
2. Cape buffalo
3. Common impala
4. Defassa waterbuck
5. Eastern Thomson's gazelle
6. Eastern white-bearded wildebeest
7. Fringe-eared oryx
8. Generic giraffe
9. Lowland nyala
10. Nile lechwe
11. Southern white rhinoceros

Bird Delta:

1. Saddle-billed stork
2. West African crowned crane

Greater Flamingos:

1. East African grey crowned crane
2. Greater flamingo

Nikita Kahn Rhino Rescue Center:

1. Southern white rhinoceros

South Africa:

1. Cape buffalo
2. Ellipsen waterbuck
3. Gemsbok
4. Masai giraffe
5. Patterson's eland
6. South African springbok
7. Southern sable antelope

Arid Africa (Cart Safari Only):

1. Defassa waterbuck
2. Ellipsen waterbuck
3. Grevy's zebra
4. Nile lechwe
5. Scimitar-horned oryx
6. South African springbok

Bird Marsh:

1. Dalmatian pelican
2. East African grey crowned crane
3. Great white pelican
4. Lappet-faced vulture
5. Ruppell's griffon vulture
6. Yellow-billed stork

Mammal Marsh:

1. Nubian Soemmerring's gazelle

Somali Wild Ass:

1. Dromedary camel
2. Nubian Soemmerring's gazelle
3. Somali wild ass

Central Africa:

1. Angolan roan antelope
2. Grevy's zebra
3. Lowland nyala
4. Ugandan kob

Goat & Sheep Mountain (Cart Safari Only):

1. Desert bighorn sheep
2. Transcaspian urial

African Forest:

1. Common impala
2. Eastern bongo
3. Nubian red-fronted gazelle
4. Red lechwe
5. Speke's sitatunga

Hillside Exhibit (Viewed from Above, Across from North Africa):

1. Empty

North Africa:

1. Ankole cattle
2. Bactrian hanglu
3. Barbary deer
4. Ellipsen waterbuck
5. Nile lechwe
6. Red lechwe

Central Asia (Paid Safari Only):

1. Burmese brow-antlered deer
2. Indochinese sika
3. Javan banteng
4. Przewalski's wild horse
5. Transcaspian urial

Asian Plains (Paid Safari Only):

1. Bactrian hanglu
2. Barasingha
3. Blackbuck
4. Greater Indian one-horned rhinoceros
5. Javan banteng
6. Malayan sambar
7. Nilgai

Asian Hillside Exhibit #1 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Indochinese sika
2. Malayan sambar
3. Mandarin sika
4. Nubian ibex

Asian Hillside Exhibit #2 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Empty

Asian Hillside Exhibit #3 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Arabian oryx

Asian Hillside Exhibit #4 (Paid Safari Only):

1. Przewalski's wild horse

Are any of these phase-out species other than the Barbary deer, red-fronted gazelles, Ugandan kobs, and generic giraffes?

Also, isn't the Mandarin sika (I think there is only one) actually a Manchurian sika? I assume this species is going too.

 

[Kudu21]

Did the white-lipped deer go to Hemker, Rosamond Gifford, or some to both? I hope Rosamond Gifford (only remaining AZA holder) won't have any problems maintaining this species in the future as they are really cool animals that the zoo has a really nice exhibit for.

@wild boar is correct. I believe most if not all of the recent San Diego white-lipped deer shipments have gone to Hemker. The most recent of which, I do think went straight to their West Texas facility.

Are any of these phase-out species other than the Barbary deer, red-fronted gazelles, Ugandan kobs, and generic giraffes?

The three former species will all be phased out through attrition — the remaining animals will stay at the park until they pass. Generic giraffe will likely be there to stay. Otherwise, red lechwe are a known active phase-out species, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the defassa waterbuck go that way because that herd has dwindled quite a bit. I would imagine the rarer deer species will also go, likely through attrition just because of how difficult it is to transport them.

Also, isn't the Mandarin sika (I think there is only one) actually a Manchurian sika? I assume this species is going too.

I do not know anything about the sika other than that’s what the park and ZIMS have always referred to it as — but yes, there is only one left, so when he passes, that will be the end of them.

 

[PSO]

According to my facility Soemmerring are a manage to extinction at SD as well

 

[wild boar]

According to my facility Soemmerring are a manage to extinction at SD as well

But not everywhere, right?

 

[Great Argus]

But not everywhere, right?

No idea for certain but there's not all that many left in general...

 

[15399]

But not everywhere, right?

Other than the San Diego parks, Saint Louis and Busch Gardens Tampa are the only two Soemmerring's Gazelle holders, and the population is heavily related to each other. By all means those zoos could try and keep the population going, but without imports (which I don't know how possible and/or legal that would be) and more institutions dedicated to the species I'm not optimistic Soemmerring's Gazelles will have a future in US zoos. Unfortunately gazelles as a whole are a type of animal it doesn't seem as though there's much interest for in the AZA right now.

 

[wild boar]

Other than the San Diego parks, Saint Louis and Busch Gardens Tampa are the only two Soemmerring's Gazelle holders, and the population is heavily related to each other. By all means those zoos could try and keep the population going, but without imports (which I don't know how possible and/or legal that would be) and more institutions dedicated to the species I'm not optimistic Soemmerring's Gazelles will have a future in US zoos. Unfortunately gazelles as a whole are a type of animal it doesn't seem as though there's much interest for in the AZA right now.

The population has always been inbred, what with having a founder population of something like nine animals, so I guess this isn't too shocking. I had thought that the AZA was still attempting to expand the population, apparently only wishfully. What's even more terrible is that there aren't any Soemmerring's gazelles in Europe as I recall so when the species is gone, its likely gone forever.

 

[Kudu21]

Other than the San Diego parks, Saint Louis and Busch Gardens Tampa are the only two Soemmerring's Gazelle holders, and the population is heavily related to each other. By all means those zoos could try and keep the population going, but without imports (which I don't know how possible and/or legal that would be) and more institutions dedicated to the species I'm not optimistic Soemmerring's Gazelles will have a future in US zoos. Unfortunately gazelles as a whole are a type of animal it doesn't seem as though there's much interest for in the AZA right now.

There’s also a herd at Tennessee Safari and a decent amount in private hands; however, St. Louis is down to five animals. That said, yes, inbreeding depression has been a long-standing issue with this species, and its future at least in public facilities is still very much in the air.

 

[wild boar]

• Burmese brow-antlered deer

• Indochinese sika

• Javan banteng

• Przewalski's wild horse

• Transcaspian urial

Does this field have both male and females of any species, possibly for breeding?

 

[Kudu21]

Does this field have both male and females of any species, possibly for breeding?

There are no intact males of any species in the Central Asia field exhibit. There is a relatively young Javan banteng calf in the herd, so that herd is calving currently, but the bull was pulled.

 

[wild boar]

There are no intact males of any species in the Central Asia field exhibit. There is a relatively young Javan banteng calf in the herd, so that herd is calving currently, but the bull was pulled.

So Myanmar Eld's deer are being phased-out? There is no intact male...

 

[Kudu21]

So Myanmar Eld's deer are being phased-out? There is no intact male...

I cannot confirm nor deny — all I know is that the only males in that exhibit are some castrated urial and a castrated hybrid deer. ZIMS lists 2.0 male brow-antlered, but they must be in holding.

 

[Kudu21]

Asian Plains (Paid Safari Only):

1. Bactrian hanglu
2. Barasingha
3. Blackbuck
4. Greater Indian one-horned rhinoceros
5. Javan banteng
6. Malayan sambar
7. Nilgai

As reported in the News thread, a male Burmese brow-antlered deer has been introduced to this exhibit.

 

[SwampDonkey]

Other than the San Diego parks, Saint Louis and Busch Gardens Tampa are the only two Soemmerring's Gazelle holders, and the population is heavily related to each other.

Any idea which paddock they are held in at Busch?