Turning Back time: Do you think extinct animals today would be able to survive with Zoos nowadays?

CheeseChameleon1945

CheeseChameleon1945

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
Lots of Animals have gone extinct in recent years, (500 years is what I consider recent). Lots. More species will likely go extinct in the future, but zoos can play there part to slow the extinction rate down. My question is, do you think animals that have already been labeled by IUCN as extinct, would be more successful today with zoos today? Its a little thought that popped into my head that I wanted to ask.
 
So your question is a hypothetical one that basically if these species had not gone extinct and were still extant today would they be well served in terms of ex-situ conservation in modern late 20th century / 21st century zoos ?

Many of the last living individuals of these species died out under zoo care and back then there was no understanding of husbandry and no ex-situ conservation so to speak. Todays zoos do in large part have ex-situ conservation as a mission and are also heavily involved in researching scientific / evidence based solutions to animal husbandry.

I tend to think the optimum husbandry of marsupials like the thylacine and the lesser bilby would probably be figured out in no time within modern Australian zoos with some research. However, it is also conceivable that it wouldn't, take the example of the Gilbert's potoroo. It was believed to be extinct then was rediscovered as a "Lazarus species" and held in zoos and ex-situ but never effectively.

Birds like the passenger pigeon, the Cuban macaw and the Carolina parakeet too would probably be ok in captivity and breed well.
 
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Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
So your question is a hypothetical one that basically if these species had not gone extinct and were still extant today would they be well served in terms of ex-situ conservation in modern late 20th century / 21st century zoos ?

Many of the last living individuals of these species died out under zoo care and back then there was no understanding of husbandry and no ex-situ conservation so to speak. Todays zoos do in large part have ex-situ conservation as a mission and are also heavily involved in researching scientific / evidence based solutions to animal husbandry.

I tend to think the optimum husbandry of marsupials like the thylacine and the lesser bilby would probably be figured out in no time within modern Australian zoos with some research. However, it is conceivable that it wouldn't, take the example of the Gilbert's potoroo. It was believed to be extinct then was rediscovered as a "Lazarus species" and held in zoos and ex-situ but never effectively.

Birds like the pink pigeon, the Cuban macaw and the Carolina parakeet too would probably be ok in captivity and breed well.
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Sorry if my question sounded a little stupid, It was just a thought that popped into my head. I would Imagine Australian zoos would be pretty successful with Marsupials, They've been successful with Numbats before, haven't they? I know the last Thylacine died in captivity, but if they were still alive today and more Studies were conducted I think they would be able to be kept in at least one place probably in Australia or Tasmania.
Pink pigeons are extinct? :confused:
 
I thin another species could be Moa and Haast Eagle, though the Haast eagle would most likely be in arboreal exhibits as most aviaries would be too small for them
side note did anyone know there used to be an Australian bird called the Demon-Duck of Doom? They had massive beaks and looked like a combo of a cassowary and dodo but put it on kill mode.
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Birds like the passenger pigeon, the Cuban macaw and the Carolina parakeet too would probably be ok in captivity and breed well.
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Worth remembering two of those species went extinct in captivity... under modern standards the parakeet I feel may have made it. The pigeon I feel would have struggled breeding successfully, given that breaking up of the enormous colonies seemed to be a major part of its downfall.
 
Great Argus said:
Worth remembering two of those species went extinct in captivity... under modern standards the parakeet I feel may have made it. The pigeon I feel would have struggled breeding successfully, given that breaking up of the enormous colonies seemed to be a major part of its downfall.
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Thank you for that thought @Great Argus!
Regardless, I do think that I would have loved to have seen those species either way! I think the Parrakeets would be more successful as well.
 
Westcoastperson said:
I thin another species could be Moa and Haast Eagle, though the Haast eagle would most likely be in arboreal exhibits as most aviaries would be too small for them
side note did anyone know there used to be an Australian bird called the Demon-Duck of Doom? They had massive beaks and looked like a combo of a cassowary and dodo but put it on kill mode.
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These are not recent extinctions, are they? Thank you for sharing @Westcoastperson, but I am primarily talking about more recent extinctions such as the Thylacine, not early prehistoric birds. Interesting thought though.
 
Neil chace said:
Dodo birds likely could adapt to captivity successfully.
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Their diet was not very specific, and I feel like the great @Carl Jones would have saved this species if it was still alive today living on Mauritius. I don't think they would adapt horribly to captivity, No, and since they are flightless and don't need a large space I think they would be kept more like Keas are kept today with simple exhibits. Thank you for sharing @Neil chace!
 
Great Argus said:
Worth remembering two of those species went extinct in captivity... under modern standards the parakeet I feel may have made it. The pigeon I feel would have struggled breeding successfully, given that breaking up of the enormous colonies seemed to be a major part of its downfall.
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Oh I agree and I think I mentioned that part of the problem historically was that conservation was not a priority of these zoos and in fact the modern conservation movement was still in its infancy.

I also agree that the parakeet would have made it and that the pigeon would have struggled but ultimately I think that modern zoos would do their best to keep the species going despite these difficulties.

I think the Cuban macaw would have been a bit challenging too and would perhaps pose similar problems in captive husbandry as the Spix and Lear's macaws do today. That said, I think the fundamentals of maintaining them successfully would eventually be mapped out through research and trial and error and would be achieved by modern zoos.
 
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CheeseChameleon2007 said:
Their diet was not very specific, and I feel like the great @Carl Jones would have saved this species if it was still alive today living on Mauritius. I don't think they would adapt horribly to captivity, No, and since they are flightless and don't need a large space I think they would be kept more like Keas are kept today with simple exhibits. Thank you for sharing @Neil chace!
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Dodos are also close relatives of the Nicobar pigeon, a species that breeds readily in captivity. Since we have good results with the Nicobar pigeon, and also with larger birds like the Victorian Crowned pigeon, I would envision dodo birds being a successful resident of large aviaries.
 
Neil chace said:
Dodos are also close relatives of the Nicobar pigeon, a species that breeds readily in captivity. Since we have good results with the Nicobar pigeon, and also with larger birds like the Victorian Crowned pigeon, I would envision dodo birds being a successful resident of large aviaries.
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Yes! I know their closest relative is the Nicobar pigeon, (one of my favorites of its kind) and I always enjoy seeing them in a walk-through aviary. Just think, If we had dodos nowadays in zoos most likely there would be a walk-through exhibit with dodos as well! :D
 
Neil chace said:
Dodos are also close relatives of the Nicobar pigeon, a species that breeds readily in captivity. Since we have good results with the Nicobar pigeon, and also with larger birds like the Victorian Crowned pigeon, I would envision dodo birds being a successful resident of large aviaries.
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I don't imagine they would be a very good inhabitant of walk-through enclosures though unlike the crowned pigeon.

I bet they would end up pecking a visitor and injuring them and getting the zoo sued.
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
I don't imagine they would be a very good inhabitant of walk-through enclosures though unlike the crowned pigeon.

I bet they would end up pecking a visitor and injuring them and getting the zoo sued.
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Or maybe it would just be the guests provoking them and not knowing how to be respectful to living creatures around them, sadly the case with a lot of zoo guests I see today. :(
 
CheeseChameleon2007 said:
Or maybe it would just be the guests provoking them and not knowing how to be respectful to living creatures around them, sadly the case with a lot of zoo guests I see today. :(
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Dodos were famous for not showing any fear towards people and walking up to them and following them around in Mauritius.

In this hypothetical scenario and with such a large bird with quite a hefty and potentially dangerous beak this could likely cause problems in something like a walkthrough enclosure with the public.
 
Onychorhynchus coronatus said:
Dodos were famous for not showing any fear towards people and walking up to them and following them around which would in this hypothetical scenario likely cause problems in something like a walkthrough enclosure with the public.
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Listen, I just think it would be interesting to see them around walking in a zoo, and pardon if I sound ignorant, It was just a thought that I had. :)
 
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