Seeing the Same Individual Animal at Multiple Zoos

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This isn't a topic I've seen a thread for, so I figured I'd start one to hear about some people's interesting zoo experiences. What individual animals have you seen at multiple zoos? I'm not talking species, but instead the exact same animal. Did any animals leave your local zoo to then go to a zoo you end up visiting later, or maybe vice versa?

While I'm certain there's a chance I've seen others without realizing it, the only animal I know I've seen in two zoos is Stanley, a red-crested turaco who I saw both at Capron Park Zoo (local to me) on many occasions and then again on a day trip to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. It was really great for me to see him again since he was a favorite of mine at Capron (Stanley would often come right up to visitors when in the walk-through aviary. While seeing Stanley wasn't one of my main reasons for visiting Cleveland (there were a number of species there I'd never seen before), but he was certainly one of the animals I most looked forward to seeing and that I very much enjoyed getting to experience again.

Photos I took at Capron Park Zoo (he moved exhibits once, so these are in two separate exhibits):
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Photo I took at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo:
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Does anyone else have any animals you've seen at multiple zoos? More specifically, has anyone ever traveled to a zoo specifically to see a certain individual again?
 
During my research on Epcot's Seas Pavilion, I just found out I have seen one of their two manatees Lil' Joe, at Cincinnati and many years later at Epcot. The funny thing is, he was released back into the wild in between his time at Cincy (and Tampa) and Disney.
 
Interesting question!

In New Zealand, this is incredibly common. We have four main zoos (Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Orana) and the vast majority of exotic mammal transfers are between those four zoos.

In addition, over 90% of imports/exports of exotic mammals are within the region (between New Zealand and Australia).

This is influenced by both geography and also stringent biosecurity regulations in both New Zealand and Australia.

As a result, these are just some of the individuals I’ve seen:

African lion:

Djane, Djembe and Zahra at Auckland and Wellington Zoo.

Zulu and Malik at Auckland and Wellington Zoo.

Sumatran tiger:

Jaka, Molek, Oz and Sali at Auckland and Hamilton Zoo.

Southern white rhinoceros:

Kruger, Zambezi, Kito, Inkosi, Mtoto and Jamila at Auckland and Hamilton Zoo.

Giraffe:

Zuri at Auckland and Wellington Zoo.

Masamba, Jabari, Ndale and Dume at Auckland and Hamilton Zoo.

Armani at Orana Wildlife Park and Perth Zoo.

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As well as numerous Asian-small clawed otters, Nepalese red pandas, Slender-tailed meerkats, Tasmanian devils, Plains zebra, Capybara, Hamadryas baboons, Waterbuck, spider monkeys, Leopard tortoises, tamarins and lemurs.
Aaaaa
 
I’ve seen Pig the dugong at Sea World (Gold Coast) and Sydney Aquarium.

Dropping a bread crumb, I expect to see a former Melbourne local a very long way from home next year.
 
We seen the 2 red panda cubs back in 2021 in Blackpool.
The male went to Wingham where we saw him September 2022, the female to Dudley, where we've seen her a few times now.

The youngest Mara from Dudley went on to Linton, where we then saw him too.
 
Was happily surprised on my visit to Paignton Zoo in 2016 that their male Asiatic Lion was none other than Lucifer, the male lion that had lived for many years at ZSL London Zoo where I had seen him very often.
 
Yes! dolphins and gorillas.

Dolphins:

- Rumbo and Romeo, both born in Madrid Zoo I saw them later on in selwo marina (Benalmádena, Spain)

- David born in Mundomar (Benidorm, Spain), was then transferred to Selwo Marina which is where I first saw him, later on I saw him in Kolmarden zoo (Sweden)

- Luiso saw him first time in L'Oceanographic later on I saw him in Madrid zoo and again saw him in Selwo Marina as he was transferred there after spend some years in Madrid

I have a few more dolphins on my list but can't remember all of them right now but most of them are of transfers being done inside of Spain and Europe

For gorillas:

- Coco spend most of her life in Madrid zoo where I saw her lot of times, she was then move to Lisbon zoo, I visited soon after the transfered and saw her, it was very special as she came close to the window to observe, I don't think she really recognize me but it was quite an experience!
 
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I'm sure I've seen many such instances but one, in particular, immediately springs to mind.

The Indian rhinoceros "Mohini" arrived at Whipsnade Zoo in 1952, was transferred to London Zoo in 1974 and then sent to Amsterdam Zoo where she died in 1985.

I saw her in all three zoos: London, Whipsnade and Amsterdam.

There will be many instances of individual animals that I've seen at both London Zoo and Whipsnade including the African forest elephant "Jumbo", that was housed on Lodon Zoo's Cotton Terraces, before being sent to Whipsnade, where I saw him numerous times.

Other examples include the London Zoo orang-utans that I subsequently saw in Paignton Zoo and the London Zoo chimpanzees that I subsequently saw in Dudley Zoo.

EDIT a couple of other examples that I've just remembered:

On one of my visits to Wuppertal Zoo, I saw the manatees that were temporarily housed there; I subsequently saw the same individuals many times in Berlin Tierpark.

On my first few visits to Nuremburg Zoo, I saw Sotalia dolphins; I subsequently saw the same individuals several times on visits to Munster Zoo.
 
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It was nice to see of two of the dingoes from Hamerton on my first visit to Exmoor.

I saw Tashi the male red panda at Paradise Wildlife Park and then again at Marwell recently on his first week there. The only times I had visited both zoos recently and not frequent destinations for me, so a bit of a happy coincidence.

I visited Africa Alive for the first time (been back since) primarily to see the lion pride that had been holidaying at Whipsnade after their enclosure was damaged by a storm. Really enjoyed them while they were at Whipsnade and it's been interesting to see them back home. So that was my 'specific' trip.

Lastly Zorro the maned wolf now at Hamerton, was a pup at Shepreth when I saw him there for the first time.
 

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I've seen King the black rhinoceros at Lincoln Park Zoo as well as Brookfield Zoo. I hope to visit him in Oregon sometime as well. I also saw JoJo at Lincoln Park before moving to Brookfield.
 
Tim May said:
and the London Zoo chimpanzees that I subsequently saw in Dudley Zoo.
Click to expand...

I saw them at both places but also the reverse- two ex Dudley Chimps (Bella & Cherry) at London. I happened to be there the day they arrived.

My best one was probably the female Gorilla 'Lomie'. I saw her (in the following order) at all of ; Chessington- London- Bristol- London- Bristol- Howletts- Chessington.

Also a number of other Gorillas e.g. Jason and Gogal both at Chester & Bristol. Diana and Jeremiah both at Bristol & London. Susie- at Belle Vue and Bristol. Kumba- Blackpool & Edinburgh. SamSam & Yinka- Edinburgh & Twycross. Eva & Asante- Twycross and Bristol and back at Twycross again.
 
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It sort of feels like cheating, but I have seen a few animals at Bristol, and then again once they were rehomed since the zoo has closed. An example would be the Red Pandas, Shifumi and Pan, now held at Exmoor Zoo.
 
With how often animals move around in cooperative breeding programs, and with how often and how many zoos us ZooChatters tend to visit over the years — this is a phenomenon that is probably more common than most of us realize — especially with lower profile species. I don’t know how many times I have told my partner, “Oh, that’s the same X we saw at Zoo Y”. It is always fun to have that connection and just to see where animals end up. For me, as an animal care professional, there is a fun extra layer of sometimes getting to work with the same individuals across multiple facilities. I am currently working with three animals (two of which are on breeding recommendations with each other) that I have worked with at two other facilities across my career.
 
Whenever I read this thread, I always think of a few additional examples of individual animals that I've seen in more than one zoo.

I saw the Indian rhinoceros "Yodha" at Whipsnade Zoo, Chester Zoo and Berlin Zoo. (He was born at Whipsnade in 1986 and was at Chester from 1987 until 1998 when he was sent to Berlin.)

I saw the southern white rhinoceros "Mashobeni" at Whipsnade Zoo, London Zoo and Glasgow Zoo. (For many years, she was kept at London Zoo with the northern white rhinoceros "Ben"; she was sent to Glasgow Zoo in 1986 shortly after "Ben" was transferred to Dvur Kralove.)

Marwell Zoo had a pair of black rhinoceros.
The male "Kes" was born at London Zoo in 1978; the female "Katie" was born at Whipsnade in 1979. I saw "Kes" at London and Marwell and "Katie" at Whipsnade and Marwell.

Finally, as a change from rhinos, I saw the same proboscis monkey in both Stuttgart (Wilhelma) and New York (Bronx).
 
Tim May said:
I saw the southern white rhinoceros "Mashobeni" at Whipsnade Zoo, London Zoo and Glasgow Zoo. (For many years, she was kept at London Zoo with the northern white rhinoceros "Ben"; she was sent to Glasgow Zoo in 1986 shortly after "Ben" was transferred to Dvur Kralove.)

Marwell Zoo had a pair of black rhinoceros.
The male "Kes" was born at London Zoo in 1978; the female "Katie" was born at Whipsnade in 1979. I saw "Kes" at London and Marwell and "Katie" at Whipsnade and Marwell.
Click to expand...

I think I would have seen 'Mashobeni' at all three zoos too though I didn't realise she was the White rhino I would have seen at Glasgow on my single visit.

I remember 'Kes' and 'Katie' too- I think they were half-siblings both sired by 'Bwana Mkubwa'. I didn't see them at Marwell but have the postcard of them there. Black rhino 'Roger'- born at Bristol, later seen at Chester too.

A few more gorilla ones I thought of;
'G.Anne', Julia and 'Motaba' all at both Jersey and on the other side of the world in Melbourne. The reverse too- Ya Kwanza( Mzuri) both in Melbourne and Jersey. 'Jambo'- in Basel and Jersey. Yinka- as well as Edinburgh and Twycross, at Chessington also, so three zoos, not two. Klaus- Paignton & Bristol. Salome- London- Chessington- Bristol.

Orangutans- Julitta- Bristol & Jersey. Djambe- Twycross & Colchester. Banghi- Chester & Monkeyworld. Azimat.- Blackpool & Dudley( possibly London also). Bulu (and probably Chinta & Senja also) London and Paignton. Gambar- London & Jersey.

The last (male) Owl-faced Monkey from Edinburgh- (forget its name-Argos?) both there and later at Twycross. A handraised and aggressive male blackbuck(he came from Colchester Zoo) we christened 'Wilberforce' that was imprinted on me, both Marwell & Paignton (he still recognised and imprinted on me two years after he moved zoos..)
 
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