new exhibits in British zoos

30-08-2007

bongorob,

Realistically speaking no. The crested ibis thing is much more a local conservation success story and captive-breeding is succeeding well in China as it is. No need to set up a satellite program.

I would favour other endangered Chinese taxa. F.i. Sichuan takin to reflect the relationship of Chester with Chengdu and the province. Perhaps the Chinese are willing to provide some much needed new animals for the European population (based on Rotterdam born animals only). Also, Chinese alligator be nice for an outdoor exhibit (they can withstand bouts of snow and all in hib).

30-08-2007

i think the bongo paddock would make a great mixed hoofstock exhibit with any of thorolds deer, sichuan takin, tufted deer, muntjac, chinese grey goral which are certainly available throughout europe, i certainly think laughing thrushes should be on show to highlight the work chester does for them in the wild.

30-08-2007

Jelle

I didn't mean Chester ought to get some, what I wanted to say was that it would be nice if they did. It's good news that the ibis are making a comeback, wasn't there only 9 birds left alive in the 1970s?

30-08-2007

The crested Ibis would be a bit hard for Chester to exhibit, but the madagascan crested ibis could be displayed, or released free flifght in the tropical realm. It's a beautiful bird.

30-08-2007

Good idea Hornbill. I think Walsrode breed them.

30-08-2007

Yes, so do San diego ( Both zoos). Zurich also exhibits them in the fabulous masoala Exhibit. I didn't see them sadly.

30-08-2007

Not a lot, I'm afraid. I was there in June. The old Tortoise and Cactus House was closed and the tortoises had been moved into the existing Reptile House. Another greenhouse building next to the existing house (which I believe was an off-show area) was also being demolished. There was a sign up explaining that the works were Phase 1 of the reptile house redevelopment. The redevelopment will include a new exhibit for the pair of American Alligators.

31-08-2007

bongorob,

Your question regarding their wild status:

R.o.China
The crested ibis in China are well on their way to recovery. When first discovered in the wild in Shaanxi Province only 7 birds were left. Rigourous protection was then enforced on the only nesting colony and this helped the birds to slowly claw back the numbers. A captive-breeding project was also initiated. The Louguantai Wild Animal Rescue Center was set up to house a back-up colony. In June 2002 the population both wild and captive stood at 400 birds already with 65-70 fledglings from the wild colony, 40 at feeding plants and another 20 at Louguantai. The current wild population numbers 500 birds (January 2007) with a further 418 birds in 2 captive-breeding centers.

Japan
In Japan, the Sado Center maintains crested ibis and is planning a reintroduction scheme on .. Island. The conservation center was set up in 1981 with the last 5 remaining wild crested ibis. Alas, these birds only 1 hatchling that died in 2003. In 1998 the first exchange with China took place to augment the breeding pool. More have followed since, captive-breeding really took off here in 2003 and the present captive population stands at 98 birds (January 2007) all of Chinese descent. Reintroduction is scheduled to start in 2008 using both Sado Center birds and birds from the wild flocks in Shaanxi Province as teacher birds.


Wouldn't you say that is a remarkable recovery and testament to the fact that species recovery programmes with both an in situ and captive-breeding component make conservation sense!

31-08-2007

bongorob,

I did not mean to put you on the spot or anything. So, sorry if it felt that way. I just merely wanted to point out that it made far better sense from a perspective of conservation and captive-breeding to look into other Chinese species of conservation value that might be better off. The species like Sichuan takin, Thorold's deer, Central Chinese goral - rarely kept in zoos - all seem to qualify for this. To round off the exhibit a reptilian like the Chinese alligator might be useful.

Actually, the China Alligator Propagation Research Center in Anhui Province houses more than 10,000 captive China alligators with only some 150 left in the wild. The Yang-Ze River is heavily used and polluted and few can be released to the wild at present as had been planned. The Anhui Center is now looking for European and US zoos to take some stock from the breeding center. Something, for Chester .. again one might think.

31-08-2007

The bajji has been spotted again apparently. I just thought that I'd post it here as we're talking about Chinese animals.

Great news for Patrick!

31-08-2007

Sadly, one sighting does not make a species. The survey this spring failed to find any on the Yang-Ze River and it is .. for fear of a better word a functionally extinct species. I do think though the Chinese conservation authorities should follow it up and look whether it is a loner or really a population of baijis. Fingers crossed here!

31-08-2007

But only the other day in the British Press and radio news it was announced the species was extinct(again) Which was first, this announcement, or another sighting?

31-08-2007

Regarding the Crested Ibis;

Presumably this is a single species which occurs in both China and Japan? A few decades ago it was always referred to as the 'Japanese Crested Ibis' I think. I thought the last one in Japan died on Sado Island. So then they found another very small colony elsewhere in Japan, as well as in China?

Anywhere, its very good news that they have recovered their numbers as they have- it seemed at one stage they were doomed to extinction.

31-08-2007

No problem Jelle. I am amazed that there are so many ibis alive today. It's nice to see some good news once in a while.

31-08-2007

The last Japanese crested ibis were taken into captivity when already fairly old. They simply died out naturally. The Japan program has simply been revived by sending over birds from the Chinese captive-breeding programs. Originally, though the species existed across China, Japan, Korean Peninsula and Siberian Russia. All but the Chinese colony went extinct.