UK hyenas and viverrids

[TeaLovingDave]

How common are raccoons? They are a very common species but Drayton Manor is the only place I know that has them.

Pretty damn common, all things considered - among the places with them are Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Bristol, Gentleshaws, Hamerton and Shepreth to name but a few.

Newquay is looking like my best bet to get a lot of what I want. Pity it's five hours away by rail.

Truth be told, it might be best were you to stay in Newton Abbot or somewhere similar, much as I did last year - this way you will be within a train commute of Newquay, Exmoor, Axe Valley, Paignton and Shaldon, all of which contain some of the unusual carnivores you seek.

Those Bristol ones are show animals-that's why they are set back and less 'on show'. I am trying to remember what they had when I last went-definitely raccoons & civets, I think coati possibly not sure about genet. Of those only the raccoons were regularly in the shows, the others being more recent arrivals that were being trained up (this was late last summer-2013, so could have changed).

Having never seen a common palm civet, I was rather kicking myself when I learned these enclosures had the species shortly after Zoohistorica, as I always disregard these enclosures as I am visiting Bristol again soon, if they do indeed have civets (or indeed genets) visible in the enclosures I will be having a jolly good look for them!

 

[Devi]

There's a place in the midlands that has genets, small place that just has the animals commonly kept as exotic pets, genets, skunks, racoons, etc, can't seem to remember the name though. Does anyone know where I'm thinking of? I'll come back if I find out.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

If you are thinking of Wickid Pets, in Wolverhampton, it closed down about a year and a half ago due to bankruptcy, and the site was later destroyed in a fire. I suspect that one or two of the collections alluded to above which are not on ZTL may have obtained stock from there.

 

[Devi]

If you are thinking of Wickid Pets, in Wolverhampton, it closed down about a year and a half ago due to bankruptcy, and the site was later destroyed in a fire. I suspect that one or two of the collections alluded to above which are not on ZTL may have obtained stock from there.

That certainly seems like it, but I'd have thought I'd remember such a dreadful name!

 

[TeaLovingDave]

That certainly seems like it, but I'd have thought I'd remember such a dreadful name!

That's not even the full name, which as I recall was "Wickid Pets Animal Adventure"

 

[Shorts]

Pretty damn common, all things considered - among the places with them are Yorkshire Wildlife Park, Bristol, Gentleshaws, Hamerton and Shepreth to name but a few.

Are you certain YWP have Raccoons? I'm really struggling to place them or ever remember them being there (I've visited at least annually since opening and within the last six months).

They do have Raccoon Dogs and I wondered whether it's a Zootierliste error (or has my memory gone)? I couldn't find any mention of Raccoons, only Raccoon Dogs on their website.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

It's possible that it is a ZTL error - I have not visited Yorkshire Wildlife Park as yet myself.

 

[stubeanz]

What a great detailed post on some of my favourite animals thanks TLD

 

[Drago]

Hyena wise, Exmoor Zoo are hoping to get them soon. They've cleared the land and will start work on the enclosure later this year. Not sure what species they plan to get though. They first mentioned Striped Hyena last March, but I recently spoke to the keepers and they hoped to get Spotted Hyenas, which would make them the second Zoo to have them in the UK. The only other Hyena family members are the Aardwolf & Brown Hyena but these are rarer so doubt they would get one of them, but you nether know...

Axe Valley Wildlife Park has Raccoons and Asian Palm Civets.

 

[Johnny Morris.]

Hyena wise, Exmoor Zoo are hoping to get them soon. They've cleared the land and will start work on the enclosure later this year. Not sure what species they plan to get though. They first mentioned Striped Hyena last March, but I recently spoke to the keepers and they hoped to get Spotted Hyenas, which would make them the second Zoo to have them in the UK. The only other Hyena family members are the Aardwolf & Brown Hyena but these are rarer so doubt they would get one of them, but you nether know...

Axe Valley Wildlife Park has Raccoons and Asian Palm Civets.

Axe Valley has Raccoon Dogs too.

 

[devilfish]

Port Lympne keeps an ageing pair of Brown Hyena (Parahyaena brunnea) offshow - the only examples of the species within the UK. If you really want to see the species, it *might* be possible to get access to see the animals when you visit if you phone ahead a week or so beforehand - search in the forum archives for the experiences of myself and Bwassa, both of whom have successfully attempted this in the past; however, it it is not a sure thing.

Unfortunately there seem to be no more brown hyena left at PL. When I visited in September, we were told by a keeper that there may be one of the young males left off-show, but a curator confirmed that they were no longer around.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

If accurate, a shame; it is always possible they have decided to stop confirming that they still hold the species, in order that people do not request to see them, as it strikes me as unlikely that both of the breeding pair had died within two months of my seeing them - and to my knowledge nowhere else has received any.

 

[spike241]

I spoke with someone from PL today and they confirmed they do still have 1 brown hyena.

 

[Brum]

Bristol had a row of fairly new looking enclosures with civets, raccoons and possibly genets but I can't remember. We didn't see any of the animals though and they were set a bit back from the path so you probably wouldn't see them unless they were active...

I missed this post originally but where in the zoo are these enclosures situated? I walked around Bristol many, many times with assorted zoochatters and not once did anyone mention these! They weren't even mentioned on the official Zoohistorica tour!? (Unless I was too busy grumbling about something and missed the mention?)

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Next to the Terrace Theatre which appears on this map I think:

http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/Guide Map 2013 w.pdf

 

[Brum]

Next to the Terrace Theatre which appears on this map I think:

http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/Guide Map 2013 w.pdf

I walked past that countless times, as I assume you did as well. Damn shame I'm only finding this out now...

 

[Pertinax]

Next to the Terrace Theatre which appears on this map I think:

http://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/sites/default/files/files/Guide Map 2013 w.pdf

On this map the 'new Gorilla House'- actually an extension, is shown as a blue area which engulfs the paddock the Okapis previously used. I presume this is just an innaccuracy of the map, as the old Elephant/giraffe building must be listed and wouldn't be allowed too much exterior alteration, I wouldn't think. Also someone said Cassowary would now use the previous Okapi paddock.

 

[Nanook]

Civets and genets, regrettably, are few and far between these days.

But here goes.....

Asian Palm Civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) is held by a smattering of smaller collections, mostly rescue centres and collections which have received animals from private hands.

Rare Species Conservation Centre has a breeding population of Banded Palm Civet (Hemigalus derbyanus) last anyone heard - if they do indeed re-open this year as planned I rather hope they will be onshow!

About eight collections spread quite evenly around the UK have non-subspecific Binturong (Arctictis binturong) - by some distance the easiest viverrid to see in the UK.

Common Genet (Genetta genetta) are all but gone in the UK - only two collections in Scotland are listed for the species now on Zootierliste, although I believe one or two tiny collections which do not have entries on the site may still have the species.

Two collections - Drusillas and Exmoor - have pure Indochinese Binturong (Arctictis binturong albifrons), these being the only onshow examples of subspecific Binturong in the UK at present. Another subspecies, the Palawan Binturong (Arctictis binturong whitei), is found at Belfast and RSCC, but neither collection has the species onshow.

Three collections in the south of England - Newquay, Shaldon and Thrigby Hall - hold the Owston's Banded Palm Civet (Chrotogale owstoni) - a very attractive species indeed. Newquay breed the species quite regularly.

A handful of other species, including Malayan Civet, Cape Genet, Feline Genet and Pardine Genet, are only found in private hands within the UK.

There are several Asian Palm Civets and Genet species in private collections of course and one private collection that I know of also holds and breeds the Palawan Binturong.

 

[Nanook]

I'll deal with euplerids and herpestids together.

In terms of herpestids, the Banded Mongoose (Mungos mungo) and Common Cusimanse (Crossarchus obscurus) are the most unusual of the "common" mongoose species held in the UK - both are held in a handful of collections, but are nowhere near as ubiquitous as other species. The Cusimanse is a particularly interesting case, as it is entirely absent outside the south-west of England, but is found in almost every single collection *within* the south-west!

The Meerkat (Suricata suricatta), Dwarf mongoose (Helogale parvula) and Yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) are all ubiquitous, and need no further elucidation.

The most unusual mongoose held in a collection within the British Isles in question - but not being part of the UK proper - is the single very elderly Marsh Mongoose (Atilax paludinosus) held at Curraghs on the Isle of Man, the last individual of the species within Europe.

I do not know whether or not further mongoose species are held in private hands in the UK.

In terms of the euplerids - the Malagasy carnivorans once classified as herpestids and viverrids - the most common species in the UK is certainly the Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox), which is held in 9 collections spread relatively evenly throughout the British Isles.

There are a small number of collections holding the Narrow-striped Boky (Mungotictis decemlineata decemlineata) - Newquay, Durrell, Chester and RSCC, although the species is not viewable to the public at the latter two collections. It is a small and rather reclusive species, so tricky to spot even when onshow in my limited experience.

Two further species of euplerid - the Spotted Fanaloka (Fossa fossana) and Eastern Ring-tailed Vontsira (Galidia elegans elegans) are currently only found at RSCC, and are thus not visible to the public at the present time. The former is the only holding of the species within Europe.

Do you remember a few years ago there was an influx of Marsh Mongoose in UK zoos, they were all over the place. I think there were several imported into the UK at the same time ?

 

[Nanook]

I'll deal with euplerids and herpestids together.

In terms of herpestids, the Banded Mongoose (Mungos mungo) and Common Cusimanse (Crossarchus obscurus) are the most unusual of the "common" mongoose species held in the UK - both are held in a handful of collections, but are nowhere near as ubiquitous as other species. The Cusimanse is a particularly interesting case, as it is entirely absent outside the south-west of England, but is found in almost every single collection *within* the south-west!

The Meerkat (Suricata suricatta), Dwarf mongoose (Helogale parvula) and Yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) are all ubiquitous, and need no further elucidation.

The most unusual mongoose held in a collection within the British Isles in question - but not being part of the UK proper - is the single very elderly Marsh Mongoose (Atilax paludinosus) held at Curraghs on the Isle of Man, the last individual of the species within Europe.

I do not know whether or not further mongoose species are held in private hands in the UK.

In terms of the euplerids - the Malagasy carnivorans once classified as herpestids and viverrids - the most common species in the UK is certainly the Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox), which is held in 9 collections spread relatively evenly throughout the British Isles.

There are a small number of collections holding the Narrow-striped Boky (Mungotictis decemlineata decemlineata) - Newquay, Durrell, Chester and RSCC, although the species is not viewable to the public at the latter two collections. It is a small and rather reclusive species, so tricky to spot even when onshow in my limited experience.

Two further species of euplerid - the Spotted Fanaloka (Fossa fossana) and Eastern Ring-tailed Vontsira (Galidia elegans elegans) are currently only found at RSCC, and are thus not visible to the public at the present time. The former is the only holding of the species within Europe.

A few years ago Paignton Zoo bred their Cusimanses and circulated them to the other local zoos, I think Shaldon also possibly bred theirs ?
Marwell was the first UK zoo, in recent years, to keep and breed them which was actually the start of the current population.