Thats realy a pitty 
!
!Shoebills in captivity
- Thread starter vogelcommando
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In 2016, the Dino Aquarium, a temporary zoo at the Dinosaur Expo held in Goseong County, South Gyeongsang province, imported and displayed a shoebill.
That shoebill was the first imported shoebill in Korea. Therefore, it was reported on Korea's famous animal entertainment TV show, "Animal Farm". That TV show showed zoo fed polypterus fish to shoebill because shoebill did not eat other fish. But I think the polypterus feeding was just simply show for a broadcast appearance.
A video made by editing some of the videos that were aired at the animal farm at the time of Shoebill's import.
In this video, there is a scene that shoebill eats polypterus.
Now this shoebill's whereabouts are unknown, but as far as I know it's in the nondisclosure private facility of the animal trade company Animal Kingdom, that imported and displayed this shoebill.
That company tried to build a large aquarium in Goseong County by signing a contract with Goseong County, but failed due to lack of investors and the problem of investments soundness. However, now they building an aquarium in Sacheon City, a city close to Goseong County. I think if the shoebill alive until that aquarium build complete, they will try to display shoebill there. But given the disastrous environmental level of the Dino Aquarium I saw, I can't trust this company will make and run a good aquarium.
That shoebill was the first imported shoebill in Korea. Therefore, it was reported on Korea's famous animal entertainment TV show, "Animal Farm". That TV show showed zoo fed polypterus fish to shoebill because shoebill did not eat other fish. But I think the polypterus feeding was just simply show for a broadcast appearance.
In this video, there is a scene that shoebill eats polypterus.
Now this shoebill's whereabouts are unknown, but as far as I know it's in the nondisclosure private facility of the animal trade company Animal Kingdom, that imported and displayed this shoebill.
That company tried to build a large aquarium in Goseong County by signing a contract with Goseong County, but failed due to lack of investors and the problem of investments soundness. However, now they building an aquarium in Sacheon City, a city close to Goseong County. I think if the shoebill alive until that aquarium build complete, they will try to display shoebill there. But given the disastrous environmental level of the Dino Aquarium I saw, I can't trust this company will make and run a good aquarium.
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Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Sad to hear about his passing but judging by the age this shoebill reached it must have had a pretty good life there.
Also quite interesting from a cultural perspective to read that the visitors are being encouraged to bring flowers to honour the life of this bird (in the Shinto religious fashion?).
Here’s Kobe animal kingdom’s plans for a new shoebill habitat. Unlike previous attempts it won’t be a walk through enclosure and it will be indoors making it easier for the park to control the humidity which could be a factor in breeding. The enclosure will also be filled up with papyrus.
The park really wants to be the first in Asia to breed these birds.
【実現したいこと② ハシビロコウの繁殖施設】 神戸どうぶつ王国｜花と動物と人との懸け橋プロジェクト（神戸どうぶつ王国 2020/11/13 投稿） - クラウドファンディング READYFOR (レディーフォー)
The park really wants to be the first in Asia to breed these birds.
【実現したいこと② ハシビロコウの繁殖施設】 神戸どうぶつ王国｜花と動物と人との懸け橋プロジェクト（神戸どうぶつ王国 2020/11/13 投稿） - クラウドファンディング READYFOR (レディーフォー)
Thanks for sharing @PossumRoach ! Hopefully this enclosure will be the beginning of a succesfull Shoebill-breeding programm !
Some historical notes from the now closed Dierenpark Wassenaar ( the Netherlands ) :
in May 1950 no less then 5 Shoebills were imported from Africa and 3 of them stayed at this zoo. The 2 others were put on transport and went to America - don't know however which zoo obtained them...
One of the Shoebills at Dierenpark Wassenaar - 1950
in May 1950 no less then 5 Shoebills were imported from Africa and 3 of them stayed at this zoo. The 2 others were put on transport and went to America - don't know however which zoo obtained them...
One of the Shoebills at Dierenpark Wassenaar - 1950
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Found an old postcard and some info about the single specimen kept at Malaga - Spain. It was kept at the 2007 closed Parque el Retiro ( also called Senda el Retiro.
The animal there was kept at least from 1992 till 1997 but its wll possible that it was obtained earlier and left ( died ? ) after these dates.
Postcard of the Malaga-shoebill
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Another specimen for which very little information is avaible is the one ( or maybe even more ? ) from Brookfield Chicago.
Found a postcard of the bird dated 1950.
The next information I found was that a single bird was kept in 1966 ( census rare animals Int. Zooyear Book ). For 1967 this census don't listed Brookfield ( or they didn't have the species anymore or they didn't cooperate in the census ? ) but from1968 till 1970 the species is again mentioned in this census. 1971 the species is again missing but from 1972 till 1978 the species is again listed as being kept.
Wasn't able to find out if the 1950 specimen is the same as the bird kept in 1966 and if the bird from 1966 is the same one which was kept untill 1978. Any extra information would be very welcome !
Shoebill-postcard Brookfield - 1950
Found a postcard of the bird dated 1950.
The next information I found was that a single bird was kept in 1966 ( census rare animals Int. Zooyear Book ). For 1967 this census don't listed Brookfield ( or they didn't have the species anymore or they didn't cooperate in the census ? ) but from1968 till 1970 the species is again mentioned in this census. 1971 the species is again missing but from 1972 till 1978 the species is again listed as being kept.
Wasn't able to find out if the 1950 specimen is the same as the bird kept in 1966 and if the bird from 1966 is the same one which was kept untill 1978. Any extra information would be very welcome !
Shoebill-postcard Brookfield - 1950
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I've got an old black & white postcard from Brookfield Zoo depicting a trio of shoebills.
(If you search on ebay, another copy of this Brookfield postcard, featuring three shoebills, is currently on sale.)
Thanks @Tim May ! Started to search for this postcard and found it ! Is there on the backside an indication from which year this card should be ? Any info about the Brookfield Chicago animals is always welcome !
Postcard from Brookfield Chicago - unknown year....
Postcard from Brookfield Chicago - unknown year....
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No, unfortunately, I don’t know the date of this postcard. Judging from the style of the postcard, I would guess late 1950s / early 1960s.
I can't get a link to the page (the archive site requires one to buy the image to view it) but the Brookfield Suburban Magnet newspaper has an article from August 1944 which says (the only part I can get!) "... SHOEBILLED STORK was listed among the missing at the Brookfield zoo the other ... While the three Shoebills occupy cages in the Aquatic House during the ..."
Some information about shoebills at Copenhagen Zoo :
During 1947 a member of the direction of the zoo ( mr. Boje Benzon ) collected a shoebill himself in Africa and returned with this bird via Nairobi back to Denmark. Here the bird lived for almost 19 years :
Shoebill and keeper at Copenhagen Zoo
In 1976 another bird was obtained - a male - and this one lived as far as I was able to find out till 1989 - 1990. Because these 2 were the only Danish shoebills I was able to find out I guess some Danish members of ZooChat can provide us with some more information about these 2 birds.
During 1947 a member of the direction of the zoo ( mr. Boje Benzon ) collected a shoebill himself in Africa and returned with this bird via Nairobi back to Denmark. Here the bird lived for almost 19 years :
Shoebill and keeper at Copenhagen Zoo
In 1976 another bird was obtained - a male - and this one lived as far as I was able to find out till 1989 - 1990. Because these 2 were the only Danish shoebills I was able to find out I guess some Danish members of ZooChat can provide us with some more information about these 2 birds.
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Kakegawa Kachoen, Japan
They have a Youtube video of it from 2019. Female, age unknown.
Cheers,
I already brought up Kakegawa Kachoen and the other collections which weren’t listed.
This post aged like milk since technically speaking, the exhibit is walk-through. Kashishi (0.1) was brought from Nasu to be paired with Bongo (1.0) but there was antagonistic behavior.
Kashishi was sent back to Nasu. Bongo still has Marimba (0.1).
In other news female Haruru (estimated 7 years old) from Noichi has passed away.
Right now the biggest challenge of keeping Shoebill in captivity is the low fertility rate, even Tampa and Pairi Daiza which have successfully bred Shoebill, still only succeed one time. Many Shoebills in captivity are imprinted, while some others are not imprinted but still can't mate successfully, like the pair in Jurong. Does any institution try out artificial insemination? The AI technology is pretty mature for Cranes, although Shoebill is not Crane they are both large wader birds, the AI technology for Cranes might be a reference to AI for Shoebill. Shoebills are Vulnerable in the wild which means they need more help in conservation.