Deer - Cervidae
# Species kept 1-1-2000: 28
# Species kept currently: 26 (-2)
# Species gained: -
# Species lost: 2
According to the average zoo visitor these are the most recognizable “boring” zoo inhabitants, often getting little love except when they can be fed or when fed on. Regardless, the European deer are commonly kept, most often in smaller zoos and there is quite a bit of variety of other species around too. There has been a clear trend towards endangered Asian deer, though not all Asian deer have profited. While no new species have appeared this century, 2 new subspecies appeared: moose (
Alces alces americanus) in 2003 in Dierenpark Emmen and Barbary red deer (
Cervus elaphus barbarus) in 2010 in Tierpark Berlin. Both taxa were imported from North America and were not made for any long-term presence. The final moose died in 2022 and only 3 females are left of the barbary red deer since the male died in 2021.
@Patrick87 With the passing of the only male Barbary red deer in Europe in 2021, this subspecies will die out again
Species lost
Marsh deer - Blastocerus dichotomus B5*
This species was first kept around 1970 in the Wildfreigehege Hellenthal in Germany and bred there. From there both Zoo Krefeld and Zoo Berlin acquired animals and Zoo Krefeld kept the species until the late 1990s. Zoo Berlin established a small breeding group that was successfully kept for decades but slowly died out in the 1990s. The final animal died of old age in 2009.
Pampas deer - Ozotoceros bezoarticus B5*
It is a bit repetitive but this species was long kept and bred in Zoo Berlin. All animals in Europe kept after the WW2 derive from 1.2 animals imported from Paraguay in 1974 and 1977. Both Zoo Krefeld and Tiergarten Nuernberg received offspring from Berlin in the 1970s but the species didn’t breed there. The final animal in Berlin died in 2003.
@Tim May A female marsh deer of the now deceased Zoo Berlin breeding group
Species gaining popularity
Tufted deer - Elaphodus cephalophus
These small deer will likely be the ultimate Reeves’ muntjac replacement once the latter slowly dies out because it’s breeding is banned under EU law. The current history of tufted deer started in 1992 when Diergaarde Blijdorp received animals from Shanghai Zoo. Together with an import by Tierpark Berlin from San Diego in 1997 that was the start of this species in Europe. The number of holders has increased from 3 in 2000 to 15 in 2023 (with a stronghold in Germany) and this number is only expected to increase.
Reindeer - Rangifer tarandus
The domestic variety of reindeer has long been a zoo staple, but true wild reindeer were hard to find. This has changed with the rise of the Eurasian forest reindeer (ssp.
fennicus) which had been kept in Scandinavia for decades. In the early years of the century only Tierpark Bern and Burgers’ Zoo kept this species outside of Scandinavia, but that has changed now. An increasing number of zoos have now replaced the domestic variety with their wild counterparts
Hog deer - Axis porcinus
In recent years the endangered Asian deer have received something of a reappraisal. An increase in mixed species exhibits and the establishment of breeding programs will have aided hog deer. Hog deer can be mixed with rhinos and a whole mix of other species, so they make an easy addition.
Persian fallow deer - Dama mesopotamica
As the critically endangered cousin of Europe’s most widely held mammal it is in a good position to attract the attention of zoos that want to move away from the most commonly held species. It is still quite an uncommon species though, as there is plenty of competition to fill the endangered Asian deer slot.
Visayan spotted deer - Rusa alfredi
The current European zoo population is descended from a 1990 import by Zoo Mulhouse. At the start of the century this was still a huge rarity with only a handful of holders. With about 30 holders at the moment this is still an uncommon species, but one that is well established in Europe.
White-lipped deer- Cervus albirostris
The European history of this species started in 1990 when Tierpark Berlin and Diergaarde Blijdorp started with this species, Rotterdam also imported animals further in the 1990s. By 2000 there were 3 holders and while this species is still quite uncommon the current number of 14 holders mean that the number of holders has increased nearly fivefold.
@Bubalus Like the other 1990s deer arrivals, Visayan spotted deer are on the rise in Europe
Species losing popularity
Reeves’s muntjac - Muntiacus reevesi
Although it is currently the most common non-European deer in Europe, the number of holdings is set to decline given it is now listed as an invasive species under the current EU legislation, banning the breeding of this species. But German zoos seem to be exempted as breeding is still regular there (or at least pretend they are). This species is often signed as
Muntiacus muntjak despite clearly not being that species. It could be a tactic for rogue zoos to continue with this species as long as law enforcement remains asleep or without knowledge…
Axis deer - Axis axis
With the rising popularity of a number of endangered Asian deer species, it is no surprise that the most commonly kept species is decreasing in numbers, though still being very common. That status will probably change as it was included on the latest EU invasives list, whereas it isn’t an invasive species in Europe. In the EU there has been a small population on the Brijuni Island in Croatia since 1911, but nothing more substantial, it is considered invasive in other areas such as Argentina though. Nevertheless a risk assessment found the risk high enough so that it is now banned. If anyone would want to ban hog deer or sambar next, there is probably a good chance they would end up in a follow-up of this legislation, given the current selection criteria.
Pere David's deer - Elaphurus davidianus
Seeing an extinct in the wild species losing popularity might seem surprising, especially as it is one of the poster boys of species saved by zoos. It isn’t exactly extinct in the wild anymore with 1000s of animals living in (semi-)freedom in China. A larger issue is probably the result of inbreeding, with all animals descending from 1.2 kept in Zoo Berlin. From what I have heard that is causing problems with high calf mortality in zoos, though a Chinese study found no relationship between calf mortality and genetic diversity in the deer’s re-introduced populations.
Southern pudu - Pudu puda
Despite being a small species, being near threatened and part of a breeding program since a long time, the number of pudu holders has decreased by almost 1/3 this century. Small ungulates in general have a tough time these days, but being South-American isn't an asset either if you are a deer these days.
@vogelcommando Reeves's muntjac will become rarities in the foreseeable future
Dead ends
Grey brocket deer - Mazama gouazoubira
This species was kept and bred in Zoo Berlin from 1962-2009 when the final old animal died. Around 2009 Faunia, Madrid, imported a pair of this species from South America and there was regular breeding, but no population was established and the final animal was kept until 2022, at least when you believe Zootierliste. Photographic evidence on Facebook shows the final animal was still alive and kicking in 2023, somewhat extending the inevitable.
@twilighter Not dead yet, the final grey brocket deer in Faunia is still clinging on
Progress
21/22 orders completed
101/106 families completed
556-565 species present in 2000
572-575 species present in 2023
221-232 species gained this century
214-218 species lost this century
