Snowleopard's Mammals: A Lifetime List of Species Mammalian and Non-Mammalian
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While not exactly great, that's FAR from the worst giraffe exhibit out there.
Nile Hippo Expert
Well-Known Member
All the zoos you said had Reticulated Giraffes (at least in the US) actually had generic or cross-bred giraffes because there has not been any pure-reticulated giraffes in North America in 50 years. It baffles me as to why so many zoos don’t realize the truth and claim to have reticulated giraffes.I've seen Giraffes at a whopping 175 zoos.
Giraffes are incredibly popular in captivity, almost a guarantee at a major collection. At many American zoos, feeding platforms have become ubiquitous, which makes some zoos not having Giraffes a shock. Nevertheless, as things stand there's zoos like Akron, John Ball, Little Rock, Minnesota, Point Defiance and Smithsonian's National Zoo that all currently lack Giraffes, although that will change in the future for a few of those facilities.
Giraffe taxonomy has famously been muddled. Looking at Wikipedia, the International Union for Conservation of Nature recognizes one Giraffe species and 9 subspecies. There was only one Giraffe species for decades, then two and onwards to three, then six and quickly eight, and now there's four even though I've visited loads of zoos with outdated signs ranging from one to nine species. It will undoubtedly change again in the years ahead. There doesn't seen to be a definitive answer.
Perhaps Giraffes are like Klipspringers, going from one species to a dozen with all the crazy splits, and then tumbling back down to one again. I'm curious to know if this happens with non-mammals as frequently. For example, has there always been one Rhinoceros Iguana species, then that single type became a dozen different Rhinoceros Iguanas, and eventually back down to one again? All the chopping and changing is one reason why I never compiled a mammals species list until this year, as it can be difficult to nail down an exact number of species for some animals. Also, meeting various curators in Europe and Asia on my last couple of major international trips, it's a bit eye-opening when experienced, university trained zoologists freely admit they don't always 100% know what species they have in an enclosure. Wow.
Anyway, I've seen vast numbers of Giraffes at 175 zoos, ranging from famous collections to dozens of obscure, privately-owned zoos. It's very easy to purchase a Giraffe if you run a second-rate zoo in the U.S., and even in Southeast Asia I saw a half-dozen zoos with only a single Giraffe in them. All the Mammals of the World (2023) lists 4 species (Maasai, Northern, Reticulated, Southern), but I have listed the Giraffes by the sign on their exhibit and so you will see a few names like Baringo, Angolan, a different spelling of 'Masai', and take them all with a grain of salt as the names have changed over the years.
I've seen Giraffes everywhere and anywhere, but these 4 summers really stand out:
2008 = 23 zoos (USA)
2010 = 32 zoos (USA)
2019 = 29 zoos (Western Europe)
2024 = 20 zoos (Southeast Asia)
1- Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada) – Reticulated Giraffe – 1975
2- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 1996
3- Greater Vancouver Zoo (Canada) – Reticulated Giraffe – 1998
4- Oregon Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2005
5- San Francisco Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2006
6- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2006
7- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2006
8- Denver Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2006
9- Calgary Zoo (Canada) – Giraffe – 2006
10- Taronga Zoo (Australia) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2007
11- Adelaide Zoo (Australia) – Giraffe – 2007
12- Monarto Zoo (Australia) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2007
13- Melbourne Zoo (Australia) – Giraffe – 2007
14- Lincoln Park Zoo - Illinois (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
15- Brookfield Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
16- Toledo Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2008
17- Detroit Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
18- Toronto Zoo (Canada) – Masai Giraffe – 2008
19- Bronx Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
20- Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2008
21- Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2008
22- Indianapolis Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2008
23- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2008
24- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2008
25- Knoxville Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
26- Zoo Atlanta (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
27- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
28- Oklahoma City Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
29- Phoenix Zoo (USA) – Reticulated & Masai Giraffe – 2008
30- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2008
31- Mountain View Conservation Centre (Canada) – Masai Giraffe – 2008
32- Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2008
33- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2008
34- Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
35- White Oak Conservation Center (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
36- Zoo Miami (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2008
37- Wildlife Safari (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
38- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
39- Sedgwick County Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
40- Tulsa Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
41- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
42- Saint Louis Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
43- Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
44- Louisville Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2010
45- Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
46- Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
47- Binder Park Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
48- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2010
49- Buffalo Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
50- Roger Williams Park Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2010
51- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
52- Maryland Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
53- North Carolina Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
54- Riverbanks Zoo & Garden (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
55- Nashville Zoo at Grassmere (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2010
56- Birmingham Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
57- Montgomery Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
58- Baton Rouge Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
59- Audubon Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
60- Houston Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2010
61- Caldwell Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
62- Dallas Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
63- Cameron Park Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
64- San Antonio Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
65- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
66- El Paso Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
67- ABQ BioPark Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
68- Zoo Boise (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
69- Oakland Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2011
70- Santa Barbara Zoo (USA) – Baringo & Masai Giraffe – 2011
71- Reid Park Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2011
72- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2011
73- The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2011
74- Fresno Chaffee Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2011
75- Sacramento Zoo (USA) – Reticulated & Masai Giraffe – 2011
76- Great Plains Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
77- Blank Park Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2012
78- Erie Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
79- Franklin Park Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2012
80- Virginia Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2012
81- Brevard Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2012
82- Naples Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
83- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – Reticulated & Masai Giraffe – 2012
84- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
85- Jackson Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
86- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
87- Dickerson Park Zoo (USA) – Baringo Giraffe – 2012
88- Topeka Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
89- Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
90- Roosevelt Park Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
91- Como Park Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
92- Wildwood Wildlife Park (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
93- Northeastern Wisconsin (NEW) Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
94- Timbavati Wildlife Park (USA) – Masai & Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
95- Henry Vilas Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
96- Racine Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2014
97- Niabi Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
98- Peoria Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
99- Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
100- Lee Richardson Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
101- Arbuckle Wilderness Park (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
102- Frank Buck Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2015
103- Wild Wilderness Drive-Through Safari (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
104- Gone Wild Safari (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
105- Ellen Trout Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2015
106- Franklin Drive-Thru Safari (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
107- Bayou Wildlife Park (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
108- Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2015
109- Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
110- Hillcrest Park Zoo (USA) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2015
111- Out of Africa (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
112- Lion Habitat Ranch (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
113- B. Bryan Preserve (USA) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2017
114- Safari West Wildlife Preserve (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2017
115- Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2017
116- Indian Creek Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2018
117- Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2018
118- Special Memories Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2018
119- Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands) – Giraffe – 2019
120- Van Blanckendaell Park (Netherlands) – Giraffe – 2019
121- Diergaarde Blijdorp (Netherlands) – Giraffe – 2019
122- Maubeuge Zoo (France) – Giraffe – 2019
123- Zoo Antwerp (Belgium) – Giraffe – 2019
124- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – Kordofan Giraffe – 2019
125- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
126- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
127- Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) – Giraffe – 2019
128- GaiaZOO (Netherlands) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
129- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2019
130- Opel Zoo (Germany) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
131- Cologne Zoo (Germany) – Giraffe – 2019
132- Dortmund Zoo (Germany) – Angolan Giraffe – 2019
133- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
134- Duisburg Zoo (Germany) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2019
135- Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) – Nubian Giraffe – 2019
136- ZooParc Overloon (Netherlands) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2019
137- Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
138- Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
139- Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) – Giraffe – 2019
140- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Giraffe – 2019
141- Berlin Tierpark (Germany) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
142- Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Germany) – Giraffe – 2019
143- Serengeti-Park (Germany) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2019
144- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2019
145- Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2019
146- Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
147- Dierenpark Amersfoort (Netherlands) – Giraffe – 2019
148- Givskud Zoo (Denmark) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2022
149- Ree Park Safari (Denmark) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2022
150- Aalborg Zoo (Denmark) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2022
151- Odense Zoo (Denmark) – Giraffe – 2022
152- Kolmarden Wildlife Park (Sweden) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2022
153- Boras Zoo (Sweden) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2022
154- Kristiansand Zoo (Norway) – Giraffe – 2022
155- Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2022
156- Sriayuthaya Lion Park (Thailand) – Giraffe – 2024
157- Khao Kheow Zoo (Thailand) – Giraffe – 2024
158- Pattaya Crocodile Farm (Thailand) – Giraffe – 2024
159- Chiang Mai Zoo (Thailand) - Giraffe – 2024
160- Chiang Mai Night Safari (Thailand) - Giraffe – 2024
161- Songkhla Zoo (Thailand) - Giraffe – 2024
162- Safari World Bangkok (Thailand) - Giraffe – 2024
163- Taiping Zoo (Malaysia) - Giraffe – 2024
164- Lost World of Tambun (Malaysia) - Giraffe – 2024
165- Zoo Negara (Malaysia) - Giraffe – 2024
166- Zoo Melaka (Malaysia) - Giraffe – 2024
167- Singapore Zoo (Singapore) - Giraffe – 2024
168- Taman Safari III Bali (Indonesia) - Giraffe – 2024
169- Surabaya Zoo (Indonesia) - Giraffe – 2024
170- Taman Safari II Prigen (Indonesia) - Giraffe – 2024
171- Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia) - Giraffe – 2024
172- Bandung Zoo (Indonesia) - Giraffe – 2024
173- Taman Safari I Bogor (Indonesia) - Giraffe – 2024
174- Royal Safari Garden Resort (Indonesia) – Giraffe – 2024
175- Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia) – Giraffe – 2024
An iconic captive image of a Giraffe would be at Taronga Zoo (Australia), with some photographers able to get a Giraffe, the Sydney Opera House, and sometimes even the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tower in the legendary skyline. I had a wonderful day there in 2007.
@Jabiru96
Here's my photo of a Giraffe outside its Egyptian-themed barn at Detroit Zoo (USA) in 2008. Since then, the Egyptian facade has been completely demolished and the barn, while extensively expanded and modernized, is now a boring 'eggshell white' colour and is bland and forgettable. In a European zoo, the original exterior would have been kept permanently.
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) had Giraffes with various antelope and penguins (!!) when I first visited the zoo in 2008. It was a remarkable mixed-species habitat. By the time I last toured the zoo, in 2018, the fantastic African Grasslands complex had opened and the Giraffes had a couple of acres of space with a herd of Impala, some Ostriches, storks and possibly even other animals. The Giraffe Barn in Omaha is apparently the largest in North America, and the 1st or 2nd best zoo in the U.S. does well with Giraffes.
Every giraffe fan has been to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA), right? This is the place with a unique setting, a herd of around 20 Giraffes at any given time, and with more than 200 births it's the epicenter for Giraffes in North America. On my second visit, I did think that the space was a little tight for the number of Giraffes they had, but a future expansion is in the works.
Possibly the largest Giraffe exhibit in North America is the 18-acre African Savanna at Binder Park Zoo (USA). That tall speck in the distance is a Giraffe and there's usually approximately 7 different species that roam a space that is larger than many entire zoos!
North Carolina Zoo (USA) has its Africa: Forest Edge exhibit that is 3.5 acres/1.4 hectares and stunning. While some AZA-accredited zoos have puny Giraffe complexes (I'm looking at you Buffalo!), North Carolina excels at giving its animals space.
Dallas Zoo (USA) has its Giants of the Savanna exhibit, with a herd of Giraffes that can mingle with African Elephants and a variety of antelope in a splendid modern habitat.
The Living Desert Zoo (USA), in a region of the world that regularly sees 40 degrees Celsius/104 Fahrenheit temperatures, has a beautiful Giraffe/Greater Kudu/Ostrich exhibit that has curving hills as a backdrop and it's difficult to know where the enclosure ends.
Blijdorp Zoo (Netherlands) has its Giraffe 'Onion' House, much loved by zoo nerds. The outdoor exhibit is equally excellent.
@Mr Gharial
I was really impressed with the structure and here's what it looks like inside. There's an incredible amount of height, and it's large and airy for the animals.
Built in the 1850s, the Egyptian Temple at Antwerp Zoo (Belgium) is a work of art and it still houses Giraffes to this day.
@TeaLovingDave
I enjoyed seeing De Brazza's Monkeys and Giraffes together at ZooParc Overloon (Netherlands) in 2019.
From certain angles, the Serenga savanna area at Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) is scenic and peaceful.
Do you want to see a herd of Giraffes and hundreds of other mammals in acres of a coniferous forest? Then head to Kolmarden Wildlife Park (Sweden) and take the 30-minute gondola tour. For some people, it's one of the most spectacular zoo experiences in the world.
I chuckle when I see 3 Giraffe on the "African Savanna" at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, USA. Maybe a couple of antelope and an Ostrich are tossed in there too. Compare that to the vast mixed-species herds in the African Savannas of European zoos. Boras Zoo (Sweden) has herds of African Elephants, Giraffes, Cape Buffalo and various antelope in this jaw-dropping, 5-acre/2 hectare landscape:
@twilighter
Khao Kheow Zoo (Thailand) has Giraffes and a half-dozen other species in its African Savanna, all with a jungle backdrop and with wild Long-tailed and Pig-tailed Macaques stealing food from the captive animals. Haha!
Safari World Bangkok (Thailand) used to have 200+ Giraffes in their drive-through Safari Park area, but since many were shipped out to the Middle East, there's "only" around 40 Giraffes to be seen these days. That sounds like a much more manageable number to me and double what Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has ever had at one time.
@twilighter
Order Artiodactyla (23 families):
Antilocapridae: 1 species (30 zoos with Pronghorn)
Delphinidae: 7 species (15 zoos with Common Bottlenose Dolphin, 3 Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin, 3 Killer Whale, 3 Pacific White-sided Dolphin, 1 Commerson's Dolphin, 1 False Killer Whale, 1 Short-finned Pilot Whale)
Giraffidae: 5 species (175 zoos with Giraffe (4 species), 31 Okapi)
Hippopotamidae: 2 species (65 zoos with Common Hippo, 44 Pygmy Hippo)
Iniidae: 1 species (1 zoo with Amazon River Dolphin)
Monodontidae: 1 species (7 zoos with Beluga Whale)
Phocoenidae: 1 species (3 zoos with Harbour Porpoise)
USZOOfan42
Well-Known Member
They may just claim them to be reticulated giraffes due to it being to confusing for your average guest to see the signage of “hybrid giraffe”.
NNM.
Well-Known Member
Hold on… are you saying reticulated giraffes in North American zoos nowadays are actually all hybrids?
Here's my photo of a Giraffe outside its Egyptian-themed barn at Detroit Zoo (USA) in 2008. Since then, the Egyptian facade has been completely demolished and the barn, while extensively expanded and modernized, is now a boring 'eggshell white' colour and is bland and forgettable. In a European zoo, the original exterior would have been kept permanently.
Aesthetics aside, the Detroit Zoo barn is easily the best I've ever seen for giraffes. A lot of space available inside, which is certainly a necessity in northern climates with animals that may be inside much of the winter. Furthermore, this barn allows for socially managing giraffes as needed by having multiple stalls, plus contains a natural substrate on the floor instead of the common hard cements/concretes.
The Wilds and San Diego Zoo Safari Park both want a word...
The East Africa field exhibit at the SDZ Safari Park is at least 30 acres, based on rough estimates from Google Earth. And not counting the other African field exhibits along the tram route
USZOOfan42
Well-Known Member
I think it may be concrete now, I have not went indoors in a while.
They're hybridized with Rothschild's giraffes so depending on your views on taxonomy those might be the same subspecies or may not be.
Who says Reticulated and Rothschild's Giraffes are the same subspecies?
Hello, @snowleopard. I believe most giraffes you have seen in your Southeast Asian trip were either Rothschild's or Southern giraffes, as many of these zoos are rather recent and have imported some of their animals from South Africa or Zimbabwe. That would also be the case with many zoos in China, the Middle East and Latin America.I've seen Giraffes at a whopping 175 zoos.
Giraffes are incredibly popular in captivity, almost a guarantee at a major collection. At many American zoos, feeding platforms have become ubiquitous, which makes some zoos not having Giraffes a shock. Nevertheless, as things stand there's zoos like Akron, John Ball, Little Rock, Minnesota, Point Defiance and Smithsonian's National Zoo that all currently lack Giraffes, although that will change in the future for a few of those facilities.
Giraffe taxonomy has famously been muddled. Looking at Wikipedia, the International Union for Conservation of Nature recognizes one Giraffe species and 9 subspecies. There was only one Giraffe species for decades, then two and onwards to three, then six and quickly eight, and now there's four even though I've visited loads of zoos with outdated signs ranging from one to nine species. It will undoubtedly change again in the years ahead. There doesn't seen to be a definitive answer.
Perhaps Giraffes are like Klipspringers, going from one species to a dozen with all the crazy splits, and then tumbling back down to one again. I'm curious to know if this happens with non-mammals as frequently. For example, has there always been one Rhinoceros Iguana species, then that single type became a dozen different Rhinoceros Iguanas, and eventually back down to one again? All the chopping and changing is one reason why I never compiled a mammals species list until this year, as it can be difficult to nail down an exact number of species for some animals. Also, meeting various curators in Europe and Asia on my last couple of major international trips, it's a bit eye-opening when experienced, university trained zoologists freely admit they don't always 100% know what species they have in an enclosure. Wow.
Anyway, I've seen vast numbers of Giraffes at 175 zoos, ranging from famous collections to dozens of obscure, privately-owned zoos. It's very easy to purchase a Giraffe if you run a second-rate zoo in the U.S., and even in Southeast Asia I saw a half-dozen zoos with only a single Giraffe in them. All the Mammals of the World (2023) lists 4 species (Maasai, Northern, Reticulated, Southern), but I have listed the Giraffes by the sign on their exhibit and so you will see a few names like Baringo, Angolan, a different spelling of 'Masai', and take them all with a grain of salt as the names have changed over the years.
I've seen Giraffes everywhere and anywhere, but these 4 summers really stand out:
2008 = 23 zoos (USA)
2010 = 32 zoos (USA)
2019 = 29 zoos (Western Europe)
2024 = 20 zoos (Southeast Asia)
1- Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada) – Reticulated Giraffe – 1975
2- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 1996
3- Greater Vancouver Zoo (Canada) – Reticulated Giraffe – 1998
4- Oregon Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2005
5- San Francisco Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2006
6- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2006
7- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2006
8- Denver Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2006
9- Calgary Zoo (Canada) – Giraffe – 2006
10- Taronga Zoo (Australia) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2007
11- Adelaide Zoo (Australia) – Giraffe – 2007
12- Monarto Zoo (Australia) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2007
13- Melbourne Zoo (Australia) – Giraffe – 2007
14- Lincoln Park Zoo - Illinois (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
15- Brookfield Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
16- Toledo Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2008
17- Detroit Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
18- Toronto Zoo (Canada) – Masai Giraffe – 2008
19- Bronx Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
20- Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2008
21- Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2008
22- Indianapolis Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2008
23- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2008
24- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2008
25- Knoxville Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
26- Zoo Atlanta (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
27- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
28- Oklahoma City Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
29- Phoenix Zoo (USA) – Reticulated & Masai Giraffe – 2008
30- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2008
31- Mountain View Conservation Centre (Canada) – Masai Giraffe – 2008
32- Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2008
33- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2008
34- Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
35- White Oak Conservation Center (USA) – Giraffe – 2008
36- Zoo Miami (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2008
37- Wildlife Safari (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
38- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
39- Sedgwick County Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
40- Tulsa Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
41- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
42- Saint Louis Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
43- Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
44- Louisville Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2010
45- Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
46- Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
47- Binder Park Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
48- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2010
49- Buffalo Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
50- Roger Williams Park Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2010
51- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
52- Maryland Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
53- North Carolina Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
54- Riverbanks Zoo & Garden (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
55- Nashville Zoo at Grassmere (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2010
56- Birmingham Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
57- Montgomery Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
58- Baton Rouge Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
59- Audubon Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
60- Houston Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2010
61- Caldwell Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
62- Dallas Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
63- Cameron Park Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
64- San Antonio Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
65- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
66- El Paso Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
67- ABQ BioPark Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2010
68- Zoo Boise (USA) – Giraffe – 2010
69- Oakland Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2011
70- Santa Barbara Zoo (USA) – Baringo & Masai Giraffe – 2011
71- Reid Park Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2011
72- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2011
73- The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2011
74- Fresno Chaffee Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2011
75- Sacramento Zoo (USA) – Reticulated & Masai Giraffe – 2011
76- Great Plains Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
77- Blank Park Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2012
78- Erie Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
79- Franklin Park Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2012
80- Virginia Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2012
81- Brevard Zoo (USA) – Giraffe – 2012
82- Naples Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
83- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – Reticulated & Masai Giraffe – 2012
84- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
85- Jackson Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
86- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
87- Dickerson Park Zoo (USA) – Baringo Giraffe – 2012
88- Topeka Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
89- Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2012
90- Roosevelt Park Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
91- Como Park Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
92- Wildwood Wildlife Park (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
93- Northeastern Wisconsin (NEW) Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
94- Timbavati Wildlife Park (USA) – Masai & Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
95- Henry Vilas Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
96- Racine Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2014
97- Niabi Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
98- Peoria Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
99- Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
100- Lee Richardson Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2014
101- Arbuckle Wilderness Park (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
102- Frank Buck Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2015
103- Wild Wilderness Drive-Through Safari (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
104- Gone Wild Safari (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
105- Ellen Trout Zoo (USA) – Masai Giraffe – 2015
106- Franklin Drive-Thru Safari (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
107- Bayou Wildlife Park (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
108- Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2015
109- Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
110- Hillcrest Park Zoo (USA) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2015
111- Out of Africa (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
112- Lion Habitat Ranch (USA) – Giraffe – 2015
113- B. Bryan Preserve (USA) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2017
114- Safari West Wildlife Preserve (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2017
115- Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2017
116- Indian Creek Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2018
117- Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2018
118- Special Memories Zoo (USA) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2018
119- Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands) – Giraffe – 2019
120- Van Blanckendaell Park (Netherlands) – Giraffe – 2019
121- Diergaarde Blijdorp (Netherlands) – Giraffe – 2019
122- Maubeuge Zoo (France) – Giraffe – 2019
123- Zoo Antwerp (Belgium) – Giraffe – 2019
124- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – Kordofan Giraffe – 2019
125- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
126- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
127- Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) – Giraffe – 2019
128- GaiaZOO (Netherlands) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
129- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2019
130- Opel Zoo (Germany) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
131- Cologne Zoo (Germany) – Giraffe – 2019
132- Dortmund Zoo (Germany) – Angolan Giraffe – 2019
133- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
134- Duisburg Zoo (Germany) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2019
135- Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) – Nubian Giraffe – 2019
136- ZooParc Overloon (Netherlands) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2019
137- Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
138- Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
139- Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) – Giraffe – 2019
140- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Giraffe – 2019
141- Berlin Tierpark (Germany) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
142- Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Germany) – Giraffe – 2019
143- Serengeti-Park (Germany) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2019
144- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2019
145- Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2019
146- Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2019
147- Dierenpark Amersfoort (Netherlands) – Giraffe – 2019
148- Givskud Zoo (Denmark) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2022
149- Ree Park Safari (Denmark) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2022
150- Aalborg Zoo (Denmark) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2022
151- Odense Zoo (Denmark) – Giraffe – 2022
152- Kolmarden Wildlife Park (Sweden) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2022
153- Boras Zoo (Sweden) – Rothschild’s Giraffe – 2022
154- Kristiansand Zoo (Norway) – Giraffe – 2022
155- Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – Reticulated Giraffe – 2022
156- Sriayuthaya Lion Park (Thailand) – Giraffe – 2024
157- Khao Kheow Zoo (Thailand) – Giraffe – 2024
158- Pattaya Crocodile Farm (Thailand) – Giraffe – 2024
159- Chiang Mai Zoo (Thailand) - Giraffe – 2024
160- Chiang Mai Night Safari (Thailand) - Giraffe – 2024
161- Songkhla Zoo (Thailand) - Giraffe – 2024
162- Safari World Bangkok (Thailand) - Giraffe – 2024
163- Taiping Zoo (Malaysia) - Giraffe – 2024
164- Lost World of Tambun (Malaysia) - Giraffe – 2024
165- Zoo Negara (Malaysia) - Giraffe – 2024
166- Zoo Melaka (Malaysia) - Giraffe – 2024
167- Singapore Zoo (Singapore) - Giraffe – 2024
168- Taman Safari III Bali (Indonesia) - Giraffe – 2024
169- Surabaya Zoo (Indonesia) - Giraffe – 2024
170- Taman Safari II Prigen (Indonesia) - Giraffe – 2024
171- Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia) - Giraffe – 2024
172- Bandung Zoo (Indonesia) - Giraffe – 2024
173- Taman Safari I Bogor (Indonesia) - Giraffe – 2024
174- Royal Safari Garden Resort (Indonesia) – Giraffe – 2024
175- Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia) – Giraffe – 2024
An iconic captive image of a Giraffe would be at Taronga Zoo (Australia), with some photographers able to get a Giraffe, the Sydney Opera House, and sometimes even the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tower in the legendary skyline. I had a wonderful day there in 2007.
@Jabiru96
Here's my photo of a Giraffe outside its Egyptian-themed barn at Detroit Zoo (USA) in 2008. Since then, the Egyptian facade has been completely demolished and the barn, while extensively expanded and modernized, is now a boring 'eggshell white' colour and is bland and forgettable. In a European zoo, the original exterior would have been kept permanently.
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) had Giraffes with various antelope and penguins (!!) when I first visited the zoo in 2008. It was a remarkable mixed-species habitat. By the time I last toured the zoo, in 2018, the fantastic African Grasslands complex had opened and the Giraffes had a couple of acres of space with a herd of Impala, some Ostriches, storks and possibly even other animals. The Giraffe Barn in Omaha is apparently the largest in North America, and the 1st or 2nd best zoo in the U.S. does well with Giraffes.
Every giraffe fan has been to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA), right? This is the place with a unique setting, a herd of around 20 Giraffes at any given time, and with more than 200 births it's the epicenter for Giraffes in North America. On my second visit, I did think that the space was a little tight for the number of Giraffes they had, but a future expansion is in the works.
Possibly the largest Giraffe exhibit in North America is the 18-acre African Savanna at Binder Park Zoo (USA). That tall speck in the distance is a Giraffe and there's usually approximately 7 different species that roam a space that is larger than many entire zoos!
North Carolina Zoo (USA) has its Africa: Forest Edge exhibit that is 3.5 acres/1.4 hectares and stunning. While some AZA-accredited zoos have puny Giraffe complexes (I'm looking at you Buffalo!), North Carolina excels at giving its animals space.
Dallas Zoo (USA) has its Giants of the Savanna exhibit, with a herd of Giraffes that can mingle with African Elephants and a variety of antelope in a splendid modern habitat.
The Living Desert Zoo (USA), in a region of the world that regularly sees 40 degrees Celsius/104 Fahrenheit temperatures, has a beautiful Giraffe/Greater Kudu/Ostrich exhibit that has curving hills as a backdrop and it's difficult to know where the enclosure ends.
Blijdorp Zoo (Netherlands) has its Giraffe 'Onion' House, much loved by zoo nerds. The outdoor exhibit is equally excellent.
@Mr Gharial
I was really impressed with the structure and here's what it looks like inside. There's an incredible amount of height, and it's large and airy for the animals.
Built in the 1850s, the Egyptian Temple at Antwerp Zoo (Belgium) is a work of art and it still houses Giraffes to this day.
@TeaLovingDave
I enjoyed seeing De Brazza's Monkeys and Giraffes together at ZooParc Overloon (Netherlands) in 2019.
From certain angles, the Serenga savanna area at Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) is scenic and peaceful.
Do you want to see a herd of Giraffes and hundreds of other mammals in acres of a coniferous forest? Then head to Kolmarden Wildlife Park (Sweden) and take the 30-minute gondola tour. For some people, it's one of the most spectacular zoo experiences in the world.
I chuckle when I see 3 Giraffe on the "African Savanna" at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, USA. Maybe a couple of antelope and an Ostrich are tossed in there too. Compare that to the vast mixed-species herds in the African Savannas of European zoos. Boras Zoo (Sweden) has herds of African Elephants, Giraffes, Cape Buffalo and various antelope in this jaw-dropping, 5-acre/2 hectare landscape:
@twilighter
Khao Kheow Zoo (Thailand) has Giraffes and a half-dozen other species in its African Savanna, all with a jungle backdrop and with wild Long-tailed and Pig-tailed Macaques stealing food from the captive animals. Haha!
Safari World Bangkok (Thailand) used to have 200+ Giraffes in their drive-through Safari Park area, but since many were shipped out to the Middle East, there's "only" around 40 Giraffes to be seen these days. That sounds like a much more manageable number to me and double what Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has ever had at one time.
@twilighter
Order Artiodactyla (23 families):
Antilocapridae: 1 species (30 zoos with Pronghorn)
Delphinidae: 7 species (15 zoos with Common Bottlenose Dolphin, 3 Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin, 3 Killer Whale, 3 Pacific White-sided Dolphin, 1 Commerson's Dolphin, 1 False Killer Whale, 1 Short-finned Pilot Whale)
Giraffidae: 5 species (175 zoos with Giraffe (4 species), 31 Okapi)
Hippopotamidae: 2 species (65 zoos with Common Hippo, 44 Pygmy Hippo)
Iniidae: 1 species (1 zoo with Amazon River Dolphin)
Monodontidae: 1 species (7 zoos with Beluga Whale)
Phocoenidae: 1 species (3 zoos with Harbour Porpoise)
Someone who only recognizes one giraffe species.
Having a mix of substrate is really what’s best, especially if they are going to be kept indoors for an extended period of time. Having a softer, natural substrate gives them a more comfortable area to lie down and is more supportive for their joints; however, having a coarse substrate like textured concrete or crushed limestone helps naturally wear their hooves, which is also very important.
The East Africa field exhibit is 55-acres and the South Africa field exhibit is 60-acresThe East Africa field exhibit at the SDZ Safari Park is at least 30 acres, based on rough estimates from Google Earth. And not counting the other African field exhibits along the tram route
That’s way larger than I thought it wasHaving a mix of substrate is really what’s best, especially if they are going to be kept indoors for an extended period of time. Having a softer, natural substrate gives them a more comfortable area to lie down and is more supportive for their joints; however, having a coarse substrate like textured concrete or crushed limestone helps naturally wear their hooves, which is also very important.
The East Africa field exhibit is 55-acres and the South Africa field exhibit is 60-acres
we can thank my totally impeccable Google Earth skills 
In the past week, I've compiled posts on Pronghorn, Common Hippos, Pygmy Hippos, Okapis and Giraffes. There's been some great discussion and sometimes I am tempted to stall for a day to let more discourse occur, but at other times I plunge ahead with the next type of mammal. Time to keep rolling along. Briefly, I will say that @NNM. has a good point about San Diego Zoo, a wonderful facility but one that has a crappy Giraffe exhibit. It's a bit perplexing to see, but as @birdsandbats pointed out there are far worse Giraffe enclosures at many roadside zoos. I was tempted to type up a whole post showcasing terrible roadside U.S. Giraffe enclosures, but that would be too depressing.
Also, it's fascinating to know that there's probably hundreds of 'hybrid, generic' Giraffes in North American collections. The management of Giraffes has obviously become much more complicated in the last 20 years, as the number of species and subspecies has gone up and down like a rollercoaster. Definitely, there needs to be a focus on the exhibits themselves, including some soft, natural substrate areas and hard-standing sections as well. Also, my quote was "possibly the largest Giraffe exhibit in North America is the 18-acre African Savanna at Binder Park Zoo (USA)" and I wasn't too far off. The Wilds recently moved their Giraffes to a smaller enclosure in between the rhinos and the largest paddock, with purpose built feeding and shade structures. So, perhaps only San Diego Zoo Safari Park tops Binder Park for size when it comes to Giraffes.
One other thing about Giraffes, is that going to Southeast Asia complicated my feelings about the quality of a zoo exhibit for these animals. In the U.S., and many European nations as well, Giraffes are regarded as quite delicate animals and are brought in early each night. Some zoos have Giraffes in their barns by 4:30 in the afternoon and back outside at 9:30 in the morning. That means the animals are locked indoors 17 hours a day. Contrast that with many zoos in Southeast Asia, who have Giraffe exhibits that at first glance don't seem as nice as the North American/European exhibits. BUT, at some of these zoos the Giraffes are not brought inside whatsoever, have barns that are open on at least one side and basically are locked indoors maybe 0 hours a day. Which is better? Judging by the size of the small barns I've come across in my travels, I'd say these Southeast Asian zoos have the climate and temperature to provide better homes for Giraffes. Of course, I'm not sure how the animals do in the tropical climates either. It's just nice to see them outdoors and not locked in stalls for most of their lives.
Onwards and upwards...
I've seen Chevrotains at 29 zoos. I struggled with this post and accumulating my numbers, and species nerd hunter @twilighter helped me with the identification and this is what we came up with. I believe that I've definitely missed some zoos in the past, as I wouldn't always track each species of Chevrotain, especially if they were in a side area within an aviary. For sure, I've seen more captive Chevrotains in my life. Also, we figured out on our Asian trip that many zoos don't even realize what species they have in their exhibits, making the signage not always accurate. Lastly, one hardly ever even sees the word 'Chevrotain' as it's all 'Mouse-deer' instead. Here's the best that I could come up with:
29 zoos and 4 species (13 Lesser Indo-Malayan, 9 Javan, 7 Greater Indo-Malayan, 2 Balabac)
1- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2006
2- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2008
3- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2008
4- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (USA) – Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2008
5- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) – Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2010
6- Zoo Boise (USA) – Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2010
7- Topeka Zoo (USA) – Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2012
8- Denver Zoo (USA) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2012
9- Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands) – Javan Chevrotain – 2019
10- Blijdorp Zoo (Netherlands) – Balabac Chevrotain – 2019
11- Lille Zoo (France) – Javan Chevrotain – 2019
12- Zoo Antwerp (Belgium) – Balabac Chevrotain – 2019
13- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Javan Chevrotain – 2019
14- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – Javan Chevrotain – 2019
15- Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – Javan Chevrotain – 2022
16- Sriayuthaya Lion Park (Thailand) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
17- Chiang Mai Zoo (Thailand) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
18- Songkhla Zoo (Thailand) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
19- Penang Bird Park (Malaysia) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
20- Taiping Zoo (Malaysia) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain + Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain– 2024
21- Lost World of Tambun (Malaysia) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
22- Zoo Negara (Malaysia) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain + Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain– 2024
23- KL Deer Park (Malaysia) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
24- Singapore Zoo (Singapore) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
25- Night Safari (Singapore) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
26- Bali Zoo (Indonesia) – Javan Chevrotain – 2024
27- Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia) – Javan Chevrotain – 2024
28- Gembira Loka Zoo (Indonesia) – Javan Chevrotain – 2024
29- Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia) – Javan Chevrotain – 2024
San Diego Zoo (USA) had what one assumes would have been Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotains near Tiger River in the 2000s. Taxonomic changes means that I'm not sure if anyone 100% knows what exact species was there during that period.
@Giant Eland
Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) had Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotains in the Small Mammal House for many years, but I'm not sure if they are there these days. Here's a beautiful shot:
@Ding Lingwei
A recent image of a Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain at Columbus Zoo (USA):
@SusScrofa
Here's my photo of the Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain exhibit at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) in 2010. This enclosure was located inside The RainForest building.
I saw the 'Greater' species at Zoo Boise (USA) in 2010:
@Ituri
Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotains were found in the small Rainforest building at Topeka Zoo (USA) when I was there in 2012.
@KCZooFan
Seeing Balabac Chevrotains inside the now-closed Nocturnal House at Antwerp Zoo (Belgium) was a thrill.
@KevinB
Pairi Daiza (Belgium) has the Javan Chevrotain species:
@KevinB
I saw Javan Chevrotains inside the legendary Grzimek House at Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) in 2019. I don't know if they were signed as Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotains/Mouse-deer, but the feeling is that the European zoos mainly all have the Javan species. That's what I've been told.
@Maguari
Chevrotains, or Mouse-deer, are EVERYWHERE in Southeast Asia. @twilighter and I saw 14 zoos with Mouse-deer in the space of 3 weeks! I bet we walked past wild ones in the undergrowth. Here's some aviaries at Taiping Zoo (Malaysia) with Mouse-deer. The zoo has both 'Lesser' and 'Greater' species.
Here's a great shot of a Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain at Taiping Zoo:
@Toki
Penang Bird Park (Malaysia) has a few scattered mammal species amidst the avian collection.
There really are plenty of Chevrotains of various species at zoos all across Southeast Asia. When I spent the day with both @Toki and @twilighter, we were able to feed Chevrotains at Lost World of Tambun (Malaysia) when we had a special tour by zoo staff that lasted for almost 3 hours. Some zoos would have 10 or 12 Chevrotains in a single exhibit.
Order Artiodactyla:
Antilocapridae: 1 species (30 zoos with Pronghorn)
Delphinidae: 7 species (15 zoos with Common Bottlenose Dolphin, 3 Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin, 3 Killer Whale, 3 Pacific White-sided Dolphin, 1 Commerson's Dolphin, 1 False Killer Whale, 1 Short-finned Pilot Whale)
Giraffidae: 5 species (175 zoos with Giraffe (4 species), 31 Okapi)
Hippopotamidae: 2 species (65 zoos with Common Hippo, 44 Pygmy Hippo)
Iniidae: 1 species (1 zoo with Amazon River Dolphin)
Monodontidae: 1 species (7 zoos with Beluga Whale)
Phocoenidae: 1 species (3 zoos with Harbour Porpoise)
Tragulidae: 4 species (13 zoos with Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain, 9 Javan, 7 Greater Indo-Malayan, 2 Balabac)
Also, it's fascinating to know that there's probably hundreds of 'hybrid, generic' Giraffes in North American collections. The management of Giraffes has obviously become much more complicated in the last 20 years, as the number of species and subspecies has gone up and down like a rollercoaster. Definitely, there needs to be a focus on the exhibits themselves, including some soft, natural substrate areas and hard-standing sections as well. Also, my quote was "possibly the largest Giraffe exhibit in North America is the 18-acre African Savanna at Binder Park Zoo (USA)" and I wasn't too far off. The Wilds recently moved their Giraffes to a smaller enclosure in between the rhinos and the largest paddock, with purpose built feeding and shade structures. So, perhaps only San Diego Zoo Safari Park tops Binder Park for size when it comes to Giraffes.
One other thing about Giraffes, is that going to Southeast Asia complicated my feelings about the quality of a zoo exhibit for these animals. In the U.S., and many European nations as well, Giraffes are regarded as quite delicate animals and are brought in early each night. Some zoos have Giraffes in their barns by 4:30 in the afternoon and back outside at 9:30 in the morning. That means the animals are locked indoors 17 hours a day. Contrast that with many zoos in Southeast Asia, who have Giraffe exhibits that at first glance don't seem as nice as the North American/European exhibits. BUT, at some of these zoos the Giraffes are not brought inside whatsoever, have barns that are open on at least one side and basically are locked indoors maybe 0 hours a day. Which is better? Judging by the size of the small barns I've come across in my travels, I'd say these Southeast Asian zoos have the climate and temperature to provide better homes for Giraffes. Of course, I'm not sure how the animals do in the tropical climates either. It's just nice to see them outdoors and not locked in stalls for most of their lives.
Onwards and upwards...
I've seen Chevrotains at 29 zoos. I struggled with this post and accumulating my numbers, and species nerd hunter @twilighter helped me with the identification and this is what we came up with. I believe that I've definitely missed some zoos in the past, as I wouldn't always track each species of Chevrotain, especially if they were in a side area within an aviary. For sure, I've seen more captive Chevrotains in my life. Also, we figured out on our Asian trip that many zoos don't even realize what species they have in their exhibits, making the signage not always accurate. Lastly, one hardly ever even sees the word 'Chevrotain' as it's all 'Mouse-deer' instead. Here's the best that I could come up with:
29 zoos and 4 species (13 Lesser Indo-Malayan, 9 Javan, 7 Greater Indo-Malayan, 2 Balabac)
1- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2006
2- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2008
3- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2008
4- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (USA) – Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2008
5- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) – Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2010
6- Zoo Boise (USA) – Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2010
7- Topeka Zoo (USA) – Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2012
8- Denver Zoo (USA) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2012
9- Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands) – Javan Chevrotain – 2019
10- Blijdorp Zoo (Netherlands) – Balabac Chevrotain – 2019
11- Lille Zoo (France) – Javan Chevrotain – 2019
12- Zoo Antwerp (Belgium) – Balabac Chevrotain – 2019
13- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Javan Chevrotain – 2019
14- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – Javan Chevrotain – 2019
15- Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – Javan Chevrotain – 2022
16- Sriayuthaya Lion Park (Thailand) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
17- Chiang Mai Zoo (Thailand) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
18- Songkhla Zoo (Thailand) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
19- Penang Bird Park (Malaysia) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
20- Taiping Zoo (Malaysia) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain + Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain– 2024
21- Lost World of Tambun (Malaysia) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
22- Zoo Negara (Malaysia) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain + Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain– 2024
23- KL Deer Park (Malaysia) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
24- Singapore Zoo (Singapore) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
25- Night Safari (Singapore) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
26- Bali Zoo (Indonesia) – Javan Chevrotain – 2024
27- Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia) – Javan Chevrotain – 2024
28- Gembira Loka Zoo (Indonesia) – Javan Chevrotain – 2024
29- Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia) – Javan Chevrotain – 2024
San Diego Zoo (USA) had what one assumes would have been Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotains near Tiger River in the 2000s. Taxonomic changes means that I'm not sure if anyone 100% knows what exact species was there during that period.
@Giant Eland
Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) had Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotains in the Small Mammal House for many years, but I'm not sure if they are there these days. Here's a beautiful shot:
@Ding Lingwei
A recent image of a Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain at Columbus Zoo (USA):
@SusScrofa
Here's my photo of the Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain exhibit at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) in 2010. This enclosure was located inside The RainForest building.
I saw the 'Greater' species at Zoo Boise (USA) in 2010:
@Ituri
Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotains were found in the small Rainforest building at Topeka Zoo (USA) when I was there in 2012.
@KCZooFan
Seeing Balabac Chevrotains inside the now-closed Nocturnal House at Antwerp Zoo (Belgium) was a thrill.
@KevinB
Pairi Daiza (Belgium) has the Javan Chevrotain species:
@KevinB
I saw Javan Chevrotains inside the legendary Grzimek House at Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) in 2019. I don't know if they were signed as Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotains/Mouse-deer, but the feeling is that the European zoos mainly all have the Javan species. That's what I've been told.
@Maguari
Chevrotains, or Mouse-deer, are EVERYWHERE in Southeast Asia. @twilighter and I saw 14 zoos with Mouse-deer in the space of 3 weeks! I bet we walked past wild ones in the undergrowth. Here's some aviaries at Taiping Zoo (Malaysia) with Mouse-deer. The zoo has both 'Lesser' and 'Greater' species.
Here's a great shot of a Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain at Taiping Zoo:
@Toki
Penang Bird Park (Malaysia) has a few scattered mammal species amidst the avian collection.
There really are plenty of Chevrotains of various species at zoos all across Southeast Asia. When I spent the day with both @Toki and @twilighter, we were able to feed Chevrotains at Lost World of Tambun (Malaysia) when we had a special tour by zoo staff that lasted for almost 3 hours. Some zoos would have 10 or 12 Chevrotains in a single exhibit.
Order Artiodactyla:
Antilocapridae: 1 species (30 zoos with Pronghorn)
Delphinidae: 7 species (15 zoos with Common Bottlenose Dolphin, 3 Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin, 3 Killer Whale, 3 Pacific White-sided Dolphin, 1 Commerson's Dolphin, 1 False Killer Whale, 1 Short-finned Pilot Whale)
Giraffidae: 5 species (175 zoos with Giraffe (4 species), 31 Okapi)
Hippopotamidae: 2 species (65 zoos with Common Hippo, 44 Pygmy Hippo)
Iniidae: 1 species (1 zoo with Amazon River Dolphin)
Monodontidae: 1 species (7 zoos with Beluga Whale)
Phocoenidae: 1 species (3 zoos with Harbour Porpoise)
Tragulidae: 4 species (13 zoos with Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain, 9 Javan, 7 Greater Indo-Malayan, 2 Balabac)
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biggest_dreamer
Well-Known Member
Half of your chevrotains are from SEA, and only around a quarter from the US, most of which don't seem to keep the species anymore. What's the overall status of chevrotain in the US? Are the current holders more or less stable, or are they a population in decline?
Sicarius
Well-Known Member
A very interesting article on the subspecies of mouse-deer in captivity: The mousedeer headache
Greater Malayan Chevrotain has actually had a pretty big increase in holders in the US over the last several years. It's one of those species in a similar situation to Bolvian Gray Titi where most of the zoos that keep them now have been visited by snowleopard but he visited prior to when the zoo obtained the species. Lesser Malayan Chevrotain, on the other hand, have completely disappeared from North America.
Where were the chevrotains kept at the Minnesota Zoo?In the past week, I've compiled posts on Pronghorn, Common Hippos, Pygmy Hippos, Okapis and Giraffes. There's been some great discussion and sometimes I am tempted to stall for a day to let more discourse occur, but at other times I plunge ahead with the next type of mammal. Time to keep rolling along. Briefly, I will say that @NNM. has a good point about San Diego Zoo, a wonderful facility but one that has a crappy Giraffe exhibit. It's a bit perplexing to see, but as @birdsandbats pointed out there are far worse Giraffe enclosures at many roadside zoos. I was tempted to type up a whole post showcasing terrible roadside U.S. Giraffe enclosures, but that would be too depressing.
Also, it's fascinating to know that there's probably hundreds of 'hybrid, generic' Giraffes in North American collections. The management of Giraffes has obviously become much more complicated in the last 20 years, as the number of species and subspecies has gone up and down like a rollercoaster. Definitely, there needs to be a focus on the exhibits themselves, including some soft, natural substrate areas and hard-standing sections as well. Also, my quote was "possibly the largest Giraffe exhibit in North America is the 18-acre African Savanna at Binder Park Zoo (USA)" and I wasn't too far off. The Wilds recently moved their Giraffes to a smaller enclosure in between the rhinos and the largest paddock, with purpose built feeding and shade structures. So, perhaps only San Diego Zoo Safari Park tops Binder Park for size when it comes to Giraffes.
One other thing about Giraffes, is that going to Southeast Asia complicated my feelings about the quality of a zoo exhibit for these animals. In the U.S., and many European nations as well, Giraffes are regarded as quite delicate animals and are brought in early each night. Some zoos have Giraffes in their barns by 4:30 in the afternoon and back outside at 9:30 in the morning. That means the animals are locked indoors 17 hours a day. Contrast that with many zoos in Southeast Asia, who have Giraffe exhibits that at first glance don't seem as nice as the North American/European exhibits. BUT, at some of these zoos the Giraffes are not brought inside whatsoever, have barns that are open on at least one side and basically are locked indoors maybe 0 hours a day. Which is better? Judging by the size of the small barns I've come across in my travels, I'd say these Southeast Asian zoos have the climate and temperature to provide better homes for Giraffes. Of course, I'm not sure how the animals do in the tropical climates either. It's just nice to see them outdoors and not locked in stalls for most of their lives.
Onwards and upwards...
I've seen Chevrotains at 29 zoos. I struggled with this post and accumulating my numbers, and species nerd hunter @twilighter helped me with the identification and this is what we came up with. I believe that I've definitely missed some zoos in the past, as I wouldn't always track each species of Chevrotain, especially if they were in a side area within an aviary. For sure, I've seen more captive Chevrotains in my life. Also, we figured out on our Asian trip that many zoos don't even realize what species they have in their exhibits, making the signage not always accurate. Lastly, one hardly ever even sees the word 'Chevrotain' as it's all 'Mouse-deer' instead. Here's the best that I could come up with:
29 zoos and 4 species (13 Lesser Indo-Malayan, 9 Javan, 7 Greater Indo-Malayan, 2 Balabac)
1- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2006
2- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2008
3- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2008
4- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (USA) – Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2008
5- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) – Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2010
6- Zoo Boise (USA) – Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2010
7- Topeka Zoo (USA) – Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2012
8- Denver Zoo (USA) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2012
9- Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands) – Javan Chevrotain – 2019
10- Blijdorp Zoo (Netherlands) – Balabac Chevrotain – 2019
11- Lille Zoo (France) – Javan Chevrotain – 2019
12- Zoo Antwerp (Belgium) – Balabac Chevrotain – 2019
13- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Javan Chevrotain – 2019
14- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – Javan Chevrotain – 2019
15- Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – Javan Chevrotain – 2022
16- Sriayuthaya Lion Park (Thailand) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
17- Chiang Mai Zoo (Thailand) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
18- Songkhla Zoo (Thailand) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
19- Penang Bird Park (Malaysia) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
20- Taiping Zoo (Malaysia) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain + Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain– 2024
21- Lost World of Tambun (Malaysia) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
22- Zoo Negara (Malaysia) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain + Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain– 2024
23- KL Deer Park (Malaysia) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
24- Singapore Zoo (Singapore) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
25- Night Safari (Singapore) – Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain – 2024
26- Bali Zoo (Indonesia) – Javan Chevrotain – 2024
27- Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia) – Javan Chevrotain – 2024
28- Gembira Loka Zoo (Indonesia) – Javan Chevrotain – 2024
29- Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia) – Javan Chevrotain – 2024
San Diego Zoo (USA) had what one assumes would have been Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotains near Tiger River in the 2000s. Taxonomic changes means that I'm not sure if anyone 100% knows what exact species was there during that period.
@Giant Eland
Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) had Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotains in the Small Mammal House for many years, but I'm not sure if they are there these days. Here's a beautiful shot:
@Ding Lingwei
A recent image of a Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain at Columbus Zoo (USA):
@SusScrofa
Here's my photo of the Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotain exhibit at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) in 2010. This enclosure was located inside The RainForest building.
I saw the 'Greater' species at Zoo Boise (USA) in 2010:
@Ituri
Greater Indo-Malayan Chevrotains were found in the small Rainforest building at Topeka Zoo (USA) when I was there in 2012.
@KCZooFan
Seeing Balabac Chevrotains inside the now-closed Nocturnal House at Antwerp Zoo (Belgium) was a thrill.
@KevinB
Pairi Daiza (Belgium) has the Javan Chevrotain species:
@KevinB
I saw Javan Chevrotains inside the legendary Grzimek House at Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) in 2019. I don't know if they were signed as Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotains/Mouse-deer, but the feeling is that the European zoos mainly all have the Javan species. That's what I've been told.
@Maguari
Chevrotains, or Mouse-deer, are EVERYWHERE in Southeast Asia. @twilighter and I saw 14 zoos with Mouse-deer in the space of 3 weeks! I bet we walked past wild ones in the undergrowth. Here's some aviaries at Taiping Zoo (Malaysia) with Mouse-deer. The zoo has both 'Lesser' and 'Greater' species.
Here's a great shot of a Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain at Taiping Zoo:
@Toki
Penang Bird Park (Malaysia) has a few scattered mammal species amidst the avian collection.
There really are plenty of Chevrotains of various species at zoos all across Southeast Asia. When I spent the day with both @Toki and @twilighter, we were able to feed Chevrotains at Lost World of Tambun (Malaysia) when we had a special tour by zoo staff that lasted for almost 3 hours. Some zoos would have 10 or 12 Chevrotains in a single exhibit.
Order Artiodactyla:
Antilocapridae: 1 species (30 zoos with Pronghorn)
Delphinidae: 7 species (15 zoos with Common Bottlenose Dolphin, 3 Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin, 3 Killer Whale, 3 Pacific White-sided Dolphin, 1 Commerson's Dolphin, 1 False Killer Whale, 1 Short-finned Pilot Whale)
Giraffidae: 5 species (175 zoos with Giraffe (4 species), 31 Okapi)
Hippopotamidae: 2 species (65 zoos with Common Hippo, 44 Pygmy Hippo)
Iniidae: 1 species (1 zoo with Amazon River Dolphin)
Monodontidae: 1 species (7 zoos with Beluga Whale)
Phocoenidae: 1 species (3 zoos with Harbour Porpoise)
Tragulidae: 4 species (13 zoos with Lesser Indo-Malayan Chevrotain, 9 Javan, 7 Greater Indo-Malayan, 2 Balabac)