ZooChat Challenge Global 2024

Hemsley 22nd March

90 ocelot
91 Geoffroy's cat
92 Black tailed marmoset
93 Brazilian squirrel monkey
94 Grey legged night monkey
95 Red fronted Lemur

Fenn Bell Zoo
96 Common Marmoset
97 Caracal
98 Fishing Cat
99 Bobcat

 

Northeastern Wisconsin Zoo and Adventure Park - March 22 2024
9. American Alligator Alligator mississippiensis
10. Japanese Macaque Macaca fuscata
11. Oriental Fire-bellied Toad Bombina orientalis
12. Amazon Milk Frog Trachycephalus resinifictrix
13. Moose Alces alces
14. Cotton-top Tamarin Saguinus oedipus
15. American Elk Cervus canadensis
16. African Penguin Spheniscus demersus

Also please note I am another vote for the "squirrels should count" club.

 

Genuine question. Where are people going that they are seeing squirrels in zoos? I've been to over thirty zoos, and other than Prevost's squirrels once, the only squirrels I've seen in zoos are prairie dogs. I guess I'm just surprised to see people pushing for squirrels, since they were a group I thought were overall very rare in zoos, at least in North America.

 

@ZooBinh, can you please advise on the squirrels thing? It needs your attention.

 

I've visited a total of 4 zoos so far this year. 2 of them had squirrels, and different species of squirrel. Southern Flying Squirrel at Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary and Black-tailed Prairie Dog at NEW. I've also seen Eastern Chipmunk, Eastern Gray Squirrel, Woodchuck, and Prevost's Squirrel in zoos in the US and I could easily end up at zoos with those species later this year.

 

I've compiled all the entries into a tracking spreadsheet. Some of the numbers were off in the thread, but everything (should be) is correct in the spreadsheet. For example, @pipaluk you counted #43 twice in your original post, so you've actually got one more species than you've thought all year!

ZooChat Challenge Global 2024 - Tracker

Regarding the feathertail gliders and eagle rays, I had all intentions at the beginning of the year to include them in the challenge. I was under the wrong impression that they were already represented in the families that had already been included in the game. Thank you @Kudu21 and @CGSwans for bringing my attention to that- I had meant to respond earlier in the week but I've spent most of the past few evenings pacing about and hovering in and out of college admissions portals .

Re. the squirrels, I don't think it is a bad idea to add the flying squirrel tribe to the challenge- they do fit the leaping/jumping criteria, after all. But my concern is that it's rather far into the challenge to make any changes (I understand the contradiction after confirming that Acrobatidae and Aetobatidae count), but I personally reason that those families are a different case as I had originally intended for them to be included- and it seems many have assumed that they were included as well and added them to their lists. I want to avoid a situation where someone isn't aware of any later changes in the challenge and ends the year without an updated list. Due to that, I'd rather not include flying squirrels in the challenge. If anyone feels strongly against that, I'm open to change my mind.

 

To me, it just feels wrong for the gliding marsupials to count, but not the gliding rodents. I'm kind of surprised to hear their inclusion wasn't intended and forgotten.

 

I could’ve sworn that Klipspringer was part of the challenge but after going through the eligible families list, Klipspringer/Oreotraginae isn’t part of the challenge. I know it’s a bit late, but it’s one species that would be perfect for this challenge.

 

Fwiw, I think it’s logical to include flying squirrels on the basis of convergent evolution with marsupial gliders.

However, the list is already very long and it’s mid-March. My advice would be to include the flying squirrels (and klipspringer if desired), but to then declare the list of eligible species closed, with any future edge cases chalked up to experience.

Good luck with college applications.

 

Agreed. My only explanation for the lack of inclusion is that it probably just didn’t cross my mind back in December. In no way am I trying to claim that flying squirrels can’t jump .

With the current amount of the eligible species, it’s been rather manageable so I’m not too worried about the size. But yes, it is March and I was worried you all wouldn’t necessarily want changes so late into the challenge. However, because it seems there is overwhelming support for the addition of flying squirrels, so flying squirrels (Tribe Pteromyini) are officially eligible.

Regarding klipspringers, they were included in Antilopinae with the taxonomy guide I was looking at, so they were always eligible. I wasn’t aware of any splits, so my apologies for the confusion.

Thank you! I was accepted into a few top-notch schools this weekend, so it seems my luck was good indeed .

 

Congratulations!

 

Seen =on multiple visits to Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary already this year:

17. Southern Flying Squirrel Glaucomys volans

 

So, if Aetobatidae do count, I have to add one;

Burgers’ Zoo (20-01-2024)

Aetobatidae
1. Spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari)

+1
Total: 34 species

 

Thank you so much for the clarification, @ZooBinh, and congratulations on your college acceptances! With that...

Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium, & Safari Park (Litchfield Park, AZ) - 16 March 2024:
Pteromyini:
178. Southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans)

 

Just the one to add today plus 1 where Iisted 2 as number 43

Wildwood Kent 27 March

101 Eurasian Moose

 

Banham Zoo 28 March

102 emperor Tamarin
103 White-faced Saki
104 Northern Bamboo Lemur
105 Sclater's Lemur
106 Pallas's Cat
107 Margay
108 Somali wild ass

 

Was actually on 30 to start with on the post above, so should be on 46 going into this post. A few additions from London 23/03.

47. Golden lion tamarin, Leontopithecus rosalia
48. Philippine crocodile, Crocodylus mindorensis
49. Mallorcan midwife toad, Alytes muletensis
50. Titicaca lake frog, Telmatobius culeus
51. Chapa bug eyed frog, Theloderma bicolor
52. Mountain chicken, Leptodactylus fallax
53. Dyeing dart frog, Dendrobates tinctorius
54. Lake Oku clawed frog, Xenopus longipes

 

Reaseheath College Zoo 14/03/2024:

5) Red-necked wallaby

Manchester Museum 30/10/2024:

6) Variable harlequin frog Atelopus varius
7) Yellow & black poison frog Dendrobates leucomelas
8) Strawberry poison frog Oophaga pumilio
9) Golden mantella Mantella aurantiaca
10) Green and black poison frog Dendrobates auratus
11) Imbabura treefrog Boana picturata
12) Fringed leaf frog Cruziohyla craspedopus
13) Magnificent tree frog Ranoidea splendida
14) Splendid leaf frog Cruziohyla calcarifer
15) White spotted reed frog Heterixalus alboguttatus

 

Queens Zoo 3.30
62) Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis)
63) Southern Pudu (Pudu puda)