What would you like to see in the UK?

Javan Rhino

Javan Rhino

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
There are many species that are not represented in any UK zoos at the moment (or are at least rare), however they appear in other zoos worldwide. Giant Otters seem to be the species of the moment, with both Chester and South Lakes aquiring them and a recent breeding at Chestnut. What would you like to be the next 'Giant Otter,' a species that are currently in other collections worldwide but are not in Britain? Personally, mine include the following:

Mountain Tapirs
Bairds Tapirs
Sumatran Rhinoceros
Gerenuk
Thomson's Gazelle
Tasmanian Devil
South China Tiger
Asiatic Black Bear
Grizzly Bear
Giant Panda
West-Indian Manatee

Possibly Cetaceans, but only if a place could really give them everything they need and make sure that they are treated well. Personally, I would love to see Beluga in a UK zoo, but only if they are cared for extremely well, so only the top places would have any chance.
 
kiang said:
Asiatic black bears are still at Dudley aren't they?
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They could be, I had a feeling that this species may already be somewhere but wasn't sure so I threw it in anyway. Thanks for the heads up, I can hopefully go sometime and see one off my list :D
 
Ahhh cool, I look forward to the possibility of seeing this species soon then :). It will have to be Dudley, since Heythrop is a private zoo :(.
 
I would like to see.........

Besia or fringe-eared oryx
Impala
More duiker species
Giant Eland
Tamaraw (can only dream???????)
Mountain Anoa
Indochinese Tiger
Bay cat
Oncilla
Kodkod

The list goes on!:D
 
Golden snub-nosed monkey
Dwarf gibbon (klossi)
Angwantibo
Tarsier
Solenodon
Sea otter
Tasmanian devil
Siberian white crane
Chinese monal
Kagu
Kaka
Desmarest's fig parrot
Blue bird of paradise
Lyrebird
Moloch
Gharial

I suppose there are faint chances of one or two of these turning up, but zero probability for most of them (quite rightly in most cases).

Alan
 
A decent landscape immersion exhibit. ;) Sorry guys, couldn't resist.
 
I'm with you on the manatees 100%. As for others do we have walruses anywhere? I've never seen them in a proper exhibit anywhere, there was one at seaworld used for shows but it'd be lovely to see a family group in a huge pool.
Koalas, wolverines, echidna, platypus, basically unusual small mammals, I find them amazing to watch.
 
(Being a marine mammal enthusiast here... :P)

West Indian Manatees (I heard Bristol was planning them for their new park)
and cetaceans.. BUT they would have to be "dealt" with very carefully. I think a rescue and rehab centre similar to the seal sanctuaries we have would be great, but the standard of facilities would have to be high to satisfy the bad "memories" and press that cetacean captivity gets in this country.
Belugas would especially be great!
And walruses....does anywhere have walruses?

Unfortunately many marine mammals seems to be on the decline in the UK. :(

It seems to me that many UK zoos keep very similar animals ((meerkats, asian short claw otters etc) -as they are relatively easy to look after and please crowds I presume) but if they branched out to other animals that are rarer in british captivity they would probably get a lot more visitors.

I was really surprised to find out that nowhere has thomson's gazelle as I thought they would be the "staple animal" of any savanna exhibit!
 
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Devi said:
I'm with you on the manatees 100%. As for others do we have walruses anywhere? I've never seen them in a proper exhibit anywhere, there was one at seaworld used for shows but it'd be lovely to see a family group in a huge pool.
Koalas, wolverines, echidna, platypus, basically unusual small mammals, I find them amazing to watch.
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In Seaworld in Florida (I presume this is the park you're talking about) have walruses in the Wild Arctic Exhibit. Although they are quite difficult to get to!

EDIT: according to ISIS there is only 1 atlantic walrus in captivity (Canada) and 27 Pacifics in the world. Interesting...
 
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Devi said:
I'm with you on the manatees 100%. As for others do we have walruses anywhere? I've never seen them in a proper exhibit anywhere, there was one at seaworld used for shows but it'd be lovely to see a family group in a huge pool.
Koalas, wolverines, echidna, platypus, basically unusual small mammals, I find them amazing to watch.
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Koalas at edingburgh, wolverines edingburgh and cotswold and echidna at paignton
 
bloodycurtus said:
Koalas at edingburgh, wolverines edingburgh and cotswold and echidna at paignton
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Oops, always forget scotland is in the UK, Edinburgh is currently number 1 on my zoos to visit for so many reasons. I did not know about paignton though, when did they get them? I went last year and didn't spot them.
 
I would love to see me rodent species represented. Other than the usual Capybara, Agouti and Mara (then of course the kids zoo style Guinea Pigs etc).

I'd love to see:
Greenish Acuchy
Lowland and Mountain Paca (isn't there a few at IoW's Amazon World?)
Afghan Mouse-like Hamsters
Giant Rats
Jird's of any type :P
Spiny Mice
Plains Viscacha
Mole Rats
Gundi
Marsh Cane Rat
Coypu
Curou
Desmarest's Hutia
Small Five Toed Jerboa (all types of Jerboa xD)
Elephant Eared Shrew/Round Eared Sengi again, all types of Elephant Shrew.

And I demand more awareness for Syrian Hamsters :P
 
Devi said:
Oops, always forget scotland is in the UK, Edinburgh is currently number 1 on my zoos to visit for so many reasons. I did not know about paignton though, when did they get them? I went last year and didn't spot them.
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looks like paignton only have a male and i think they have had it since 1993
 
Re Paignton Echidnas - quote from keeper in 2007 -

"The two animals that we currently have came to us from Bristol Zoo in 1993 and both were recorded as wild born animals one of unknown location and the other as Australia, so not a great deal of use to us. We think that we have a male and a female but this is based purely on size which is not necessarily a reliable indicator."

I regularly see one of the echidnas out and about (located next to the Red Pandas in the older part of the zoo) and am pretty sure that they still have a second.
 
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