I might be mistaken, but I've heard that these are not purebred Celebensis.
When looking to ZIMS (which sometimes also has its inaccuracies) there are 26 B. babyrussa and 17 B. celebencis + 9 no species assigned individuals. Berlin Tierpark and Chester have the 3 types of them.
There was something about one of the founder animals being from the Togian Islands (from memory), which was only discovered quite recently through DNA testing of the captive population. I'm not sure of its authenticity.
That is just a data artifact from some holders using the split name and others the pre-split name. It doesn't actually signify that the population is made up of different (sub)species.
The sex bias in pygmy hippos is not only because of the spermatozoa but also because male calves have higher mortality rates than females, which is not clear why.Number of zoos kept (current and former during the holding period):
A 1 zoo
B 2-5 zoos
C 6-10 zoos
D >10 zoos
Time period kept:
1 < 1 year
2 1-5 years
3 6-10 years
4 11-20 years
5 > 20 years
* Species successfully bred
♱ Dead end (in case of species gained)
↑ Species gaining popularity (in case of species gained)
Hippopotamuses - Hippopotamidae
# Species kept 1-1-2000: 2
# Species kept currently: 2
# Species gained: -
# Species lost: -
Both species of this family are present in Europe and have been so for a long time, but they are each on a different trajectory.
@Swedish Zoo Fan Tiny hippo exhibits in city zoos are increasingly a sign of the past
Species gaining popularity
Pygmy hippo - Choeropsis liberiensis
These pocket hippos have 2 advantages as opposed to their larger cousins: they are small and endangered. That is more than enough reason for zoos either to switch from the big to the small or when starting with hippos, to just get the smaller version. They are much cheaper and space effective to provide for and the general public still sees a (baby) hippo.
@betsy Despite a lack of males, because of a bias for females in spermatozoa the zoo population of pygmy hippos is slowly growing
Species losing popularity
Common hippo - Hippopotamus amphibius
The common hippo is not so common anymore in major zoos as it used to be. No big zoo used to be complete without them and they can be kept very “effectively” in tiny pools. However, in an era where welfare has become important they have become one of the most expensive animals to provide a good home for. For big zoos to continue with hippos, new developments often include underwater viewing, which given their preference to poop in water means you need very expensive filtration. Even with that filtration, getting clear water is not a given. That means that for many larger zoos this species is slowly disappearing, except in Spain and Italy. Given how hard it is to find space for young animals, breeding is also halted in many zoos, which means that the population is slowly aging too. There is still a future as large or extremely rich zoos still make an effort for this species, but fortunately the US trend of extremely expensive new hippo habitats that are often inadequate, isn’t followed in Europe.
@lintworm A few hippos are already hard enough to provide for, so large pods, such as this one in Tanzania, are basically absent in captivity
Progress
21/22 orders completed
97/106 families completed
521-530 species present in 2000
539-542 species present in 2023
222-231 species gained this century
211-215 species lost this century
Your view of hippo welfare is poorly informed.
In my clearly biased opinion,Giraffes - Giraffidae
# Species kept 1-1-2000: 5
# Species kept currently: 4 (-1)
# Species gained: -
# Species lost: -
This would have been an easier chapter to write if @DavidBrown and others wouldn’t have published a study in 2007 proclaiming there is more than 1 giraffe species. But he did and the consensus view is that there are 3-4 giraffe species (+okapi). The main point of discussion now being whether reticulated giraffes constitute a different species, which in the Mammal Diversity Database is the case. At the start of the century all 5 giraffe species were present in Europe and the survival of 3 is all but guaranteed. The southern giraffe (Giraffa giraffa) is more of a questionmark, while the nominate subspecies will likely disappear, several southern European zoos are clinging on to Angolan giraffe (ssp angolensis), with some 15 animals remaining and Lisbon still breeding the species. Non (sub)specific giraffes are still around in EAZA zoos, but most are in single-sex groups and much of the others on birth control in mixed herds. Within EAZA they are set to become extremely rare within 10-20 years, though non-EAZA zoos remain to breed generic giraffes.
@lintworm Though the status of separate species is still debated, it isn't debated that reticulated giraffes are easily the second most common giraffe in European zoos
Species lost
Maasai giraffe - Giraffa tippelskirchi D5*
While Maasai giraffe were regularly imported in the 20th century, they didn’t establish a large population and the main holder in the final decades was Zoo Basel, which kept and bred the species from 1947-2011. This breeding group slowly died out and when the final bull passed away, this species was phased out. The final animals were sent to Turkey and Zoo Antwerp, where the final animal died in 2015.
@Maguari While now absent from Europe, Maasai giraffe are still common in North America
Species gaining popularity
Okapi - Okapia johnstoni
These forest giraffes were among the last large mammals to be discovered and in the 20th century they were something of a status symbol for the big city zoos that did keep them. The number of holders has doubled since 2000 and as such it is not the prestigious animal it once was, but still one that plenty of zoos are interested in.
Northern giraffe - Giraffa camelopardalis
Two subspecies of this species are managed in Europe, the Rotschildt’s giraffe (ssp. rothschildi) and the Kordofan giraffe (ssp. antiquorum). The former has long been the most commonly kept giraffe in Europe, whereas the latter was long one of the rarest giraffe taxa. In recent years interest in Kordofan giraffe has grown considerably, also outside of France which is still the stronghold. The status as the rarest giraffe that is actively managed and not listed as a phase-out probably helps. All Kordofan giraffes derive from the (inbred) herds of Zoo Antwerp and Paris Zoo de Vincennes. For decades the Vincennes animals were listed as W-African giraffes (ssp peralta), but in the age of genetics is became clear that the range of true peralta was much smaller then previously thought. Both lineages had already been mixed before that was clear, but the European animals remain a pure subspecies.
@Therabu While losing some of their prestige, Okapi remain on of the poster boys for the African rainforest
Progress
21/22 orders completed
98/106 families completed
526-535 species present in 2000
543-546 species present in 2023
222-231 species gained this century
212-216 species lost this century
okapis are still a very prestigious species. I would say that what changed is that this species is no longer a victim of a certain elitism from the old, prestigious and rich city zoos. This is due to a change in the person in charge of the EEP and the way the population is being managed, where smaller zoos that want to be highly committed to the species long-term, contribute financially to the okapi conservation project and build high-standard enclosures, overpass big city zoos in the waiting list. A good decision in my opinion. This is also how you help smaller collections to become bigger.
Why not? Isn't the point of zoos and EAZA to support conservation? btw, It is not mandatory to contribute, but willingness to do so gives you a lot of points.
We are talking about a very specific case. It is far from being the standard among EEPs. The DRC is a very poor country and the okapi is a poorly known species from the general public. Zoos have been key partners to the OCP either promoting the species or financing the project. Zoos are responsible for between one quarter to one third of the budget of the OCP.To be honest i wanted to be a little bit provocative
Conservation is indeed very important. If every EEP with a sexy species wants EEP participants to fundraise also ex situ projects there will be a lack of money on species that aren't as shiny.
In my clearly biased opinion,
