Ungulates in UK Collections

dillotest0

dillotest0

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
In this thread, I will be going over the various species of ungulate [hoofed-mammal] present in UK public collections.
Of the about 200 species of hoofed-mammal, a decent number can be found in public collections across the United Kingdom. Almost all of the major ungulates group are represented, to some extent, in the collections, with the only exceptions being Antilocapridae, Pronghorns, and Cetacea.

PERISSODACTYLA [Odd-hoofed ungulates]
This group contains animals with an odd number of hooves, i.e. rhinoceros, tapir, and equids.
EQUIDAE
There are about six species of equid, all of which can be seen in UK collections to varying extents.
The Somali Wild Ass is held in about four collections in all, these being Africa Alive, Knowsley, Marwell, and Woburn. Marwell is by far the longest holder of this species in the UK, having held them since 1993. The species' domestic equivalent, the Domestic Donkey, is greatly ubiquitous in the UK, and thus requires no further clarification.
The validity of the Przewalski's Horse as an independent species has been debated in recent years, though it is still to be represented here. It is fairly numerous in the UK, with eight collections in all holding it, including Marwell, Welsh Mountain Zoo, Woburn, and Whipsnade. Its domestic equivalent, the Domestic Horse, again is greatly ubiquitous in the UK, and further context is not needed.
Of the three species of Zebra, the Plains Zebra is by far the more common species, present in about 34 collections in all. The Grevy's Zebra comes in a mere second place with 12 collections, and the Mountain Zebra is kept only in four collections in all. Marwell has been keeping all three of the species for well over 40 years, though there was a brief period when the Plains Zebra was absent.
As far as plains zebra subspecies go, the Grant's Zebra makes for the most of the holdings, with a fair number of Chapman's Zebras as well. Burchell's and Maneless Zebras are less common, held only in 4 and 2 collections respectively.
Zebroids are not to be found in any public collection today, though zebra hybrids were historically kept in Chester [Grevy's x Domestic Horse] as well as famously Colchester [Plains x Domestic Donkey].
The Onager is held only at Chester, though has historically been held at Whipsnade [until 2017]. The Kulan subspecies has not been held since 1999 at Marwell. Similarly, the Kiang is only held at Knowsley, though was held at Highland until 2016.
 
RHINOCEROTIDAE
Although historically all five species have been held, only three of the species have been held in recent times, and are still held today.
Fairly well-represented is the Black Rhinoceros, held in eight collections, including both Aspinall Parks and Chester. Bristol's new zoo of 2024 also intends to hold the species.
The White Rhinoceros is somewhat more commonplace, with 15 collections. Most collections hold about the same number of rhinos, that is a single male with three or so females. [e.g. Marwell, Blair Drummond].
Whipsnade shares a distinction with Chester in that it is one of the only two zoos to hold two species of rhinoceros - as both hold Indian Rhinoceros, though Whipsnade holds White Rhinoceros, and Chester Black Rhinoceros. The species is not too common as far as rhinoceros go - only four collections currently hold it.
Although absent from collections today, the Sumatran Rhinoceros was held in fairly recent history at Port Lympne. [1999] The Javan Rhinoceros, however, has not been held beyond the 19th century.
TAPIRIDAE
Only two species of tapir have been held in recent history in UK collections, and these are still held today.
The South American Tapir is fairly ubiquitous, held in over 40 collections. Most of these holdings, however, appear to have their roots relatively recently in the 2000s onwards.
On the opposite end, only three zoos in the UK hold Malayan Tapir, - Chester, Belfast, and Port Lympne. Two of which also happen to hold the more common SA Tapir as well. [The exception being Belfast]. London held the species in recent history, though Edinburgh held the species until very recent times [2022].
 
Last edited:
I am going to love this thread, I believe that Marwell zoo had one of the better collections of hoofed stock within the UK
 
Zorro said:
I am going to love this thread, I believe that Marwell zoo had one of the better collections of hoofed stock within the UK
Click to expand...

Marwell are renowned for their ungulate collection and have a long and successful history of breeding several endangered species - supplying multiple zoos worldwide.

The Australasian region has received Przewalski horse, Scimitar-horned oryx and Brazilian tapir from Marwell, allowing our zoos to found our own populations of these species.
 
Great thread! Does flamingo land not hold both black and white rhino? Oh and PL has black and white also?
 
Al said:
Great thread! Does flamingo land not hold both black and white rhino?
Click to expand...

Flamingo Land hold both species. They have two male Southern white rhinoceros (both born 2014) and a breeding pair of Eastern black rhinoceros, which welcomed a calf five months ago.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Flamingo Land hold both species. They have two male Southern white rhinoceros (both born 2014) and a breeding pair of Eastern black rhinoceros, which welcomed a calf five months ago.
Click to expand...
Ah, my mistake !
Anyways, that leads to..

ARTIODACTYLA [Even-hoofed ungulates]
This group contains animals with an even number of hooves, i.e. antelopes, caprids, bovids, hippopotamus etc.
SUIDAE
As far as pigs go in UK public collections, it is not massively diverse, though one could perhaps say much the same thing about the pigs on the continent.
A fair number of collections [10] hold Wild Boar. That said, all of these boars are of one sub-species, the Central European Wild Boar.
Warthog is held in 5 collections in all, with Colchester keeping both non-specific warthog and Northern Warthog.
The Bearded Pig has been held in recent times by London, but as the genetic diversity between the pigs is low, and the animals are non-specific, they are on phase-out in Europe, leaving no pigs in the zoo, and only one on the continent. They have been replaced by Red River Hogs, which are fairly common, held in 16 collections. Several of these seem to have obtained the species around 2010.
The Babirusa is held only in two collections - Chester, and more recently, London, which keeps their rarely-seen babirusa adjacent the hogs.
And the Visayan Warty Pig is held in around 19 collections in all, though all these holdings appear to have their roots in the 21st century. The Domestic Pig, again, is greatly ubiquitous, to the point that the more 'interesting' breeds may be held in smaller zoos. [or petting areas in larger zoos]
TAYASSUIDAE
For only three recognised species of peccary, the UK does fairly well - it has two. Strangely though, it lacks the Chacoan Peccary, which is now largely replacing the collared species in American AZA zoos.
Speaking of Collared Peccaries, there are only two collections which still hold them - Amazona Zoo and Paignton. From what I read, however, the latter keeps only sows, which leads me to think in the future only Amazona will hold the species. Marwell and Amazon World Zoo have also held the species until recent times.
Only one zoo in the UK holds White-Lipped Peccary - which is Dudley, which seemingly has a fairly-sized herd.
 
Last edited:
HIPPOPOTAMIDAE
For the two species of hippopotamus, both exist in UK collections.
The Common Hippopotamus is found in four collections - Flamingo Land, Whipsnade, West Midlands, and Longleat. From what I have heard, it can be difficult to view the species at the latter, however.
Its miniature counterpart, the Pygmy Hippopotamus, is somewhat more common, appearing in two more collections than its larger counterpart. [Though Bristol has held the species in recent years] Whipsnade holds the distinction of holding both species. Marwell has held the species since 1983, and seeing as a new animal recently arrived, it seems this tradition has stable footing.
CAMELIDAE
All 6 species of this group are found in varying numbers in UK collections.
The Llama and Alpaca will need no further clarification, as they are both highly commonplace, as is the [Domestic] Bactrian Camel.
Its single-humped counterpart, the Dromedary, is less numerous, held only in three collections in all.
The Guanaco is held in five collections, though only one, Beale, seemingly intends to uphold their [very recently acquired] collection.
The Vicuña is held in eight collections in all, though the lack of news about the animals in Edinburgh makes me suspect that they have gone off show. Chester, Marwell, London, and Lake District have all also held the species in recent times.
 
Last edited:
I remember when Whipsnade had a large and interesting collection of hoof stock including a very large herd of Thompson gazelles all home bred
 
GIRAFFIDAE
Depending on who one asks, there are either two species in this group, or around nine. For the purposes of simplicity, we will be going with two species, both of which are held.
About 24 collections hold Giraffe. A fair number of these are Rothschild's Giraffe, though it seems that for all the Rothschild's animals there are, there are just as many non-specific Giraffe. In some cases, there are even, [shudder], hybrid giraffe. There are a few [5 collections] Reticulated Giraffe, that said.
Four collections house Okapi - Marwell, Chester, Yorkshire, and London. Though Bristol Wild Place also held them in recent history, and it seems that when the site becomes the new Bristol Zoo in 2024, it intends to hold okapi again. [Or so I have heard]
 
dillotest0 said:
Zebroids are not to be found in any public collection today, though zebra hybrids were historically kept in Chester [Grevy's x Domestic Horse] as well as famously Colchester [Plains x Domestic Donkey].
Click to expand...

Just a small addition to this very informative thread: the small collection at Groombridge Place near Tunbridge Wells includes a Zedonk.
 
dillotest0 said:
Its miniature counterpart, the Pygmy Hippopotamus, is somewhat more common, appearing in two more collections than its larger counterpart. Whipsnade holds the distinction of holding both species. Marwell has held the species since 1983, and seeing as a new animal recently arrived, it seems this tradition has stable footing.
Click to expand...

Don't London also have Pygmy's?
 
Re the Longleat Hippos (two elderly females). They’re often immersed in a mud wallow, and not very visible. However, when seen from the boat, surfacing and wiggling their ears, it’s a pretty good zoo experience. Also quite engaging when the Sealions use the Hippos to sit on.
 
TRAGULIDAE
For what 10 species exist in all, only two species of Mouse Deer exist in UK Collections.
The Javan Mouse-Deer is held at Teignmouth Wildlife Trust, Marwell, and Bristol. None of which appear to have held the species for the longest time, but anyways.
And there is also the Phillipines Mouse-Deer at Chester.
MOSCHIDAE
Only one species of musk-deer is held in Europe at all, the Siberian Musk-Deer, which is held in Edinburgh.
The rest of the deer will of course have more detailed accounts..
 
dillotest0 said:
TRAGULIDAE
For what 10 species exist in all, only two species of Mouse Deer exist in UK Collections.
The Javan Mouse-Deer is held at Teignmouth Wildlife Trust, Marwell, and Bristol. None of which appear to have held the species for the longest time, but anyways.
And there is also the Phillipines Mouse-Deer at Chester.
Click to expand...

Are those Javan actually Javan do we know, or are they Lesser Malay? (T.kanchil, the lesser Malay chevrotain, used to be included in T.javanicus).
 
In that case I guess there may well also be Lesser Mouse Deer as well..
Though it seems there is not much interesting to say about the recent history, aside from Paignton and Newquay keeping the Java species.

CERIVDAE [Part 1]
As far as deer go, the UK collections are what I'd say 'somewhat' diverse - in that deer diversity is not super diverse, but we have at least several species.
The Chinese Water Deer is considered by many an invasive species, so from what I gather it is somewhat possible to see them in the wild. Whipsnade appears to have a stable population on zoo grounds, as do Woburn. They are also kept at the Watatunga Wildlife Reserve, and the deer park in Houghton Hall. [And perhaps several other deer parks I am not informed of.]
Eurasian Elk seem to be on a kind of decline, with only four holdings, including Wildwood and the Scottish Deer Centre. I am unsure of these animals' breeding status. In recent history they were also kept at Whipsnade, and also Longleat. The former did successfully breed the species. To my knowledge, no true American Moose have been kept in recent history in the UK, and I think the same rings true for most 'quintessential American deer'. Simply because there is not much of a point importing them, as they are not usually threatened conservation-wise, and compared with other deer are not stand-out exhibit animals.
There are, however, a fair number of Southern Pudu, which are held in five collections. Several of the animals are single animals, though in some zoos they are bred - as they are in Hamerton and Chester - which has seemingly been breeding them since 1991.
The Roe Deer is held in the British Wildlife Centre, the Watatunga Wildlife Reserve, and New Forest Wildlife Park - and maybe a few other deer facilities I do not know of.
 
CERVIDAE [Part 2]
Perhaps the most common deer species in UK holding is the Fallow Deer, perhaps the quintessential species of deer parks themselves. A comprehensive list of their holding, thus, is perhaps not completely necessary.
Also common in deer parks are native Red Deer, and to a lesser extent Axis and Sika. A number of farm parks and zoos, deer-inclusive or not, may also keep Domestic Reindeer - though in the former especially these may just be seasonal occurrences. Few such parks, however, keep Pere David's Deer, which is held in around 11 collections, including Whipsnade and, famously, Woburn. Other deer species are less abundant - the Bactrian Deer is held only in two collections - Highland Wildlife Park, and the Scottish Deer Centre. Both of which also hold White-Lipped Deer, also held in the Watatunga Wildlife Reserve.
The Myanmar Thamin is held in five collections in all, with West Midland having a sizeable herd. A sizeable herd of Hog Deer is to be found at Whipsnade, though the species is held in four other collections. Port Lympne breeds Sambar Deer, which it has distributed to Houghton Hall's Deer Park, and perhaps also Watatunga. Indian Swamp Deer are held in eight collections in all, Whipsnade in particular having, again, a sizeable herd. Javan Rusa are a rarity, held only in one public collection [Woburn] and also at Shorelands, which does not function as a bona-fide public collection. Woburn in particular seems to have had a large drop in numbers since 2010, from 16 animals down to four. Six collections in all appear to have Visayan Spotted Deer, though none of them in massive numbers. The American Wapiti is held at the Scottish Deer Centre, as well as the Bush Farm Bison Centre. The latter, however, no longer functions as a public facility, and today only has open days.
The Tufted Deer is held at Twycross, as it has since 2006, and the aforementioned Shorelands. The Reeves' Muntjac, although now an invasive species, is fairly common in the UK, held in 15 collections, and maybe a few more deer parks.
And that completes the deer !
 
Last edited:
dillotest0 said:
Pere David's Deer ... from what I have heard, they appear to have established a non-native population in areas of the UK to some extent.
Click to expand...
Pere David's Deer are established in the wild in the UK? I have never heard of that before. Do you have a source?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top