Best Zoo for Canines? » Oklahoma City Zoo

Best Zoo for Canines?
04-09-2008

Is the Oklahoma City Zoo the best zoo in North America for canines? I'm curious to see if there is a zoo out there that has more than the 11 species in Oklahoma, or if there is even any other zoo worldwide that has such an impressive variety.

The List:

Spotted Hyena, African Wild Dog, Bush Dog, Black-backed Jackal, Maned Wolf, Mexican Gray Wolf, Red Wolf, Coyote, Bat-eared Fox, Red Fox and Swift Fox.

04-09-2008

Hyenas aren't dogs they have their own family with the aardwolf (Hyaenidae) which is more closely related to cats than dogs.

I can't think of anywhere which has more than 10 species of Canidae though.

04-09-2008

If you extend the search worldwide then Beijing Zoo also has a very good range of species:

1. Gray fox (displayed as "American fox")
2. Red fox
3. Fennec fox
4. Corsac fox
5. Arctic fox
6. Raccoon dog
7. Wolf
8. Dhole
9. Black-backed jackal
10. Coyote

Plus several breeds of Canis lupus familiaris in the Children's Zoo, and both spotted and striped hyena (which as Pygathrix says aren't members of the canidae).

04-09-2008

@Pygathrix: I forgot that hyenas aren't technically dogs, partly because the Oklahoma City Zoo displays them on "Wild Dog Drive" with most of their true dogs.

05-09-2008

@snowleopard: Depends whether the Oklahoma Zoo has a veterinary department that excels in dentistry -> "canine"
Canine tooth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
... Sorry, but I was once corrected by a wisenheimer for talking about "canines" instead of "canidae"; want to spare You that.

Anyway, a collection of species doesn't have to equal good husbandry; better display and keep one species well instead of having ten but being unable to provide appropriate care to any of them. See Chris79's correct mentioning of Beijing...

The both zoos in Berlin most likely had an equally if not even bigger canidae collection in the more or less recent past, as far as I can remember...

06-09-2008

@Sun Wukong: thanks for pointing out the difference between "canine" and "canidae". The canidae exhibits at the Oklahoma City Zoo are amongst the best of their kind for the animals, but tough for many visitors as it is extremely difficult to spot the mammals. The enclosures along "Wild Dog Drive" are all spacious, grassy, naturalistic and perfect for a variety of doggies.

06-09-2008

both "canine" (when applied to dogs not teeth) and "feline" are technically adjectives (with the nouns of course being "canid" and "felid"; same goes for "equid" etc) but they are ubiquitously used as nouns nevertheless, and are accepted as such by modern dictionaries, however much the downgrading of the language may grieve me.

09-09-2008

Black backed jackal in Oklahoma City Zoo? Can you tell me where they are. I live in Wichita KS and the only zoo close to where I live that exhibited that species once is Kansas City Zoo.

09-09-2008

I didn't see the jackals when I was at that excellent zoo, but they are on "Wild Dog Drive" with the bush dogs, maned wolves and other cool doggies.

05-02-2009

Actually, I was just at Oklahoma City in mid-December and a keeper told me that their lone jackal (a female) had died. They are now displaying spectacled bears in the former Jackal exhibit on Wild Dog Run.

05-02-2009

@snowleopard: My uttermost pleasure.
@Chlidonias: Yeah, that was kind of the explaination I tried on that particular wisenheimer-without much of an effect.Therefore, I do tend to use (and promote) "canidae" to avoid any possible trouble spot.

07-02-2009

That explains why I never seen the animal. I was there in early December as well, just to make sure I wasn't making a mistake. Thanks Anyhuis.