Species you'd like to see in zoos

Could prairie grasses and forbs not be cultured in temperate Europe? And the bison and pronghorn given a few acres to graze?
 
SealPup said:
Could prairie grasses and forbs not be cultured in temperate Europe? And the bison and pronghorn given a few acres to graze?
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I'm sure both of those conditions could be met, although I don't think either would be necessary. As I said, I don't know why the population in Europe died out.

Edit: I found an older thread in which @TeaLovingDave claims that climate is the issue, that Europe is too cool and damp. Come to think of it, I don't know of any zoos in cold and wet climates in the US that keep them, so that reason makes sense to me. Although, a lot of other arid and semi-arid species are kept in Europe with little or no issue.
 
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SealPup said:
Shame: I imagine the source of the pronghorns matters. What about in Med Europe?
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It doesn't look like they were held in the Mediterranean countries at any point; presumably that would be more optimal. The holders were in Germany, UK, Denmark, Russia, and the Low Countries. They were around in a few zoos during the 1960's, last ones died out at Berlin TP and Hanover in the early 1970's.

Why would the source matter? All pronghorn in the US derive from arid and semi-arid areas.
 
SealPup said:
True but pronghorn range from Canada to Mexico. There's a gradient of heat, there.
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TLD's post said "cool and damp", but I think humidity would be the chief issue rather than temperature. The pronghorn's range in the Great Plains ends around where semi-arid meets humid continental, implying a specialization for drier climates. Additionally, I know that there are some species from desert, scrub, or tundra regions that suffer health problems when kept in humid regions. Also, most zoos in the US that keep pronghorn are in drier, less humid regions.

Again, this is just my reasoning based on a post I saw from somebody else.

Here is a thread that goes more in depth about this topic: No Pronghorn OutSide America?!
 
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I'd like to see Arabian leopards more often. I saw some in Al Ain Zoo last year and am told the biggest collection is currently, and sadly, bearing in mind the sitiation there, in Yemen.
 
Araripe manakin-Because they are rare and endangered, and they are such a beautiful species.
Tiger fish-They are really cool looking
Tent-making bat-Really cute! And its something unique to find in zoos.
Bumblebee bat-To see if I could actually see them in an exhibit! They're small.
Suni-Tiny Antelope! Who couldn't love them?
Metallic green bee-Pretty cool looking, and its something interesting to bring to the zoo collection.
Hainan gibbon-Zoos have rarely exhibited the species, and they are so endangered they could be extinct in the next decade! :(:(
Attenborough's echidna-David A. Is awesome, and seeing an animal named after him is even more awesome!
Okinawa spiny rat-Easily one of the rarest animals on earth, and such a rare species amongst zoo nerds.
Durrell's vontrisa- A really cool and rare mongoose species!\
Tonkin snub nosed monkey-A really beautiful monkey, and a highly endangered one indeed.
Dana octopus squid-I really wish zoos/aquariums could pull this off!
 
A rather controversial one - Narwhal, Monodon Monoceros.
Technically, female narwhals would be far tamer in captivity than male narwhals, and could be kept similar to normal belugas.
Nine-Banded Armadillo - Dasypus novemcinctus
While commonly held in America, is a rather scarce species in Europe, with a small number of individuals held in Spain.
Pavonine Quetzal - Pharomachrus pavoninus
Absent in captivity, though is rather similar in terms of characteristics to some of the other quetzals in captivity, such as Golden-Headed Quetzals and Resplendent Quetzals.
 
African forest elephants, pronghorns over here as mentioned earlier, Black-footed cats over here and more species of smaller African ungulates such as Dibatags, Oribis, Sunis, Royal antelopes and duikers would all be great.
 
DragonDust101 said:
Hello Zoochatters,

What are species of animal you'd like to see in zoos, for whatever reason, from conservation to personal preference? I'd say a couple would be-

Thick-Billed Raven- example of Afroalpine bird life.

Ethiopian Wolf- Ex-Situ Conservation efforts, only 500 in the world.

Mountian Nyala- Ex-Situ, afroalpine antelope example

Big Headed Mole Rat- Ecosystem importance to Ethiopian Wolf, Ex-Situ.

Cape Mountian Zebra- Once again, afroalpine wildlife and Ex-Situ conservation

Water Chevrotain- Example of primitive Congo wildlife, maybe could do well.

Fishing Genet- Along the lines of Congo river life

Giant Otter Shrew- no good reason:)

Pygmy Hog- Conservation
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In addition to the ones you've stated, a few species I'd like to see in European and North American zoos would be these:

Marbled Cat

Flat Headed Cat

Saiga

Chiru

Sumatran Rhinoceros

Andean Cat

Pampas Cat

Short Eared Dog

Crab Eating Fox

Chinese Mountain Cat

Lowland Streaked Tenrec
 
Brayden Delashmutt said:
In addition to the ones you've stated, a few species I'd like to see in European and North American zoos would be these:

Marbled Cat

Flat Headed Cat

Saiga

Chiru

Sumatran Rhinoceros

Andean Cat

Pampas Cat

Short Eared Dog

Crab Eating Fox

Chinese Mountain Cat

Lowland Streaked Tenrec
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Several of these have come and gone from zoos, several of them not all that long ago.
 
ifesbob said:
Saiga have been tried and failed in zoos because they're skittish, I don't know more detail or about the others
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Sumatran Rhino only has 80 something individuals left in the world. The last one to be kept at a public zoo was transferred to Asia to help the population.
 
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