Best country for wildlife..?

18-05-2008

Kenya and Tanzania - for lion, cheetah, african elephants, rhino, giraffe, zebra, antelopes etc which are core of savannah exhibits in zoos. Also chimps.

Congo has these and gorillas, okapis and other African rainforest fauna. But due to political situation, hardly any animals ever were exported from that country.

Close behind:
South Africa and Namibia for meerkats (of course )
India - for elephant, indian rhino, tiger, deer, macaques, peacock and snow leopard and red panda,
Indonesia - for orangutans, gibbons etc.
Brazil for staples like squirrel and spider monkeys, tapirs, guanaco, macaws and toco toucan. Or Peru (also Andes with condor and shores for Humboldts penguin) and Argentina (rhea, mara, etc etc).

18-05-2008

In terms of interesting species per hectare, I would nominate Rwanda - mountain gorillas and some other interesting terrestrial animals and a share of the fantastic ichthyofauna of Lake Tanganyika.
Otherwise, how about Ecuador? A nice little corner of South America and all the species of the Galapagos too.

Alan

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18-05-2008

Canada and the US for bears (Black, Grizzly and Polar), wolves, Moose, Musk Ox (the two being underrepresented, IMO, but I understand they are hard to exhibit), deer, elk, Bison, Bald Eagle, Cougar, Bobcat, Lynx, seals and sea lions, Alligator, prairie dogs, foxes, and various birds, reptiles, fish. There's some zoos which house the really rare species, like the Swift Fox, Vancouver Island Marmot and Black-footed Ferret, either on display or off display.

I will definately second Kenya, South Africa and other African countries, Indonesia.

18-05-2008

A Javan Rhino was exhibited at Adelaide Zoo and Borneans will be exhibited eventually, they were only discovered a couple of years ago...

It hasn't taken you long to get back to your pedantic, know it all best...

18-05-2008

I think that Singapore had a Bornean clouded leopard until recently when it got sent to a zoo in Indonesia (I'm sure I read a post by Zooish about it).

18-05-2008

@Nz Jeremy: Could You please spare me (and others) Your incessant innuendos? They don't lead to anything and foul the mood. Thanks. Javan Rhinos were kept in several zoos in the past, but that, just like Giant Forest Hog or Giant Pangolin, doesn't make it to a high status zoo animal.

@Chlidonias: Thanks, always wondered whether this species had already been kept.

18-05-2008

here's the thread that Zooish mentioned the Bornean clouded leopard in
http://www.zoobeat.com/2/new-clouded...4269/#post9979

I'd rather suspect that numerous Bornean ones have been kept over the years. I mean its not very likely that of all the clouded leopards kept around the world over the last hundred years or so, none ever came from Borneo

18-05-2008

If you’re going to post in threads started by me could you at least read other people’s posts... If you re-read my original post you will see it states:

If you post in a condescending manner don't be surprised when you get retorts... Could you please spare me (and others) your insistence of telling us what to post... As long as I stay within the board rules I'll post whatever I please... Thanks...

20-05-2008

@Chlidonias: Thanks for the link. That might partly also explain the lack of breeding success in some facilities.
@NZ Jeremy: As long as You are not a moderator, I see no real power of enforcement behind Your reprehensions. Therefore, I will continue to write as I please, as I have the same right to state my opinion as You have. Please spare me (and others) the now following angry response to this post of mine, as I (and probably most other readers) are more interested in the topic than ego displays and cop preciousness...If You're eager to cut me down to the size You wish, better send me a PM.

Regarding Your thread's initial request: in my humble opinion & understanding-
zoo animals = animals that are nowadays regularily kept in zoos, like flamingos, lions etc. (= not species that have never or extremely rarely been kept)
high status animals = species most zoos wish to acquire and keep, like elephants, giraffes... (= the most popular crowd pleasers).

21-05-2008

You bore me...

21-05-2008

@NZ Jeremy: I can only return the compliment.

Chile & Peru would be two other interesting places in terms of zoo animals: all the New World Camelids, Chinchilla, Andean Condor, Humbolt Penguin, Inca Terns, Coatis, Spectacled Bear, South American Sea Lion, Degu, Cougar, Capybara, Chilean Flamingo...

22-05-2008

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery...

22-05-2008

alrighty, were all gonna chill now and stay on topic.
I reckon PNG is one of the best countries for wildlife!

22-05-2008

@ZooYouthBen: 100% agreement on the topic focus. Constant grumbling about certain members is really not necessary.
About Papua New Guinea: depends on which species You take into account.
Some animals, like Southern Cassowary, the sugar glider, the New Guinea subspecies of eclectus parrot and crowned-pigeons are rather common species in zoos. Some of its birds and reptiles are common in the exotic pet trade. But other spectacular and interesting species are clearly not common in zoos and unfortunately don't have a "high status" among most zoo visitors-may it BoP, Tree kangaroos, parrot species like the Pesquet's Parrot, New Guinea Crocs or Sir David's Long-beaked Echidna. All in all, I think countries with a still (partly) existing megafauna are the most attractive ones in the searched sense.

Which makes me wonder-"high status" in regard to the (common) zoo visitor or the wildlife enthusiast? If the latter is meant, Ethopia, Eritera, already mentioned PNG, Aru Islands, Sulawesi, New Caledonia, Falkland Islands, the Philippines, Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Namibia etc. could also be mentioned.
@Jurek7: sorry, just saw that You already mentioned Peru.

23-05-2008

Maybe i like PNG so much because we only have their Eclectus here, and some of their beautiful fish.