Vicunas for the USA

vogelcommando

vogelcommando

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Today I was looking to the German Television-programm "Panda, Gorilla and Co. " and they told ( and showed ) an intresting report about 10 Vicunas which were kept in quarantaine at the Tierpark Berlin to be exported to the USA. 3 of them being from Berlin itself, the others from zoos in the Netherlands ( Artis - Amsterdam ), the Czech Republic, France and Switserland ( Zürich ).
I don't know how old the report was ( think beginning of this year ) so the animals should already have been arrived in the USA and I would like to know if any ZooChatter knows to which zoo(s ?) these animals have been send.
The programm mentioned this was the first export from Ungulates from Europe to the USA in 25 years - which I can't believe.
 
ATM, I think Southwicks is the only zoo in the US with vicunas and I believe that it did indeed come from that import (Don't know if first ungulate export in 25 years, however)
 
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I've heard that Los Angeles was interested in vicuñas and maybe trying to import some but I'm not sure from where or when. It was a while back.
 
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jayjds2 said:
I've heard that Los Angeles was interested in vicuñas and maybe trying to import some but I'm not sure from where or when. It was a while back.
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True, they are one of the recipient zoos. The export was planned for 6.6 individuals. I believe Beardsley Zoo too (as per link: Zoo Breaks Ground on Exhibit Expansion | Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo). I am not sure which other zoos are part of the AZA effort to get vicuna into the US.

Vice versa, I think the deal was to expand Chacoan peccary and rock wallaby programs with an European component (which has partially already happened). LA Zoo has been a major supporter of this welcome effort both ways of the Atlantic!
 
Beardsley's originated from Canada. There have been numerous ungulates imported from Europe in the last 25 years. Though there has been much less trade in the past 15 years due to customs/quarantine.
 
gerenuk said:
Beardsley's originated from Canada. There have been numerous ungulates imported from Europe in the last 25 years. Though there has been much less trade in the past 15 years due to customs/quarantine.
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I am surprised as I was under the impression that most if not all vicuna overseas were more or less an European affair!

Which Canadian zoos currently hold vicuna and which one(s) than delivered the stock for Bridgeport?
 
After being mentioned in the thread about dromedaries, I messaged the Beardsley Zoo and can confirm: the vicuñas are no longer coming to the US. They were "not in good health" so permits were not approved. This is unfortunate. As it stands currently, 2.5 vicuñas reside at Southwick's Zoo and that is the entire American population.
 
That's a real pitty, after all the effords made by the European zoos - sending animals to one collection to went in quarantaine and all the paper-work which was involved with this !
Also a pitty that the quite large, healthy European population can't help the small US-population to grow :( .
 
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