I'm doing a little research for my next zoo on the Design a Zoo but want to make it a bit more plausible this time around. Are animals on the AZA TAGs the only ones available in the US? Also, is it common for animals that have been orphaned or otherwise unable to be released into the wild to be kept in zoos? This is for research purposes as I'm taking the Design a Zoo thread way too seriously.
Are animals bought or traded or just available for AZA zoos? Like when Max the male white rhino went from Brevard to Birmingham was he traded, bought or just transferred?
For your first question there is no broad-spectrum answer, it is all highly dependent upon the situation. Rarely are animals available just for AZA facilities, it is generally again on a case-by-case basis. As for your second question, you would have to ask the zoos. I'm not sure if White Oak still owns Max. Usually, most scenarios involve breeding loans (that can often become rather complex). However since the recession, and the changes made to the AZA species survival plans, I have observed more sales and trades than in previous years.
