Lori Patton
Well-Known Member
While the Los Angeles Zoo does still have gerenuk, they are currently off-exhibit. The main gerenuk habitat has been inaccessible to visitors for the past year and a half during construction of the upcoming Cape vulture exhibit, which is woefully behind schedule. Gerenuk were also sometimes on exhibit in the nursery yard in the Children's Zoo, but that whole area was closed down over the summer with no reopening date announced.My next choice of species is Gerenuk, an almost mythical beast in European zoos. It's amazing to think that arguably the best continent in the world for zoos has rarely ever showcased this extraordinary species. I've been extremely fortunate with Gerenuk, as I saw these mammals at 8 zoos in a single summer in 2008 (!!) and in the U.S. there's always been a few zoos here and there with these long-necked antelopes. They are currently quite rare worldwide, with the two Berlins and then a handful in America and that's it according to Zootierliste. A lot of the AZA zoos I've seen Gerenuk at have now phased out the species and I've come across very few Gerenuk in the last decade. Thank goodness for the two Berlins and the two San Diegos!
I've seen Gerenuk at 19 zoos:
2008 = 8 zoos
1- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2006
2- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Gerenuk – 2006
3- Denver Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2006
4- Oregon Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2007
5- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
6- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
7- Oklahoma City Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
8- Phoenix Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
9- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
10- Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
11- White Oak Conservation Center (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
12- Zoo Miami (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
13- Saint Louis Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2010
14- Dallas Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2010
15- Cameron Park Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2010
16- Peoria Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2014
17- Houston Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2015
18- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Gerenuk – 2019
19- Berlin Tierpark (Germany) – Gerenuk – 2019
San Diego Zoo (USA) has done well with Gerenuk and the zoo still showcases the species in the remaining Horn & Hoof Mesa zone. That section of the zoo is a mythical beast all on its own!Here are two Gerenuk eating:
@Ding Lingwei
Gerenuk have been at San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) for a long time, with both San Diego facilities having multiple species mixed with Gerenuk over the years. At one point in time, there must have been at least 15 on-show Gerenuk between the two zoos.
@geomorph
Denver Zoo (USA) had Gerenuk with Crowned Cranes and Southern Ground Hornbills when I was last there in 2012.
It's been more than a decade since there's been a photo of a Gerenuk at Oregon Zoo (USA) in the ZooChat gallery, but I saw the species there on my 2008, 2010 and 2011 visits. Plains Zebra shared this yard with Gerenuk.
When I was at Memphis Zoo (USA) in 2008, their Antelope Barn (which dates from 1923) had an exhibit for Gerenuk. Gone baby gone.
My photo shows 6 Gerenuk at Fort Worth Zoo (USA) in 2008 and yet there's been zero photos of the species in more than a decade. Another one bites the dust...
There was probably a half-dozen Gerenuk at Phoenix Zoo (USA) not that long ago...now all gone.
Another half-dozen Gerenuk in this photo, taken at Los Angeles Zoo (USA), and this time the zoo still has the species!
@Blackduiker
Even Zoo Miami (USA), often that last bastion of hoofstock in an American zoological setting, phased out Gerenuk.
@Maguari
Here's an extremely rare ZooChat image of a Gerenuk inside an Antelope Barn at Saint Louis Zoo (USA):
@Blackduiker
Saint Louis Zoo (USA) still maintains Gerenuk to this day and over the years the species has been combined (at different times) with Giraffes, Lesser Kudu, Soemmerring's Gazelles and Ostriches.
@pachyderm pro
Here's the last ZooChat photo of a Gerenuk at Dallas Zoo (USA), taken 6.5 years ago. I remember seeing the species on the monorail tour and if Dallas ever opens up that area again as a walking zone then it would be brilliant for zoo nerds everywhere.
@ThylacineAlive
Here's the Giraffe Barn at Cameron Park Zoo (USA) and the Giraffes shared their enclosure with Greater Kudu and Gerenuk when I was there in 2010. Apparently the zoo still has Gerenuk in its collection.
While at Peoria Zoo (USA), a relatively obscure facility, I saw a single Gerenuk in with two Giraffes and some Thomson's Gazelles in 2014.
Houston Zoo (USA) had Gerenuk back in 2015:
@TheMightyOrca
Does Berlin Zoo (Germany) still have Gerenuk these days? What a silly question. Of course Berlin Zoo has Gerenuk and in gorgeous accommodation too!
@SivatheriumGuy
Berlin Tierpark (Germany) also has Gerenuk, much to the delight of zoo nerds across the globe. As soon as some zoo nerds see that green fencing, they begin to squeal with pleasure.
@Rhino00
Family Bovidae: 25 species so far
American Bison - 104 zoos
Bongo - 58 zoos
Common Eland - 58 zoos
Greater Kudu - 51 zoos
Nilgai - 40 zoos
Impala - 38 zoos
Sitatunga - 29 zoos
Banteng - 27 zoos
Yak - 26 zoos
Nyala - 25 zoos
Cape Buffalo - 21 zoos (including 7 with African Forest Buffalo)
Gerenuk - 19 zoos
Lowland Anoa - 18 zoos
Asian Water Buffalo - 17 zoos
Gaur - 16 zoos
Lesser Kudu - 16 zoos
Muskox - 16 zoos
Springbok - 16 zoos
Wisent - 15 zoos
Giant Eland - 5 zoos
Steenbok - 3 zoos
Mountain Anoa - 2 zoos
Royal Antelope - 2 zoos
Northern Bushbuck - 1 zoo
Saiga - 1 zoo
Bonus species: (similar to my New Guinea Singing Dog example)
Gayal - 2 zoos
As I am catching up on some of your older posts, I would like to mention that the Los Angeles Zoo no longer has lesser kudu. The last specimen passed away in July 2023. Unfortunately, the zoo does not seem to be replacing most of the elderly animals as they pass on and the species collection is diminishing.
Although recent developments are truly awe-inspiring (especially the red panda + tufted deer habitat and savannah area), part of me also finds it a bit of a pity that the familiar layout of the Tierpark is changing.
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