Zoologischer Garten Magdeburg The Magdeburg Adventures Of A Tea-Loving Dave - 5 April 2014

[TeaLovingDave]

Part XI: North American Porcupine to Congo Buffalo

As we continued along our chosen route through the zoo, we reached a crossroads. To our left the path led back to the Tapir House, ahead of us the path led towards the lemur enclosures, whilst the path to the right of us led towards the back entrance to the Ape House. As we knew that the latter of these routes would ultimately loop back towards the lemur enclosures, we decided to head in this direction.

However, to save further doubling back at a later point, we first briefly made our way down the path towards the Tapir House to investigate an enclosure 20 metres or so down the path which we had not visited previously. This enclosure was a large and - when we visited - rather muddy paddock which was dotted with entrance holes to burrows along with tree trunks which criss-crossed the area. The reason for the muddiness of the enclosure was rapidly apparent - the enclosure appeared to be in the middle of having grass and possibly other vegetation seeded and replanted, as a system of sprinklers were active through the enclosure watering the bare ground. The enclosure held a mixture of two species: Black-tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) and North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum). We were only able to observe the latter of the species at the time, but insofar as much as we could tell the enclosure was a rather good one for both species - certainly once the enclosure was once again fully vegetated.



On the corner of the crossroads, we came to a large and rather pleasant aviary which held a combination of Socorro Dove (Zenaida graysoni) and Texas Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus texanus), two very appealing species which blended together rather well. The aviary itself was landscaped with a combination of rockwork, vegetation and sandy paths, and gave plenty of space to both species living within it.



Next to this aviary we came to a smaller, but no less well-designed aviary which provided rather more perching opportunities than found in its neighbour, but which had a much simpler sandy flooring. This smaller aviary held Lesser Patagonian Conure (Cyanoliseus patagonus patagonus) and Californian Quail (Lophortyx californica); I particularly enjoyed seeing the latter of these species for two reasons. Firstly, until the previous day at Zoo Berlin I had never seen Californian Quail, and as such I still appreciated it with the eyes of one new to the species. Secondly, having seen the closely related Gambel's Quail only hours previously, I rather enjoyed being able to mentally compare the two taxa.



As we started to make our way to the Ape House, the first enclosure we reached - just opposite the aviary holding the Socorro Dove - was a large sandy paddock. The paddock contained a handful of the mature trees which - as has previously been noted - are dotted around much of Zoo Magdeburg, but otherwise was plain and functional, holding a group of Eurasian Forest Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus). As a pure and undomesticated subspecies, I always enjoy having the chance to view Forest Reindeer and observe the various morphological and behavioural differences marking them out from the domestic form which I am highly familiar with.



The next paddock was substantially larger and more open, containing only a few small trees and a central area of rockwork in an otherwise grass-covered representation of - judging by the presence of a sizeable group of Alpaca (Vicugna pacos) - the high plains of the Andes. The enclosure seemed to be well suited for the species, although of course it would have been even more satisfying to observe had the enclosure contained an undomesticated species such as Vicuna or Guanaco.



The neighbouring enclosure was a very similar paddock, differentiated primarily by the presence of a larger amount of rockwork but of a more or less equal size. This provided plenty of room for the Congo Buffalo (Syncerus caffer nanus) held within the enclosure.



(Enclosed are images of the Porcupine enclosure, the Socorro Dove and Texan Bobwhite aviary, the Conure and Californian Quail aviary, the Eurasian Forest Reindeer paddock, the Alpaca paddock and the Congo Buffalo paddock)

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Is the next part of the Magdeburg trip report the last part of the Magdeburg review?

Nope - got about half the collection left to discuss yet!

Getting straight on with writing the next part, now that I just uploaded another one.

 

[Chlidonias]

This smaller aviary held Lesser Patagonian Conure (Cyanoliseus patagonus patagonus) and Californian Quail (Lophortyx californica); I particularly enjoyed seeing the latter of these species for two reasons. Firstly, until the previous day at Zoo Berlin I had never seen Californian Quail, and as such I still appreciated it with the eyes of one new to the species. Secondly, having seen the closely related Gambel's Quail only hours previously, I rather enjoyed being able to mentally compare the two taxa.

this is something I love about Zoochat, people experiencing species new to them which are commonplace for others. It makes me feel good inside. For me Californian quail are nothing to get excited about -- I like them but they are wild in NZ and commonly seen. I'd pretty much walk straight past an aviary of them. But I get excited about animals like raccoons or red river hogs.

(I know what you mean about Gambel's quail as well: I saw them for the first time at Jurong this year and it was nice to mentally compare them to Californians -- although there were Californians in the next aviary so I didn't actually have to utilise my mental capacities too much ).

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Part XII: Persian Onager to Ape House

The next paddock, which rather resembled a larger version of the Forest Reindeer enclosure to my eyes as it was relatively plain with sandy flooring and a small amount of rockwork, contained Persian Onager (Equus hemionus onager) - a species I was particularly pleased to see, as I have a strong soft spot for the taxon having observed it on many occasions at Chester Zoo and likely would count it as my favorite perissodactyl species. The paddock struck me as a very pleasant enclosure for the species, giving the inhabitants -which comprised three males - plenty of space and emulating to some extent the native habitat of the Onager.



We next came to a large and grassy enclosure which was reasonably well-vegetated, with a number of young trees and less rockwork than in the various paddocks immediately preceding. The overall aesthetic of the enclosure was pretty good, being large and pleasant on the eye - however I admit to having felt a small degree of disappointment to observe that the enclosure held something as commonplace as Tasmanian Red-necked Wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus fruticus). This said, when one considers how many unusual species and rarities I had seen thus far, I could not bring myself to complain excessively; moreover the inhabitants seemed to be in good condition and the enclosure suited them well. The only real complaint I can offer is that it seemed rather large for a relatively small number of individuals; it is possible these animals are in the enclosure as a stopgap, or represent the last of a dwindling population. If the latter is the case, I would suggest that this enclosure would suit a species such as Red Kangaroo or Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby well.



The next paddock was very similar to the Tufted Deer enclosure near the entrance to Zoo Magdeburg, being a well-vegetated paddock with a number of wooden shelters which were partially concealed underneath various branches and other dead vegetation, and with mature trees growing within. As such, it was little surprise that the enclosure held a similar species, the Reeves's Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi); not the most unusual species but one which I am relatively fond of due to the fact I have observed wild introduced individuals on a number of occasions. However, beyond noting that the enclosure was pleasant and seemed good for the species held within, our attention was not held by this enclosure all that long.



We then reached the far side of the Ape House, which as previously noted was inaccessible through the usual route due to the ongoing work in construction of a new house, after which point the current house will be refocused to hold a variety of monkey taxa. To ensure continued access into the house, a path currently extends behind the house leading to what I assume is usually a fire exit for the house, through which we entered the Ape House itself.

The first enclosure we reached held a pair of Common Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), one of which belonged to the Western subspecies (Pan troglodytes verus). The enclosure, although nowhere near the worst chimpanzee enclosure I have seen, did not strike me as anything special; something which I readily admit may have been partially influenced by the fact I rather dislike the species. It comprised a substantial amount of fake rockwork and imitation tree trunks, with ropes criss-crossing the enclosure suspended from the ceiling and "trunks". The enclosure was viewable from a number of windows on the ground level; I suspect that it was also designed to be viewed from the upper level of the Ape House, but the relevant part of the house (as will be alluded to a little further in this post) was closed as part of the ongoing renovation of the house.



The path through the house went in two directions; to the right the path went around and underneath the chimpanzee enclosure, whilst to the left it led to another large indoor enclosure. Said enclosure was similar in some ways to that for the chimpanzees, but differed in a number of qualities. Firstly, there was significantly less fake rockwork within the enclosure, something which improved the look of the enclosure immediately. Secondly, there was a much higher level of climbing opportunities in the form of ropes and wooden structures provided to the inhabitants, which we found were Common Mona Monkey (Cercopithecus mona). As this was one of the primate species which had been a large determining factor in my desire to visit this enclosure, I was very pleased to observe the inhabitants of the enclosure for some length of time, both from ground level and - due to the fact the path extended upwards onto the first floor of the Ape House - an elevated position looking down into the enclosure. However, the path was blocked beyond this point due to the aforementioned work on the house. As such, we then descended back to the ground floor of the house and made our way through the tunnel which ran past and behind the chimpanzee enclosure.



We then came to a relatively large and high-quality indoor enclosure which contained Midas Tamarin (Saguinus midas). The enclosure struck me as a very good exhibit for the species, providing a large amount of climbing opportunities and vegetation, with plenty of space provided for the inhabitants. Although an indoor-only enclosure, it was of a similar high quality to the callitrichid enclosures which we had seen earlier that day; however as this particular species of tamarin is one with which I am rather fond, I must admit I was particularly pleased to see the quality of this enclosure.



(Attached are images of the Onager paddock, the Red-Necked Wallaby enclosure, the Reeve's Muntjac paddock, the Chimpanzee enclosure, the Mona Monkey enclosure and the Midas Tamarin enclosure)

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Previous post has now been edited to include my prose report for Part XII.

 

[Chlidonias]

Tasmanian Red-necked Wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus fruticus).

do you remember what I said a couple of weeks ago about red-necked wallaby subspecies?

 

[TeaLovingDave]

do you remember what I said a couple of weeks ago about red-necked wallaby subspecies?

I do now

 

[ThylacineAlive]

I do now

I don't

~Thylo

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Part XIII: Ape House to Dusky Padamelon

Next to the Midas Tamarin enclosure, we came to a second large enclosure of a similar design; this one contained much less vegetation and a bare sandy floor but, to my eyes, provided rather more opportunity for climbing. Moreover, unlike the neighbouring enclosure there was outdoor access granted to the inhabitants, which transpired to be Gabon Talapoin (Miopithecus ogouensis), the third and final of the major primate lifeticks which Zoo Magdeburg held for me. Although the Talapoin were nowhere to be seen within, the size and design of the enclosure struck me as entirely suitable for a taxon of the size and nature which I already knew the Talapoin to be. As such, this enclosure along with the neighbouring one for the Midas Tamarin were probably the best thing within the Ape House; one hopes that when the ongoing developments to this house are completed the rest of the house will be improved to an equal standard.



We then exited the Ape House momentarily through what normally would be the main entrance to the house; although the path leading away from the house was blocked due to the ongoing work, the area immediately in front of the Ape House was still accessible to us. This permitted us to view the exterior enclosure for the Gabon Talapoin, which we were extremely pleased to note was an extremely large size for such a small primate. As a rough estimate, I would say the enclosure was at least 10' high, and something like 30' long, with thick vegetation throughout as well as several levels of branches and trees for the inhabitants to move around on. The Talapoin were making full use of this enclosure, and we viewed them for some time with a great degree of interest; as has been discussed on Zoochat over a number of occasions in the past the captive diversity and numbers of guenon species in Europe has starkly plummeted in the past decade or so. As such, it was a rare and precious event for us to have the chance to see two guenon lifeticks within the space of 10 minutes or so, let alone two species which were so starkly different; whilst the Mona Monkey was very much akin to many other guenon taxa, the Talapoin were highly unusual, the closest comparison to their cousins possible being to draw an analogy to a pygmy form of Allen's Swamp Monkey.



Being unable to go any further along this portion of the path, we left the area of the Ape House through the way we came, and continued on our route through Zoo Magdeburg. The next enclosure we reached was a large paddock for Japanese Serow (Capricornis crispus), a highly attractive caprine taxon which lamentably appears to be in terminal decline within captive collections. The paddock was rather expansive and grass-covered, with numerous small hillocks and boulders strewn throughout and high piles of branches and twigs piled up in heaps here and there. Having observed the last individual at Zoo Berlin a day prior, and knowing that the population at the handful of other European collections had dwindled to single individuals here and there, we observed the inhabitants of this enclosure for some time, knowing that it may well be the last opportunity we get to view this species in Europe.



Just beyond the Serow enclosure, we came to what appeared to be a large aviary, with a portion of the indoor accommodation for the inhabitants viewable through a window. Readily visible - and indeed audible - in the enclosure was a mixture of Crimson Rosella (Platycercus elegans) and Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae). However, investigation through the window into the indoor housing of the enclosure revealed that the mix also included something rather special; a group of Dusky Pademelon (Thylogale brunii), another of the species which had particularly drawn me to visiting Zoo Magdeburg. The interior housing was tricky to view, due to the position of the sun upon the window at the point in time we were at the enclosure, but appeared to be small but well designed with vegetation and branches provided for the two bird species held within the enclosure, as well as sleeping quarters for the Padamelon. However, as was apparent when we viewed the external portion of the enclosure, this was only a small onshow display, with entrance routes into a larger offshow sleeping area visible in the outside wall.



The outdoor enclosure itself was very good, providing a great deal of height and perching opportunity for the two bird species held within, whilst the floor of the enclosure contained a number of logs and rocks on a sandy substrate. As we observed the padamelons, we were pleased to note that another individual emerged from within the offshow interior housing, appearing very much as if it were a female with an already sizeable joey in-pouch; something which I believe has been confirmed since my visit. As all three European collections holding this very attractive small marsupial have had a reasonably high level of breeding success, it is to be hoped that the taxon will become more common within Europe in time.



Here follows an updated routeplan showing the route we had walked since visiting the Tapir House in orange, with the route we had walked prior to this marked as before in blue.



(Attached are images of the interior and exterior enclosures for the Gabon Talapoin, the Japanese Serow enclosure, and the interior and exterior enclosures for the Dusky Padamelons)

 

[TeaLovingDave]

I don't

~Thylo

Basically, the nominate subspecies of the Red-necked Wallaby is historically regarded as deriving solely from Kings Island, with the mainland subspecies being banksianus and the Tasmanian being fruticus; as Chlidonias observed a few weeks ago this state of affairs is believed to be incorrect, with the nominate and fruticus being now regarded as one and the same.

I forgot this in my prior post and referred to the Tasmanian subspecies as being fruticus rather than rufogriseus.

Also, Part XIII has now been updated to add the prose portion of the report.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Part XIV: Bald Eagle to Vietnam Pheasant

Just along from the Padamelon enclosure, we came to a very sizeable aviary for Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) - as an estimate, the aviary was at least 6 metres tall and 20 metres long, with large amounts of vegetation and branches strewn on the ground and a central tree reaching the full height of the aviary. Moreover, a number of roosts were built into the sides of the aviaries. Overall, this meant that the inhabitants had a relatively high degree of room provided for flight, as well as a number of perching opportunities. Although not the best eagle enclosure I have seen in a zoological collection, in my opinion, I thought that this aviary was very pleasing to look at and - more importantly - fully took the welfare of its inhabitants into account.



Just opposite this aviary, there was a sizeable paddock for Axis Deer (Axis axis) and Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra; two relatively common species in captivity but ones which I always enjoy viewing. The paddock was split into two differing appearances, although no barrier divided the enclosure. Half the enclosure comprised a sandy paddock with a number of shallow hillocks, and numerous boulders and branches scattered around the paddock. However, as the enclosure stretched to the right the ground became more grassy, with several trees dotted around the enclosure. The impression given by the whole was of sandy scrubland giving way to woodland, something which I felt went rather well with the species held within.



Beyond here, the path divided; whilst one route went directly to the petting zoo and lemur enclosure, the other comprised a self-contained loop through woodland which would also lead to the lemur enclosure. As such, we chose to take the second route so as to not miss anything. The first enclosure we came to was a large walkthrough exhibit with a large number of free-flying Australian bird species, which was themed around the concept of Uluru and the Australian outback. As such, the centrepiece of the walkthrough was a large imitation-sandstone replica of Uluru itself, surrounded by numerous bamboo poles and a variety of rocks and branches laid around the ground.



Moreover, the buildings and houses within the enclosure were all painted terracotta-red with various designs intended to mimic Aboriginal rock art. The walkthrough contained Crested Dove (Ocyphaps lophotes), Australian King Parrot (Alisterus scapularis), Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus), Princess Parrot (Polytelis alexandrae), Bourke's Parrot (Neopsephotus bourkii), Mulga Parrot (Psephotus varius), Australian Wood Duck (Chenonetta jubata) and Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles). This mix worked rather well, and it was rather refreshing to see a walkthrough enclosure for Australasian birds which entirely omitted the near-ubiquitous Rainbow Lorikeet.





We then crossed a bridge over one of the numerous streams within Zoo Magdeburg, where the path led us into a heavily wooded area. The first enclosure we encountered in this area was a relatively large aviary which held a mixture of Vietnamese Pheasant (Lophura hatinhensis) and Red-billed Blue Magpie (Urocissa erythroryncha); two species which although by no means unusual are always very appealing to watch. The enclosure itself was nothing special, providing plenty of space and perching opportunities for the inhabitants but being relatively plain with an increasing degree of vegetation towards one end of the aviary, but the birds within were very active and visible; something which I suspect may well be partially due to this enclosure being tucked away in a corner of Zoo Magdeburg which I would be willing to wager many visitors miss, thus allowing the inhabitants a greater degree of quiet and privacy.



(Attached are images of the Bald Eagle aviary, the Axis and Blackbuck paddock, signage from within the Austalian walkthrough, two views from within the Australian walkthrough and an image of the pheasant and magpie aviary)

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Part XV: Golden Jackal to Carpathian Lynx

The next enclosure we came to was one I had rather been looking forward to; the exhibit for European Golden Jackal (Canis aureus moreotica). As someone with more than a passing interest in carnivorans, the prospect of seeing a canid taxon which was entirely new to me had been a big incentive in my wishing to visit Zoo Magdeburg, only increased by the knowledge that the individuals held here were known to be a pure strain, with no contamination from Canis lupus lupaster as has, I believe, occurred in a number of locations elsewhere in Europe.



The enclosure itself comprised a significant stretch of wooded hillside - by the looks of it likely natural, albeit altered to some degree - which had been supplemented with a variety of logs, branches and vegetation on the ground, along with a pool at the front of the enclosure which was surrounded by cobbled rockwork. At the far right of the enclosure were a pair of offshow enclosures which although just about visible were too distant to divine much about, looking like they extended behind the aviary holding the Vietnamese Pheasant and Red-Billed Blue Magpie. At the centre point of the enclosure, a viewing hut with seating had been constructed for the public. The four of us took the time to sit and talk with one another awhile whilst we watched the pair of jackals within the enclosure, which although initially dozing in the afternoon heat soon awoke and started patrolling their territory extremely energetically. As one may be able to tell, I thoroughly enjoyed and approved of the enclosure; it was extremely large and provided a combination of open areas, shaded areas and places where the inhabitants could be concealed from the public, yet from the point of view of a visitor it was still attractive and enjoyable to look at.



The next enclosure held European Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo bubo), again in a hillside wooded enclosure which seemed to have been adapted from the natural state of the parkland which Zoo Magdeburg was constructed on. However, this one did seem to be a bit more altered than the prior enclosure had been, with a large amount of scrub and ruined brickwork strewn around the enclosure; I rather got the feeling that this enclosure had been built over the ruins of a pre-existing building to some extent, although I could not ascertain whether this was a design choice or the actual state of affairs. However, I was very pleased with the feel of the enclosure as a whole; one design choice which I particularly appreciated was the fact that to view the enclosure properly, the path led into a small viewing hide of sorts, the front of which was entirely open - barring a knee high stone wall - to the enclosure itself. Although just as good a view of the inhabitants could have been obtained were the enclosure to have been viewed through glass, something about the lack of any real barrier between us and the animals completely appealed to me. The nearest equivalent I have ever experienced within the UK, for those who want a frame of reference, is the Pallas Cat enclosure at Port Lympne.



The next enclosure again followed the same overall theme of natural woodland, and contained Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus). However, there were some differences between this enclosure and the two immediately preceding. The most notable was that whilst the Eagle Owl enclosure had been open to view by the public, this enclosure was fronted by a fine zoo-mesh, and was visible from the public path without any viewing hide or seating area. Moreover, this was the most thickly vegetated enclosure of the three, with large numbers of young trees, bushes and other plant life covering the ground almost completely. The overall impression given was of a much wilder, more isolated environment; it is entirely possible that this design choice was deliberate, as I would imagine that it would suit the inhabitants of the enclosure well. Of course, we rather got the impression that this whole row of enclosures was a somewhat hidden portion of Zoo Magdeburg, often unnoticed by visitors, and as such this feeling of quiet and isolation is one that I suspect the inhabitants of all the enclosures in this area benefit from.



The following enclosure, for Red Kite (Milvus milvus), followed much the same style as the enclosure for the eagle owls, being viewed from the same kind of open hide structure with a similar degree of enjoyment being therefore felt by the four of us. However, it was rather more lushly vegetated than the aforesaid enclosure had been, with thick bushes and mature trees throughout, with cobbled rockwork akin to that in the jackal enclosure towards the front.



The final enclosure in this wooded hillside row was a large one for Carpathian Lynx (Lynx lynx carpathicus), a taxon with which I am particularly fond. The enclosure as a whole was roughly the same size as that for the European Golden Jackals had been, but was somewhat less wooded or vegetated when compared with any of the other enclosures in the row. It was, of course, still rather thickly vegetated when compared with many of the other enclosures I had seen at Zoo Magdeburg, with a few large trees dotted throughout; however the main design motif of this enclosure was that of a sloping cliff, with judicious use of rockwork and dead logs and branches to help give the impression of a steep slope leading up to the sleeping quarters of the lynx at the left of the enclosure, with the enclosure getting more and more wooded and vegetated as it ran to the right and connected with the other enclosures in this row.



As a whole, this row of wooded hillside enclosures covering the general theme of native European wildlife was a real highlight of my day at Zoo Magdeburg. Certainly some of the enclosures and exhibits were larger and flashier, for instance the first phase of the Africambo exhibit mentioned previously; however, this quiet little area of the collection demonstrated that an exhibit need not be flashy or overly ambitious to both truly impress the visitor and keep to a high standard of care for the animals within. As such, although from an objective point of view this exhibit as a whole is not the best at Zoo Magdeburg - although it is still pretty close to this standard - it was possibly my favorite, rivalled only by the exhibit for the Marbled Polecat, an opinion admittedly coloured by my love for said taxon!

As we continued on the path beyond these enclosures, it once again crossed the stream and came out just opposite the lower end of the Axis and Blackbuck paddock. As such, we now made our way down the path towards the Children's Zoo.

(Attached are two images of the Golden Jackal enclosure, and images of the Eurasian Eagle Owl enclosure, Snowy Owl enclosure, Red Kite enclosure and Carpathian Lynx enclosure)

 

[Gulo gulo]

Part XV: Golden Jackal to Carpathian Lynx

Placeholder text

(Attached are two images of the Golden Jackal enclosure, and images of the Eurasian Eagle Owl enclosure, Snowy Owl enclosure, Red Kite enclosure and Carpathian Lynx enclosure)

Golden Jackal! Jealous.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Golden Jackal! Jealous.

Have a read of the full report for that part of Magdeburg, which I have now edited into the post you quoted

 

[lintworm]

@TLD, there are no contaminated jackals in Europe, as both C.l. lupaster killed their cubs (and their jackal husbands), the jackals kept in Rheine & Arnhem are now of the moreotica subspecies. Allthough in a separate enclosure in Rheine the African wolf is still visible.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

@TLD, there are no contaminated jackals in Europe, as both C.l. lupaster killed their cubs (and their jackal husbands), the jackals kept in Rheine & Arnhem are now of the moreotica subspecies. Allthough in a separate enclosure in Rheine the African wolf is still visible.

Ah, fair enough

 

[BedildaSue]

These reviews are excellent! I love hearing about the rarities in this collection...or at least many would be rare to a zoogoer in the U.S. Marbled polecat and talapoin...wow!

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Part XVI: Red River Hog to Stone Partridge

As we made our way towards the Children's Zoo, we came to a large sandy paddock on our left which contained a group of Red River Hog (Potamochoerus porcus). The enclosure was akin to many of the hoofstock paddocks we had seen at Zoo Magdeburg, being sizeable and with a sandy floor, interspersed with rocks and branches. There were also several mature trees growing within the paddock, which had quite obviously been constructed around them. As enclosures for the species went, it was a pretty good one, being large enough for the inhabitants and - more importantly for a species with as destructive a nature as this - protected to some extent against the risk of becoming a mudbath.



Just beyond this point we reached the Children's Zoo, a combination of a petting farm and a play area for children. As such it was without a doubt the busiest part of the zoo we had seen thus far, but it was not unappealing; the various enclosures within were of a similar high standard to those found in the rest of the collection, and although merely stocked with a variety of domestic animals there were a few breeds which we were unfamiliar with. Each species had their own enclosure, but were able to exit freely and enter an area where they could mingle with the public. The first enclosure we came to held a variety of domestic chicken breeds, including German Langshan, Modern English Dwarf and German Dwarf (Gallus gallus domestica). This enclosure comprised a relatively tall cage which contained a handful of small trees; when we saw the enclosure the German Langshan were inside, and as such we took the opportunity to observe these fowl for a time as this was a breed that we had not seen in the past.



Next to this enclosure was an enclosure for Domestic Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus domestica), of a similar size to that for the chicken breeds but open-topped and - doubtless to prevent damage by the inhabitants - the small tree within this enclosure was within a reinforced wooden frame.



Next to the paddock for the Red River Hogs was a paddock for the one domestic species which was not part of the petting area, Llama (Lama glama) - although I suspect that individual animals may well sometimes be led into the petting area. This paddock was a sizeable scrub-like enclosure with little to no vegetation barring the occasional pile of branches and twigs, and was obviously built to serve the function of holding the inhabitants rather than displaying them, being rather akin to a farm paddock in many ways.



Opposite this enclosure was a paddock of similar size which held two varieties of domestic goat, Jamtland Goat and Cameroon Dwarf (Capra aegagrus hircus). However, this enclosure was rather more appealing in appearance, containing a number of mature trees and felled trunks, and the same sandy substrate found throughout many of the hoofstock enclosures at Magdeburg. This said, both of these enclosures seemed entirely fine for the purpose of holding the species within whilst providing them with sufficient space for their welfare.



Of course, given that the four of us were not accompanied by children, this portion of the zoo was not aimed towards us and as such it is hard to comment further on the quality and content of the play areas therein; however the fact that as previously noted this was the busiest part of the zoo we had seen rather demonstrates the popularity and success of the Children's Zoo for the desired audience of families with small children.

As we continued down the path towards the portion of the zoo we knew to contain the lemur walkthrough, we reached a large and rather attractive aviary. Within was a combination of rockwork, small ponds, sandy flooring and more thickly vegetated patches of ground, with a number of trees and branches placed within to provide perching opportunities for the inhabitants. These, it quickly transpired, comprised Black-cheeked Lovebird (Agapornis nigrigenis), Speckled Pigeon (Columba guinea) and Stone Partridge (Ptilopachus petrosus), the latter of which was a highly unexpected but no less appreciated lifetick, and as such an animal which I was careful to watch for a time.



(Attached are images of the Red River Hog paddock, the chicken enclosure, the rabbit enclosure, the llama paddock, the goat paddock and the Stone Partridge aviary)

 

[TeaLovingDave]

These reviews are excellent! I love hearing about the rarities in this collection...or at least many would be rare to a zoogoer in the U.S. Marbled polecat and talapoin...wow!

Those species are pretty damn rare even within Europe!

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Part XVII: Ringtailed Lemur to Black Lion Tamarin

We then entered the walkthrough enclosure for Ringtailed Lemur (Lemur catta); a rather ubiquitous species, and as such not an enclosure which I felt myself to be unduly interested in. However, the enclosure itself was rather pleasant, comprising a small island surrounded by a moat which held a group of Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis), with a large number of wooded poles and various tree trunks laid around the enclosure to provide a variety of climbing opportunities for the animals held within.



Although surrounded by anti-climbing cladding, the enclosure also contained a number of large mature trees as was standard for many of the enclosures at Zoo Magdeburg. Overall, I rather felt that this walkthrough was something of a missed opportunity; the Belted Ruffed Lemurs we had seen elsewhere in the zoo a few hours previously would have worked very well in this enclosure, and would have provided an extra species for the public to observe; one which is rather less commonly seen when compared to the Ringtailed Lemur, at that.



Opposite the walkthrough was a large, grassy and relatively open enclosure for Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), containing a handful of large trees and a ridge formed by a row of large stones and rocks. Unfortunately, we did not see the occupants of the enclosure outside, which of course meant it was somewhat hard to gauge how good the enclosure was for the species. However, when compared with other enclosures I have seen for the species I imagine it serves the purpose well, suiting the welfare of the animals whilst not being as "themed" as many anteater enclosures tend to be. As the species is often found on open grassland, the enclosure was not too dissimilar to the habitat in which the animals could be found in the wild. We made note of the fact that the main path leading away from the walkthrough, back towards the entrance of the zoo, led past the indoor housing of the anteaters and resolved to take a closer look at this portion of the anteater enclosure later.



In the meantime, we made our way down a quiet path which led past the walkthrough and the anteater enclosure towards the Tapir House - which we presumed would eventually enter the house through the door we had neglected to exit through previously. Some way down this path, we reached a short row of callitrichid exhibits. The first of these comprised the interior housing for another group of Midas Tamarin (Saguinus midas), with the exterior enclosure for the species visible next to it. The interior enclosure was somewhat smaller and more functional when compared to the Midas Tamarin enclosure we had seen earlier that day in the Ape House; however it was still pretty good, comprising a number of tree trunks and branches laid around the enclosure, with feeding points at a number of levels.


The exterior enclosure, on the other hand, was rather spacious and thickly planted with vegetation and tree trunks, in a similar format and style to the callitrichid enclosures we had seen earlier in the day on the opposite side of the Tapir House. However, this enclosure was slightly larger than these had been, although the occupants were just as active here as those in the aforementioned enclosures were.



Next to this enclosure was a similar exhibit for a number of species; however this time the external enclosure was the first we came to, followed by the indoor enclosure. As a result, the two external enclosures were effectively mirror images of one another, although the exact design and layout of the contents of the enclosures were different. The second exhibit held a mixture of Cottontop Tamarin (Saguinus oedipus), Eastern Pygmy Marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea niveiventris), Red-footed Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria) and - possibly most importantly - Black Lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysopygus). I was particularly pleased to see the latter of these species, as it is a very attractive taxon which is rapidly dying out in captive collections within Europe due to disease and a lack of successful breeding. Moreover, the European population as a whole is now rather elderly; something which meant that on both of the previous occasions I had seen this taxon - at Bristol and Chester shortly before each collection lost the species - the individuals I had observed lacked the brightly coloured markings which inspire the alternate name for the taxon of Golden-rumped Lion Tamarin, instead having pale white markings and faded fur overall. Conversely, the animals held in this enclosure - although still somewhat elderly to my knowledge - were young enough to still possess the titular golden rumps, and dark black fur. As such, all four of us very much enjoyed having the opportunity to view this species at close proximity for a prolonged amount of time; an opportunity which may well never come again.

The exterior enclosure itself, as noted, was somewhat similar to that for the Midas Tamarin - however it was somewhat less thickly vegetated, but with more climbing opportunities and areas of rockwork on the ground; the latter of these features was constructed around the ground-level entrance to the indoor enclosure, providing a de-facto shaded cave for the tortoises to shelter from their callitrichid neighbours. The interior enclosure was slightly larger than that for the Midas Tamarin, with more attention paid to the ground level due to the presence of the tortoises, and a higher density of branches and logs.



Just beyond here, we once again reached the Tapir House. Rather than pass through the house, we elected to double-back and head towards the interior viewing for the Giant Anteaters, a route which would then give us a rather better view of the outdoor enclosure for the Lowland Tapir than we had previously been able to see.

(Attached are two images of the Ringtailed Lemur walkthrough, a view of the Giant Anteater enclosure, the interior housing of the Midas Tamarin enclosure, the exterior enclosure for the Midas Tamarin and the exterior enclosure for the Black Lion Tamarin)