Species you hate to see in zoos

TheEthiopianWolf03 said:
For me personally, I think I don't really hate a species but I do dislike when a species is put in a massive exhibit when their are many other species that could and should have access to a large exhibit. The domesticated rabbits at Oakland zoo have a fairly large exhibit and around 7 individuals. Most kids skip this exhibit when I visit but maybe its a different story when I'm not at the zoo. The large exhibit mixed with the very tiny rabbits just doesn't sit well with me. If you saw this exhibit you would think with some changes and tweaking it could be a fairly good red panda exhibit or even a medium sized penguin exhibit (Although the latter is probably not doable since the exhibit is on a hillside) Another exhibit at Oakland that is particularly annoying is the camel one. There are loads of ungulates that need new exhibits in AZA zoos to help grow their captive population and yet the zoo expands a already decently sized camel exhibit? And only houses 4 camels? Yes it is on a hillside also but they still have tons of space. Space that could be used by an ibex species or something similar. To me, both examples don't offer any conservation value and at the very most they educate on abandoning pets for rabbits and just typical facts about dromedary camels, the first one which could be taught at an animal rescue center.

Don't get me wrong, I don't hate either animal for being at the zoo. But what bugs me is that not only they are prioritized over possibly more endangered and rare species, but also species that currently live at the zoo and don't have the best exhibits such as the chimpanzees. Hopefully I don't sound like I'm hating particularly on one or the other species.

Until then,
TheEthiopianWolf
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Great topic. I have worked in the industry for years, and agree with a lot of points.
For me its elephants. Dangerous to work with, knew someone injured by one. Needs to be hands on and a lot of criticism from anti zoo people when they see keepers trying to use hands on control. They travel big distance in the wild and take a hell of a lot of space. Safari parks mildly better, but not great.
Big problem is listed buildings with exhibits. E.g. london zoo and bristol zoo. When I worked with bristol zoo had constant complaints from public about the space for the pygmy hippo s. I worked with them and agreed but it was all listed buildings and restrained by overall site space and paperwork. They have the new park on the outskirts now, that would be an idea. The seals on my section had a great zoolex designed enclosure. I worked with inverts a lot, they are great as they require less space, many species live aboreal so less ground room. Also you can create beautiful natural exhibits for them, bit harder with say a rhino, trying to recreate the Savannah in kent!
Love this site guys..
 
James w said:
Great topic. I have worked in the industry for years, and agree with a lot of points.
For me its elephants. Dangerous to work with, knew someone injured by one. Needs to be hands on and a lot of criticism from anti zoo people when they see keepers trying to use hands on control. They travel big distance in the wild and take a hell of a lot of space. Safari parks mildly better, but not great.
Big problem is listed buildings with exhibits. E.g. london zoo and bristol zoo. When I worked with bristol zoo had constant complaints from public about the space for the pygmy hippo s. I worked with them and agreed but it was all listed buildings and restrained by overall site space and paperwork. They have the new park on the outskirts now, that would be an idea. The seals on my section had a great zoolex designed enclosure. I worked with inverts a lot, they are great as they require less space, many species live aboreal so less ground room. Also you can create beautiful natural exhibits for them, bit harder with say a rhino, trying to recreate the Savannah in kent!
Love this site guys..
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I agree with you. I'm also happy you're enjoying the site.

I don't agree completely with what TheEthiopianWolf said in what you quoted. I do agree that spaces should be used for more endangered species, but I agree with the statement that rabbits deserve less space than other species. After seeing terribly small enclosures that animals I own use to be in, I think that all animals deserve as much space as possible.
 
EsserWarrior said:
I agree with you. I'm also happy you're enjoying the site.

I don't agree completely with what TheEthiopianWolf said in what you quoted. I do agree that spaces should be used for more endangered species, but I agree with the statement that rabbits deserve less space than other species. After seeing terribly small enclosures that animals I own use to be in, I think that all animals deserve as much space as possible.
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Its a difficult one.. I was part of breeding programme species, uk and international. Lot of stud book species. Because of the stringent requirements for zoo licensing conservation is fore front. I do like to see unusual species though. I did a lot of zoo tours for work and personal. Berlin zoos I loved because they had obscure species id never heard of or seen, and 3 species of hyena!.
I find a lot of U.K. zoos do keep the same species due to programmes, which is great. But I do miss the species lesser kept now, and random ones that surprise. From a keeper point, but also zoo enthusiasts.
Amur leopards are a good example. They receive a lot of spaces for breeding collections. But I do miss seeing other leopard species. My fave are persian leopards. Had them at cotswold wildlife park growing up, last saw one in Berlin.
I worked with a wildlife hospital for about 10 years, and like native species collections. Nearly worked in wildwood. Id like to see a lot more breeding programmes in the uk for the scottish wildcat. Our only native feline, and near extinction now. Bit gabbled..but written after family funeral. Site cheering me up!
 
Whilst I don't hate them - they're superb - I hate Razor-billed Curassows because I've never managed to get a decent photo of one. I'm beginning to think it's a conspiracy! In fact I'm considering starting a thread on species that are difficult to photograph
 
I'm not a venom green anti-zoo man, but I'd like to say Cetaceans, because impossible to give enough big enclosures for them 'cause of their agility, size and sonar. Animal cruelty to hold cetaceans in captivity on my opinion.
 
HungarianBison said:
I'm not a venom green anti-zoo man, but I'd like to say Cetaceans, because impossible to give enough big enclosures for them 'cause of their agility, size and sonar. Animal cruelty to hold cetaceans in captivity on my opinion.
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This is, of course, not true for all species, but for the most part marine parks and zoos often do not. I'd imagine this is because very few cetacean exhibits are new compared to the many which were built decades ago.

~Thylo
 
HungarianBison said:
I'm not a venom green anti-zoo man, but I'd like to say Cetaceans, because impossible to give enough big enclosures for them 'cause of their agility, size and sonar. Animal cruelty to hold cetaceans in captivity on my opinion.
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I strongly agree with you, and the fact that zoos have not been able to prevent any species of cetacean from extinction supports my view that we cannot provide a suitable environment for them. I actively avoid collections with cetaceans which means I'm going to have a dilemma next year as I'd like to visit Loro Parque.
 
Goura said:
the fact that zoos have not been able to prevent any species of cetacean from extinction supports my view that we cannot provide a suitable environment for them
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??? I don’t get how this correlates at all. Lots of zoos and marine parks do amazing research with captive whales and dolphins that directly help wild populations. Also the only cetacean species to go extinct in modern times is I believe the Yangtze River dolphin and I don’t know how that extinction has anything to do with captive cetacean care.
 
Echobeast said:
??? I don’t get how this correlates at all. Lots of zoos and marine parks do amazing research with captive whales and dolphins that directly help wild populations. Also the only cetacean species to go extinct in modern times is I believe the Yangtze River dolphin and I don’t know how that extinction has anything to do with captive cetacean care.
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Not to mention the public outrage over wanting to establish a captive Vaquita population is almost surely what's sealed their extinction.

~Thylo
 
Goura said:
the fact that zoos have not been able to prevent any species of cetacean from extinction supports my view that we cannot provide a suitable environment for them
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That's like saying that because zoos have not been able to prevent the extinction of any species of rhinoceros, it proves that we cannot provide a suitable environment for them :p

ThylacineAlive said:
Not to mention the public outrage over wanting to establish a captive Vaquita population is almost surely what's sealed their extinction.

~Thylo
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Indeed - if all attempts to organise a captive population had not been blocked at every turn due to hand-wringing over the mere idea of bringing them into captivity until it was literally too late for the species, we might be talking about the Vaquita in rather different - and much less pessimistic - terms now.
 
I agree with both @HungarianBison and @Goura . I'm not a big fan of cetaceans in captivity just due to the complexity of meeting their needs. I only encourage it if a. the species is in serious danger of extinction and desperately needs a captive population (vaquitas for example) or b. the cetacean is a rescue who physically can not return to the wild. My school will hopefully be visiting the Washington area next summer, and we are going to the National Aquarium, but I'll give that a pass since the species are going to a sanctuary. I am a bit embarrassed to be admitting my personal opinions, as I'm sure lots of people disagree with me.
 
Echobeast said:
??? I don’t get how this correlates at all. Lots of zoos and marine parks do amazing research with captive whales and dolphins that directly help wild populations. Also the only cetacean species to go extinct in modern times is I believe the Yangtze River dolphin and I don’t know how that extinction has anything to do with captive cetacean care.
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Captivity has also lead to the general public knowing a lot about some species, and cetaceans in general. Everyone knows what an orca is, or a bottlenose dolphin, and that wouldn't be the case without captivity.
 
Echobeast said:
??? I don’t get how this correlates at all. Lots of zoos and marine parks do amazing research with captive whales and dolphins that directly help wild populations. Also the only cetacean species to go extinct in modern times is I believe the Yangtze River dolphin and I don’t know how that extinction has anything to do with captive cetacean care.
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And some aquariums have the equipment to take care of them, and a few of them have been able to breed them. The largest whales shouldn’t be in captivity, but for toothed whales, they could be taken care of.
 
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TeaLovingDave said:
For a given value of "toothed whales" of course :p I daresay the chances of successfully keeping Pygmy Right Whale in captivity are higher than the chances of successfully keeping one of the beaked whales, for instance.......
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I meant most toothed whales. I mean like dolphins, orcas, belugas, and others.
 
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