The history of Puku (Kobus vardonii) in captivity

ungulate nerd

ungulate nerd

Well-Known Member
I heard that Hannover Zoo is the only zoo outside of Africa that has kept Puku (Kobus vardonii) and they kept them in the 1960s, which zoos in Africa kept them and when did they keep them ?, they seem like their husbandry would be similar to that of Lechwe (Kobus leche) which do relatively well in captivity, why wouldn't zoos bother with Puku (Kobus vardonii), and is there any zoo that tried to get them but failed to ?
 
vogelcommando said:
Hannover also only had them for 4 years ( 1965 - 1968 ) according to Zootierliste ).
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That's interesting, I wonder why they lasted in Hannover Zoo's collection for only that short of a short period, could it be diet ?, I know for a while Giant elands (Taurotragus derbianus) were harder to keep alive in captivity than Common elands (Taurotragus oryx) because of diet, same applies to Red colobus (Piliocolobus spp.) versus Black and white colobus (Colobus spp.)

Or could the lack of zoos keeping Puku (Kobus vardonii) have something to do with curators and directors of zoos seeing the differences between Puku (Kobus vardonii) and Lechwe (Kobus leche) as being very minoot, and not bothering to obtain Puku, with aquariums and marine parks, that was pretty much the reason why you didn't see too many Tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis) but saw several Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) ?

For some reason I'd imagine that its the latter and not the former, but I am just conning from speculation, if anyone as a more accurate answer, I'd be glad to hear it!
 
I have seen both puku and red lechwe in Chobe and puku is quite a bit duller than the lechwe, but I do not think that is the reason. Maybe it has also to do with the fact that most puku live in Zambia and that most african antelope imports came from either South Africa/Namibia and from Kenya/Tanzania.
 
lintworm said:
I have seen both puku and red lechwe in Chobe and puku is quite a bit duller than the lechwe, but I do not think that is the reason. Maybe it has also to do with the fact that most puku live in Zambia and that most african antelope imports came from either South Africa/Namibia and from Kenya/Tanzania.
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Lintworm, you saw Puku (Kobus vardonii) in real life ?!?!?
I am super jealous !!! How come most imports came from Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, and South Africa ? Did Zambia have animal import and export laws that were stricter then in those in Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, and South Africa ? Or was it because there is more wildlife diversity in those countries ? You'd think that back in those days, zoos would want to collect what variety they can from all over the place (stamp collecting)
 
It probably has to do with the fact that Zambia is not connected to the sea, so transports are kindof more difficult, but I do not know if that is the real reason. But is seems no coincidence to me that there are also no thornicroft giraffe and crawshay zebra in captivity. The only Zambian speciality I can think of in captivity are the kafue flats lechwes...
 
lintworm said:
It probably has to do with the fact that Zambia is not connected to the sea, so transports are kindof more difficult, but I do not know if that is the real reason. But is seems no coincidence to me that there are also no thornicroft giraffe and crawshay zebra in captivity. The only Zambian speciality I can think of in captivity are the kafue flats lechwes...
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The fact that Zambia is a landlocked country would make sense, but wouldn't there have been a railroad system (or nowdays highway systems) to transport them to ports in bordering countries

By the way, Thornicofts giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis thornicofti) and Crawshays zebras (Equus quagga crawshayi) are neat species!, have there been any in captivity in their home range or even any in captivity elsewere besides Crawshays zebras at Berlin Zoo (1902 - 1907) ?

Besides Kafue flats lechwe (Kobus leche kafuensis), another uniquely Zambian species in captivity currently is the Zambian sable antelope (Hippotragus niger kirkii), San Diego Zoo had them in recent history but they are now all gone from the collection and were sent into the Private sector (the Zambian sable antelopes were at first thought to be Giant sable antelope Hippotragus niger variani, that was during the Jim Dolan days). How are Kafue flats lechwe doing in Europe ? Here in the United States, as far as i know, no public collection keeps them
 
A highway in Africa, now that would be funny :p

Kafue lechwe are doing pretty well in Europe, they are relatively common, I think with over 50 different institutions keeping them ( I cannot load zootierliste here, or I could but it would take veeeery long)
 
So I did some further research regarding Puku (Kobus vardonii) in captivity, and from what I found on www.VertNet.org, the American Museum of Natural History in New York City actually has in their mammalogy collections, a male Puku that came from the Bronx Zoo.
 
I read that Hannover zoo during that time was connected to a company trading wild animals to zoos. Many rarities were exhibited short time before being sold elsewhere. It might be hat these Pukus also went somewhere.
 
Weigl lists only one puku in his work on mammal longevity and that was one of those in Hannover. Its longevity is listed as 3 yrs after which it was transferred (so its true life-span is unknown).

It seems to have been moved on to Thoiry. Details of its time there are lacking.

Crandall knew of none outside of Africa, writing in 1964.

Has San Diego never kept these?
 
Jurek7 said:
I read that Hannover zoo during that time was connected to a company trading wild animals to zoos. Many rarities were exhibited short time before being sold elsewhere. It might be hat these Pukus also went somewhere.
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Hi Jurek7, yes I believe that it was the Ruhe family that owned and managed Hannover Zoo from 1932 until 1972. You are right, they did bring in quite an extraordinary collection of African boivds, and it included rare species such as White eared kob (Kobus leucotis) and Black fronted duiker (Cephalophus nigrifrons).
 
Paradoxurus said:
Weigl lists only one puku in his work on mammal longevity and that was one of those in Hannover. Its longevity is listed as 3 yrs after which it was transferred (so its true life-span is unknown).

It seems to have been moved on to Thoiry. Details of its time there are lacking.

Crandall knew of none outside of Africa, writing in 1964.

Has San Diego never kept these?
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Hi Paradoxurus, I think I vaguely remember reading in the Management of Wild Mammals in Captivity by Lee S. Crandall that he didnt know of any Puku (Kobus vardonii) outside of Africa. I guess I am curious why www.VertNet.org listed that particular specimen as being a former resident of N.Y.Z.S

I never knew that Hannover Zoo transferred their Puku (Kobus vardonii) to Thoiry Safari Park. Where did you find this out? Was this in The Longevity of Mammals in Captivity from the World's Living Collections by Richard Weigl?
 
UngulateNerd92 said:
…. I think I vaguely remember reading in the Management of Wild Mammals in Captivity by Lee S. Crandall that he didnt know of any Puku (Kobus vardonii) outside of Africa. …..
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Yes, Crandall (1964) states that “The puku appears not to have been kept in captivity outside Africa”
UngulateNerd92 said:
….

I never knew that Hannover Zoo transferred their Puku (Kobus vardonii) to Thoiry Safari Park. Where did you find this out? Was this in The Longevity of Mammals in Captivity from the World's Living Collections by Richard Weigl?
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According to Weigl’s book (2005), there was a female puku in Hannover between 25th April 1965 and 25th April 1968 although Weigl does not state that this animal was sent to Thoiry.
 
Tim May said:
Yes, Crandall (1964) states that “The puku appears not to have been kept in captivity outside Africa”


According to Weigl’s book (2005), there was a female puku in Hannover between 25th April 1965 and 25th April 1968 although Weigl does not state that this animal was sent to Thoiry.
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Hi Tim, yes I actually have that book. Despite asking if the reference to the Puku (Kobus vardonii) at Thoiry came from there. I do not remember seeing a reference in there to them being at Thoiry. That is something that a guy like me would have remembered...I guess I was wondering if that was mentioned in a certain part of the book that I may not have seen/read...

Paradoxurus, was there perhaps a reference other than Weigl (2005) where you read about Puku at Thoiry?
 
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