European zoo yak information sought

European zoo yak information sought
04-07-2012

Hi,

Yaks appear to have been imported from England (Woburn Abbey) to Canada as livestock around 1909. They may have had an earlier presence here as zoo exhibits. Can any of you shed light on this? Many of the yak breeders in the U.S. acquired their stock in the 1990's from sources in Canada such as Al Oeming's Game Farm in Alberta. Others came from places like the Catskill Game Farm and Southwick's Zoo in Massachusetts. My question is, where did these zoos get their initial yaks from?

I am hoping people here at ZooChat can help me with names, dates, stories, photos, contact information--anything, no matter how obscure, could be of value to my research. We are concerned with the genetics of our animals, so, being able to trace the various lineages to their source is my ultimate goal.

I am not very knowledgable on what resources may be out there concerning early zoo acquisitions or avenues by which zoos sold or otherwise dispersed their excess stock, but I am eager to learn.

Dianne