Solenodon

Solenodon
03-11-2011

Whilst reading another thread I saw reference to a rare mammal calked a solenodon. As with quite a few references to rare animals wiki became my friend and I looked it up. And what a fascinating creature it is! And of course, like many a fadcinating creature, becoming very rare. Surviving pretty much unchanged for 76 million years, we are happily finishing it off with our obsession with deforestation.

I found reference to a conservation project, it's well worth a read.

The Last Survivors | Hispaniolan solenodon

03-11-2011

I saw a Haitian (or Hispaniolan) solenodon at Frankfurt in 1972. Utterly strange - like a stretch version of a hedgehog, with no spines but a long tail - with a very waddling walk.
My image of the sort of primitive mammals that lived alongside the dinosaurs is that they must have been quite like solenodons.

Alan

PS just found a video of this species

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03-11-2011

Nice footage. What happened to the animal in question?

I don't know if anyone can remember the animal held in the Clore in its very early days. BTW, totally agree with your image of early mammals!

03-11-2011

It looks kind of like miniROUS.

03-11-2011

I saw a mounted solenodon in the cuban national museum of natural history in Havanna more than a decade ago. IN 2004 a solenodon was found in the sierra maestra cubana, he was named alejandrito, studied by local biologists for 3 days and later released. I do not know of more recent sightings.

03-11-2011

Thank you for the footage Alan, they are incredible. I agree with the image of primitive mammals too.

04-11-2011

David Wooderson was the zoo volunteer in charge of the small mammal trolley for many years. He compiled a list of all the mammals that had been held in the Clore. Zootierliste says the species kept in about 1967 was a Hispaniolan solenodon and also says that Antwerp, Frankfurt, Halle, Leipzig and Wroclaw have kept the species. Frank Wheeler, who was in charge of the Clore for many years, wanted to get solenodons back again. Other species on the wants list of Frank and various other staff include bilbies and yapoks. I would like to see all of these and live in hope.

04-11-2011

From the ZSL Edge of Existence website:-The species is fully protected by law. However, national parks in both the Dominican Republic and Haiti are threatened by deforestation and encroachment for farming and charcoal production. The US Agency for International Development and the Nature Conservancy are currently working with local non-governmental organisations to improve protection and implement management plans for these parks (Parks in Peril programme).

A Recovery Plan for the isolated Haitian population published in 1992 advocated comprehensive surveys, improved management of the National Park Pic Macaya, education campaigns, control of exotic mammals, and an ex situ breeding programmes. These recommendations have not yet been implicated.

So, so often the pace at which conservation moves is so agonisingly slow. Haiti is one of the last places on earth where in-situ conservation is likely to be aided by effective governmental protection. Someone, somewhere is going to have to get this animal acclimatised in captivity, or (I fear) we will lose it

04-11-2011

This solenodon arrived at London Zoo in 1967, the year that the Clore Pavilion opened.

It is listed in the ZSL Annual Report for 1967 as not only a species but also a family new to the collection.

04-11-2011

Thanks Ian.

I remember when the list of animals often included species etc that were new to the collection. Unfortunately, these 'new' species seem to be on the decline. I wonder how often Plzen Zoo gets species that are new to its collection. It has an expanding collection and several 'unique' species.

04-11-2011

And with better dentition.



Hix

04-11-2011

I have found another YouTube video which shows the work being done on Hispaniola on hutias and solenodons. It has better footage of controlled animals (as shown in the other video) plus infra-red shots which may be from camera traps, so it is well worth watching.
I think most of the animals which have been captured have been released quickly and the video does not mention holding any in captivity at this stage.

Alan

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