Worst Mixed-Species Combinations?

Emanuel Theodorus

Emanuel Theodorus

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
Since we had odd-but-works mixed species combinations, I was wondering what would probably be the worst combination of animals in one enclosure? It would be either an animal keeps disturbing another animal's activity or simply didn't get along with each other and would cause fights. Would be nice to see an example where a zoo tries to keep two animals together but failed.

I wasn't really looking for "predator and prey" combinations, though because that would be too obvious :D

If I remember it correctly, Greater Vancouver Zoo tries to introduce Cape Buffaloes to their Zebra exhibit, but 4 of the zebras died after that. They say it's either they panicked or the two buffaloes are
being too aggresive? Probably not the most ideal mixed-species enclosure, though.
 
Taronga Zoo kept their chimpanzees with jackals in the early 1980s. The canids had bolt-holes that they could escape into that were fenced so that the chimps couldn't get in, and they rarely came out until the chimps were put in for the night. One day the fencing in the hole failed to keep the chimps out and a jackal was ripped to pieces.
 
Loxodonta Cobra said:
Taronga Zoo kept their chimpanzees with jackals in the early 1980s. The canids had bolt-holes that they could escape into that were fenced so that the chimps couldn't get in, and they rarely came out until the chimps were put in for the night. One day the fencing in the hole failed to keep the chimps out and a jackal was ripped to pieces.
Click to expand...
Jeez, poor jackal. Guess they should've known Chimps never really get along with small animals that aren't even a part of their diet.
 
Phillipine Deer and Warty Pigs at Colchester. The grass paddock was formerly just for the deer, but when the pigs were added they quickly rooted the whole pasture into a mud patch with no grass left at all for the deer. I don't know if they still have this mix.
 
Here are some of the unsuccesful mixed species exhibits:
1.Adventure aquarium had hippos with waterfowl and the hippos chased them so they were removed
2.Bergen county zoological park had elk,bison and sandhill crane together.The elks had aggression towards the cranes and no other zoo have tried this mix.
3.Bergen also had guanaco with other south american hoofstock and guanacos were very territorial.
4.Birmingham zoo had greater kudu with giraffes, the result was a fight between both
5. Blank park zoo tried giant eland with ostriches the ostriches weren't comfortable so it didn't end well.
6. Brevard zoo had southern white rhinos with giraffes,the rhinos were 2 years old so the giraffes couldn't adapt.:(
 
Loxodonta Cobra said:
Taronga Zoo kept their chimpanzees with jackals in the early 1980s. The canids had bolt-holes that they could escape into that were fenced so that the chimps couldn't get in, and they rarely came out until the chimps were put in for the night. One day the fencing in the hole failed to keep the chimps out and a jackal was ripped to pieces.
Click to expand...

Wow, who the hell came up with that idea and how did it actually end up happening?! Poor jackals must have spent their entire lives terrified :(
 
Jungle Man said:
Here are some of the unsuccesful mixed species exhibits:
1.Adventure aquarium had hippos with waterfowl and the hippos chased them so they were removed
2.Bergen county zoological park had elk,bison and sandhill crane together.The elks had aggression towards the cranes and no other zoo have tried this mix.
3.Bergen also had guanaco with other south american hoofstock and guanacos were very territorial.
4.Birmingham zoo had greater kudu with giraffes, the result was a fight between both
5. Blank park zoo tried giant eland with ostriches the ostriches weren't comfortable so it didn't end well.
6. Brevard zoo had southern white rhinos with giraffes,the rhinos were 2 years old so the giraffes couldn't adapt.:(
Click to expand...
I'm sorry, but what would you mean by the giraffes "couldn't adapt"?
 
Pertinax said:
Phillipine Deer and Warty Pigs at Colchester. The grass paddock was formerly just for the deer, but when the pigs were added they quickly rooted the whole pasture into a mud patch with no grass left at all for the deer. I don't know if they still have this mix.
Click to expand...
Never been there, but their website still puts both species on "The Islands" exhibit
 
Caldwell mixed mountain bongo with yellow backed duiker.
They ended up fighting with each other.

Caldwell also had the experience of the elk being aggressive towards waterfowl.

Cameron park zoo the grevys zebra caused problems with the offspring of marabou storks and crowned crane resulting in the euthanasia of several chicks.

Cape may county had American Bison with greater rhea,it was okay for 2 years but the bison bull killed a rhea. If tried again,probably could have another result.

Cheyenne mountain zoo failed at this exhibit because the hornbills were too curious and were sometimes stomped by giraffes meanwhile marabou storks didn't liked to be in the bird safe areas so they suffered the same as the hornbills.

Also in Cheyenne moose injured wild turkey and killed Sandhill
cranes.

Brookfield put royal antelope with blue duiker,the duiker chased the antelope all the time.
 
Emanuel Theodorus said:
Never been there, but their website still puts both species on "The Islands" exhibit
Click to expand...

Maybe they are still together, maybe just adjacent. Newquay also keep the two species but adjacent to each other- that works much better, the deer have a grassy paddock and the pigs just a churned up morass.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top