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Paradoxurus

Colchester Zeedonk

'Zeedonks' were bred at Colchester in, I think, 1979, 80 and 81. This is the last surviving one and it lives on the African Plains exhibit along side Ostriches, Giraffes, Greater Kudu and Chapman's Zebra.

Colchester Zeedonk
Paradoxurus, 12 Mar 2008
    • Paradoxurus
      'Zeedonks' were bred at Colchester in, I think, 1979, 80 and 81. This is the last surviving one and it lives on the African Plains exhibit along side Ostriches, Giraffes, Greater Kudu and Chapman's Zebra.
    • ZYBen
      it doesnt look very healthy
    • Paradoxurus
      Well, considering that it is approaching 30 years old, its not doing too bad. It seems to battle on year after year. I'm glad it is still valued enough to be exhibited considering what a taboo subject hybrids are but am disapointed that it is not worthy of a label.
    • Goretex
      It reminds me of what a wonderful animal Shadow was. I certainly miss her.

      The information on the Zeedonks I think is incorrect Shadow died aged 34 in April making her born in either 1975 or 1974 and I think their first one was born in the early 1970s. I don't suppose anyone can remeber them as babies?:D
    • ZooLeopard
      My Nan can remember. She said they used to be housed near the car park and also said they were really cute. She thinks there were 3 or 4?

      Family comes in handy lol :D
    • Tim May
      The book “Mammalian Hybrids” (Annie P. Gray, 2nd edition 1972) has a photograph of a
      “Hybrid between a male Grant’s zebra and a female black Arabian ass at Colchester Zoo”
      on the cover, so the first one was certainly born by 1972.

      I certainly saw three zeedonks at Colchester Zoo on many occasions; I never saw four there.
    • Goretex
    • Tim May
      The Colchester zebra x donkey hybrid depicted on the cover of "Mammalian Hybrids" is a young foal.
    • Pertinax
      There were three Zeedonks at Colchester, never four. They lived in a small paddock near the carpark with a female black ass which I presume was their mother. All three were female.

      The above states a male 'Grants' zebra was the father but the faint striping patterns on the zeedonks resembled Grevy's( narrow on the body and distinctive on the rump especially) so is this info wrong? I have always presumed it was a Grevy stallion.
    • ZooLeopard
      My Nan thought that there was four zeedonks, not me. I think she is also recalling the elderly female Black Ass Donkey that lived with them which was the female zeedonks mother. I have asked a previous year who was the father of the three female zeedonks and the zoo have said it was indeed a Male Chapmans Zebra. I think the markings on shadow and the other two look like a Grevys but we have to go with what the zoo says.
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  • Category:
    Colchester Zoo
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    Paradoxurus
    Date:
    12 Mar 2008
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