Trends in European zoo collections in the 21st century

I recently noticed a huge ("huge") uptick in Nine-banded armadillos. As a fantasy zoo creator, a few years ago I checked ZTL for Nine-banded armadillos and there was only a single holder at the time, now there's a total of 6 zoos in Europe that has them. I really hope this trend will continue. The species isn't endangered, but they are a really cool species in my opinion.
 
The problem ("problem" being very subjective) is that most of those come from private hands, and there has been a recent split of the species into multiple, so not knowing the origin of the animals as well as likely hybridisation is a problem from a conservation and taxonomic point of view.
 
I want to prove your point - my girlfriend went to a school where they obtained a pair of those illegally (through Italy, apparently). One of them died pretty soon after it's arrival. It was a little before the "boom" that happened in european zoos though, 2021 I believe, about 20000 euros for both... But until this day, it is apparently the only facility with this species in Czechia (until there are other illegally kept individuals).
 
merlin said:
I want to prove your point - my girlfriend went to a school where they obtained a pair of those illegally (through Italy, apparently). One of them died pretty soon after it's arrival. It was a little before the "boom" that happened in european zoos though, 2021 I believe, about 20000 euros for both... But until this day, it is apparently the only facility with this species in Czechia (until there are other illegally kept individuals).
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Depending on what you mean by illegal (I guess you mean lacking CITES papers?) it could be due to a new law that passed in Italy 2-3 years ago that now bans any wild-caught animal to be held and bred by privates without a special reason or a license, so the animals could be the unfortunate remains of someone that wanted to get rid of a product that couldn't find a legal purchaser in the Country.
 
The_Leopard_Seal said:
I heard there are plans to add sika deer and American mink to the list of invasive species in the EU. I am actually surprised they weren’t added a long time ago.
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American mink and Sika are already classified under schedule 9 in the UK meaning it's an offence to release them or allow their escape etc. It is a surprise the EU haven't got the same classification as you say.

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
 
The_Leopard_Seal said:
So apparently 26 new species have been added to the IAS list, including the American mink, North American beaver and the sika deer. Expect populations of these species to decline in captivity throughout Europe.
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I REALLY hope this does not **** up the ex-sito population of the Vietnam sika. Knowing Brussels approach with bureaucracy, I do not have high hopes
 
The same law also added Red-whiskered Bulbul and Crested Myna to the list of prohibited species.

Implementing regulation - EU - 2025/1422 - EN - EUR-Lex

The site below believes that mink farming in the EU will probably continue under a derogation “compelling public interest, including those of a social or economic nature”. This would mean that zoos may seek the same derogation to save Indochinese Sika Deer as well as other deer species.

American mink added to the EU List of Invasive Alien Species

Now 100s of zoos and private keepers throughout Europe have a problem not only with deer, but also with Red-whiskered Bulbuls. The proverb comes to mind 'using a cannon to shoot sparrows'.
 
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