Unfortunate animal

[Nikola Chavkoski]

Distributed in a restricted area?
In a low-income country? With no law-enforcement to protect it?
Hunted for meat by locals, as source of proteins? Hunted for traditional-medicine?
With low reproductive/fertility rate? Maybe inbred?
Not ex-situ conserved by zoos? No plans for bringing it in zoos to start breeding programme?
Threatened by habittat loss, deforestation?
Threatened by domestic, ferral or invasive species?
Living in a remote corner of the world?
Name that poor, unfortunate animal (species), to raise some awerness and put deserved attention here, and what you know is done sofar to save it from extinction.

'My heart goes on with', tenkile (Dendrolagus scottae) of Papua New Guinea, a poor unfortunate animal, critically endangered.

Other examples: Dingiso

Can a political lobbying and influence, give some results for bringing a species into zoos?

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Although a species which is present in a handful of zoological collections, the first thing that occurs to me when reading your post is that we could do with heightened awareness and interest for a species such as Owston's Civet, which is threatened by poaching for the illegal animal trade, along with habitat loss and hunting.

 

[CGSwans]

Although a species which is present in a handful of zoological collections, the first thing that occurs to me when reading your post is that we could do with heightened awareness and interest for a species such as Owston's Civet, which is threatened by poaching for the illegal animal trade, along with habitat loss and hunting.

Illegal animal trade was the first thing that came to my mind too. Most unfortunate.

 

[PossumRoach]

For me it is the wagner's viper. I do not know about smuggling but not only is this animal endemic in a country that is not as advanced in the zoological sciences (or at least not as much I wish it was), the same country has a very disturbing affinity to build buildings left and right, even giving amnesty to illegally built structures (as we can see that deffinitely ended well that was sarcasm). I do not have a clear picture of the captive situation. The government here (unsurprisingly) does not have a proper insurance population or a breeding program for the Wagners viper. In the US I only know two zoos that keep them but I do not know if any other zoo has joined them or plans to. While ZTL lists 4 zoos that I do not know are running a program to build up an insurance population. At this point the Wagner's viper may as well be considered extinct.

 

[Batto]

I do not have a clear picture of the captive situation.

While not super-common, Tropidolaemus wagleri is bred by a few private keepers.

 

[Jurek7]

Long-beaked echidna. I also find it a very funny looking animal.

 

[ifesbob]

I find the Mariana crow/aga to be an unfortunate animal

 

[elefante]

The Javan rhino is unfortunate. Only one population and no captive individuals. All of the eggs are in one basket.

 

[Batto]

(...) such as Owston's Civet, which is threatened by poaching for the illegal animal trade (...)

Yep, that's a burn.

 

[lintworm]

While not super-common, Tropidolaemus wagleri is bred by a few private keepers.

I have a feeling he is referring to the Turkish Montivipera wagneri.

 

[Jana]

Montivipera wagneri - 1,2 group offered for 360€.

 

[Batto]

I have a feeling he is referring to the Turkish Montivipera wagneri.

Oh, you do? Even better: there are even more private breeders of those.
And as Jana pointed out: available for a reasonable price.

 

[ThylacineAlive]

For me it is the wagner's viper. I do not know about smuggling but not only is this animal endemic in a country that is not as advanced in the zoological sciences (or at least not as much I wish it was), the same country has a very disturbing affinity to build buildings left and right, even giving amnesty to illegally built structures (as we can see that deffinitely ended well that was sarcasm). I do not have a clear picture of the captive situation. The government here (unsurprisingly) does not have a proper insurance population or a breeding program for the Wagners viper. In the US I only know two zoos that keep them but I do not know if any other zoo has joined them or plans to. While ZTL lists 4 zoos that I do not know are running a program to build up an insurance population. At this point the Wagner's viper may as well be considered extinct.

I believe there are four US zoos keeping and breeding M. wagneri. I think the population here is around 40 animals but I could be wrong on that.

~Thylo

 

[ifesbob]

I also think that it can be argued that animals that are extinct because of humans are the ultimate unfortunate animal. The thylacine, passenger pigeon, and such, are all ultimate unfortunate animals to me because of how humans did them dirty.

 

[elefante]

I also think that it can be argued that animals that are extinct because of humans are the ultimate unfortunate animal. The thylacine, passenger pigeon, and such, are all ultimate unfortunate animals to me because of how humans did them dirty.

True. Then there are those with a big question mark over their status; the imperial woodpecker, ivory-billed woodpecker, Bachman's warbler, and Eskimo curlew to name a few.

 

[Corangurilla]

“Unfortunate” doesn’t even begin to describe the sea turtles’ series. It’s like they’re affected by every major threat to endangered species.

• Habitat loss: the beaches they nest on are being bulldozed.
• Invasive species: rats eat their eggs, and toxic algae blooms give them tumors.
• Pollution: those plastic straw and bag memes exist for a reason, and bonus points for the babies getting misdirected by light pollution.
  
• Climate change: a warming climate means less male sea turtles for the many females to mate with.
  
• Poaching: people eat their meat and eggs, and use their shells and bones for all kinds of medical treatments that don’t work.

I don’t know if they count for this thread, but I’ve said several times before that nothing good ever happens to sea turtles. They are at the bottom of the list of animals I would want to be reincarnated as. Truly the most unfortunate endangered animals.

 

[birdsandbats]

True. Then there are those with a big question mark over their status; the imperial woodpecker, ivory-billed woodpecker, Bachman's warbler, and Eskimo curlew to name a few.

I would argue none of those should have a question mark considering their ranges are extremely well-birded (expect for the Imperial Woodpecker). If they were still around, we would know.

 

[elefante]

I would argue none of those should have a question mark considering their ranges are extremely well-birded (expect for the Imperial Woodpecker). If they were still around, we would know.

I'm sure all of those are extinct, even the imperial. But it's interesting there still are reported sightings.