Wilhelma Zoo Wilhelma zoo, Stuttgart

For all intents and purposes tulliana and saxicolor are now all subsumed into the same subspecies (tulliana). Persian leopard taxonomy was formerly a very messy affair, now it is much more straightforward formally. The choice to put them all under tulliana is nothing to do with the relative ranges of previously recognised subspecies but rather that the first described Persian leopard was placed under tulliana. There isn't currently evidence that tulliana and saxicolor are significantly different to be considered separate subspecies (or at least I haven't seen anything convincing). Either way, leopard taxonomy is always unbearably messy and ever-changing.
The different subspecies recognised in western Asia (Turkey through the Central Asian stans) were absolutely about range, and it is still anything but "straightforward formally". It was the Revised Taxonomy of the Felidae paper of 2017 which merged them but even they say that tulliana might yet be distinct from the other populations (although ciscaucasica is still an older name than saxicolor and would have priority).
 
The different subspecies recognised in western Asia (Turkey through the Central Asian stans) were absolutely about range, and it is still anything but "straightforward formally". It was the Revised Taxonomy of the Felidae paper of 2017 which merged them but even they say that tulliana might yet be distinct from the other populations (although ciscaucasica is still an older name than saxicolor and would have priority).

Must have misremembered then, thanks for the correction.
 
For all intents and purposes tulliana and saxicolor are now all subsumed into the same subspecies (tulliana). Persian leopard taxonomy was formerly a very messy affair, now it is much more straightforward formally. The choice to put them all under tulliana is nothing to do with the relative ranges of previously recognised subspecies but rather that the first described Persian leopard was placed under tulliana. There isn't currently evidence that tulliana and saxicolor are significantly different to be considered separate subspecies (or at least I haven't seen anything convincing). Either way, leopard taxonomy is always unbearably messy and ever-changing.
Where are the scientific papers validating this re-assignation of subspecies.
 
On the 14th of January a White-faced saki (Pithecia pithecia) was born.

Earlier this month a new species arrived, namely a pair of Oriental storks (Ciconia boyciana), they came from a park in The Netherlands. So I guess they came from Avifauna, which is the only zoo in The Netherlands with this species.

Next week the two White-handed gibbons (Hylobates lar) will leave the zoo and move to Hansenberg Zoo.

Sources:
Instagram of Zoo Wilhelma (08/02/2024)
Instagram of Zoo Wilhelma (19/02/2024)
Instagram of Zoo Wilhelma (21/02/2024)
 
On the 14th of January a White-faced saki (Pithecia pithecia) was born.

Next week the two White-handed gibbons (Hylobates lar) will leave the zoo and move to Hansenberg Zoo.

Die Artenvielfalt der... - Freunde und Förderer der Wilhelma | Facebook

Apparently, the building will be demolished. I saw it last year and while I did not think it was suitable for its inhabitants (langurs and gibbons), I think this is a real shame. It is in itself a beautiful building.

It was n° 17 on @lintworm list Europe's 100 must see exhibits - Page 11 - ZooChat
 
It is an incredible shame that such an architectural gem will disappear. It is great to see how a sculptural masterpiece has been created here with concrete and steel. Mimicking a stylized and abstract form of nature while also creating an interesting environment for the animals.

I was also somewhat surprised that this masterpiece of functionalism and brutalism doesn't have any monumental or heritage status to protect it from demolition. Hopefully, the local architectural society will come to defend it.

Hopefully the building and complex will still be accessible when I visit the zoo for the first time this spring. As an architect, I would like to admire this work before it is gone.
 
Apparently the bird shipment from Walsrode was even larger, Scaled pigeons (Patagioenas speciosa) are now on display in the small S-American aviary in the long greenhouse near the entrance. This means Wilhelma is the 2nd zoo with this species on display.

Source: zootierliste
 
Visiting Wilhelma in the coming days. Of course going to look out for the Kaka, Quokka and Fanaloka.

Anyone any more tips for a species hunter? And tips to see the species? I already read that the Kaka probably requires multiple visits and still is a hit and miss?

Be aware of potentially rare, but unsigned, birds, especially in the Amazon house (hornero...). But also check the small aviaries in the greenhouses. Most on show rarities should be pretty straightforward. I hope for you you are visiting alone, so you can enter the zoo at 8:15 and stay till late ;)
 
If you like birds (bold = only one in EU):

- Subtropenterrassen: Toco tucan, red-billed curassow, kaka, kea, greater vasa parrot, lesser palm cockatoo, green aracari, Mount Goliath Stelle lory, painted parakeet, Solomon Island eclectus parrot

- Australian and South American songbird aviaries in the first part of the row of greenhouses near the main entrance: red pileated finch, turquoise tanager, violaceous euphonia, double-barred finch, scaled pigeon, red-billed, long-tailed finch

- Kleinsaugerhaus: red-legged honeycreeper, chestnut-and-black weaver, Sudan golden sparrow, African pygmy falcon, Kenya variable sunbird, Kittlitz' plover, king bird-of-paradise, bay-headed tanager, Bioko munia, purple grenadier, spangled cotinga, black-bellied sandgrouse, beautifull fruitdove, Cinnamon ground-dove, black crake, pink-headed fruit-dove, red-throated bee-eater, rock pratincole, rose-crowned fruit-dove, Bruce green pigeon, emerald starling, white-rumped shama

- Amazonienhaus : Chaco chacalaca, green oropendola, Pacific hornero, turquoise tanager, blue-backed grassquit, yellow oriole, sunbittern, blue ground-dove, green-mantled tanager

- Damazenerhalle: common redstart, rosy starling

- Schmetterlinghaus: Cuban grassquit

- Vogelfreifluganlage : solitary tinamou, green oropendola, giant wood-rail, blue-throated piping-guan, boat-billed heron, collared grosbeak, grey junglefowl, red-eared bulbul, green-backed heron, hartlaub turaco, wattled starling, African comb duck, magpie shrike, blue-bellied and lilac-breasted roller, black-winged lovebird, grey-winged trumpeter, African olive pigeon, red-billed curassow, blue-crowned laughing-thrush, blacksmith lapwing, bush-thicknee, yellow-necked francolin, superb starling, and many other species

- Giraffe & Okapi building: Congo peafowl, snowy-crowned robin-chat

- Maurischen Landhaus : blue-crowned hanging-parrot, Palawan peacock-pheasant, Bali myna, chestnut-backed ground-thrush, white-rumped shama

- near the spectacled bears: Magellanic steamer duck

- Flamingo: white-headed duck

- location unknown for me: black-faced dacnis, Arabian partridge, Chilean tinamu, long-toed lapwing, white-rumped munia
 
Visiting Wilhelma in the coming days. Of course going to look out for the Kaka, Quokka and Fanaloka.

Anyone any more tips for a species hunter? And tips to see the species? I already read that the Kaka probably requires multiple visits and still is a hit and miss?
Here are my experiences from 27 April:

Quokka is straightforward.

I saw the fanaloka on both my visits to the Moorish House in 12:21 and 16:53. The first time I waited for probably at least ten minutes before I saw it peek its head out before going back in the hollow log shelter. The second time I saw it in the log on the left back corner of the exhibit before it started to survey the enclosure and hide behind the log again. I don’t know if it helps but both times I saw guests walk into the house with food items (thankfully not trying to feed the animals but still concerning) which may have been novel scents for the fanalokas. Of course that’s just speculation and I do not endorse bringing food items to the Moorish House.

Kaka of course is a hit or miss with me only seeing her once in the three times. However instead of the evening I managed to see her on six past 14, sooner than I expected. If you do see her get outside my suggestion is that you stay in the viewing area by the road and not head to the benches. When I did she got scared and hopped back to her hole.
 
Be aware of potentially rare, but unsigned, birds, especially in the Amazon house (hornero...). But also check the small aviaries in the greenhouses. Most on show rarities should be pretty straightforward. I hope for you you are visiting alone, so you can enter the zoo at 8:15 and stay till late ;)

Unfortunately @snowleopard found the only wife in the world who would stay at home with all the kids and let their husband go out zoo’ing on their own. I’m probably stuck in the playgrounds far too long.

To everyone, thanks! Much appreciated :)
 
Unfortunately @snowleopard found the only wife in the world who would stay at home with all the kids and let their husband go out zoo’ing on their own. I’m probably stuck in the playgrounds far too long.

To everyone, thanks! Much appreciated :)

I found another one :p, when I was visiting Stuttgart last year my wife + 2 kids were safely tucked away at home. This year I will have 10 days for zooing. The flipside is that she will also have her own child-free holiday :p

The good news for you is that Stuttgart is an old-fashioned zoo with few playgrounds. IIRC the largest one is close to the walkthrough aviaries and the Amazon house. So a chance for some child-free time ;)
 
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