Although Eurasian deer species are fairly well represented in European zoos and wildlife parks, in Europe at least aside from Pudu there are very few exhibits of deer from the Americas at the moment. The many species of deer in tropical South America are a fairly key species I would think, but I do not think I have ever seen them on a wildlife program on the region and I do not think I have ever seen one in captivity. Is the same true of North American zoos or is it just that European collections focus on temperate zone species?
Tropical deer in zoos
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Having a vast collection of exotic deer species, including the Capreolinae you mentioned, used to be a big thing in European zoos, in particular in Central and Northern European ones. The deer collection at Tierpark Berlin is one of the last remnants of this time. The regressiveness of this trend might be explained by social changes (less hunters among the zoo directors and the general public), the ban of deer feeding by the visitors and international conservation / veterinary regulations impeding export/import.
I may be way off the mark here but it may also be down to the fact that in Europe, deer are some of the largest fauna we have. Combined with the availability of them, ease of care and familiarity they bring many zoos opt to exhibit them.
In contrast, when a zoo looks for a South American species to exhibit they are probably more likely to choose the regular, more common, South American species that the regular public will both recognise and enjoy. Including: Tapirs, Capybara, Jaguars, Rheas, Marmosets and Tamarins. They're much more readily available, take up less space and are "more intersting" to visitors.
It also seems that African ungulates are more popular, impressive and well-known than most South American deer, so they make up much of a zoos ungulate collection.
Just some of my thoughts.
In contrast, when a zoo looks for a South American species to exhibit they are probably more likely to choose the regular, more common, South American species that the regular public will both recognise and enjoy. Including: Tapirs, Capybara, Jaguars, Rheas, Marmosets and Tamarins. They're much more readily available, take up less space and are "more intersting" to visitors.
It also seems that African ungulates are more popular, impressive and well-known than most South American deer, so they make up much of a zoos ungulate collection.
Just some of my thoughts.
Correct, but most people just don't care that much about deer. When they've seen one species, they've had enough deer for one zoo visit. Sad but true.
Want to make the eyes light up of the average zoo visitor? Show him/her a reindeer/caribou and remember to say something about Santa Claus.
Secondly, most South American deer have never been widespread in European or North American zoos. A number of Pampas, marsh, Hippocamelus and brocket were kept many years ago (mostly 50+ years ago) and more recently keeping of these have typically been restricted to very few (often only 1-2) zoos per continent. Such tiny populations almost invariably end up disappearing due to inbreeding or other issues. Today all that remain are brocket: A few brown brocket in Madrid but it will also disappear unless new blood is imported. Old thread about the red's in North America: Red Brocket Deer
So, for a European/North American zoo to get more they'd need to get into contact with institutions in South/Central America/Mexico (esp. Pampas and various brocket, mostly the widespread species, are kept in some numbers in their native countries), do the work and pay the price to import, and unless it involved a fair number they'd end up with a small population that eventually will disappear again. A lot of work and money for a type of animal that most zoo visitors don't care much about seeing.
White-tailed deer is primarily a North American species, but its range also extends into South America. The North American (not South American) subspecies are widely kept in zoos/parks/ranches there, but relatively few are kept in Europe. It would be easy to source more from North America for a European zoo, but this leads back to the issues I mentioned above.
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Kakapo
Well-Known Member
I believe that you should change the title, tropical is not the same than South American. Western zoos have a lot of Reeve's muntjacks, and also many axis deers and sambhar. All of them are "tropical deers" (or at least from warmer regions than Europe). Similarly, there are south american deers that are not tropical (pudu).
It depends, among others, on the presentation. Walk-through exhibits with fallow deer are a very popular feature in European zoos and game parks, especially when the visitors are allowed to feed the deer. Animal-visitor interaction via feeding is always a great crowd puller. Just think of the tame sika deer at Nara Park, Japan.
Hastings, Duke of Bedford, in 'The Years of Transition', describes all South Anerican deer as difficult to maintain, partly due to sensitivity to cold. I believe Pudu are the only ones ever really established in Europe.
Incidentally, the book "Living Animals of the World" features an interesting photograph of a young South American marsh deer at Woburn; the photo was taken by the Duchess of Bedford.
I remember seeing a small group of marsh deer on my first four or five visits to Berlin Zoo; they really were beautiful animals. Sadly I very much doubt I'll ever see the species in Europe again.
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Yes, but the possibilities of really popular deer exhibits are extremely limited. As my directly following sentense said:
I'll maintain that this certainly matches my observations. The first post in this thread was about deer diversity; not whether a zoo can make one deer exhibit that is popular among the average zoo visitors. If really stretching it, it might be possible to have three very specific popular deer exhibits and none of these would be fitting for South America species:
1. Standard deer species in walk-through, possibly with feeding
2. Reindeer/caribou (Santa Claus!)
3. Moose/European elk (the giant deer)
When it comes to temperature he may well have been right for certain South American deer, but some highland brocket species, Hippocamelus and white-tailed regularly experience temperatures in their native ranges that easily match a typical English winter (snow and all), and southern populations of Pampas regularly down to near freezing. The tropical brocket species are small enough that indoor winter housing would be fairly easy. That only really leaves one large and possibly(?) very cold-sensitive South American deer: Marsh. I don't remember how Berlin kept this species during the winter (whether it was kept all indoor), but they did maintain the species for decades until 2009. Unfortuantely, this is arguably the most spectacular South American deer and also one that isn't widely kept, even in its native countries.
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@temp: you forgot to mention unusual deer morphs, such as St. Hubertus or piebald red deer. Furthermore, game parks tend to keep several species of deer to the apparent amusement of visitors (most often not the ones you mentioned); however, as you've pointed out, usually excluding cold-intolerant tropical species.
During the Klös-era, Berlin (West) kept a fantastic deer collection, including most of the Tropical, south-american species:
- Marsh deer (1977- 2009)
- Pampas deer (1974-2003)
- Grey brocket (1962-2009)
- Red brocket (1968-1980´s)
- Northern pudu (1972)
- Swamp brocket (1968-1971)
- Southern pudu (1966-1978, since 1992)
They also kept and bred
- Peruvian huemul between 1931 and 1941
Unfortunately all of those deer species vanished, except of the southern pudu.
- Marsh deer (1977- 2009)
- Pampas deer (1974-2003)
- Grey brocket (1962-2009)
- Red brocket (1968-1980´s)
- Northern pudu (1972)
- Swamp brocket (1968-1971)
- Southern pudu (1966-1978, since 1992)
They also kept and bred
- Peruvian huemul between 1931 and 1941
Unfortunately all of those deer species vanished, except of the southern pudu.