Deer in Eurasia - Dec 2012

Any ideas?

This was taken over the barrier from near the Australasia Pavilion, while Eurasia was closed for construction of the Giant Panda complex.

Couldn't quite place this species, could be a reindeer I guess, but something not quite right.

Suspicion confirmed then.....

Many thanks

D

The Toronto Zoo website records them as European Reindeer. They are in the Tundra Trek section currently.

That is one of the European Reindeer. They separated some of them and put some in Tundra Trek and some in this exhibit. The herd was merely being managed to extinction. A few years ago something wiped out most of the herd... a parasite if I remember right and now there only a single female. The Tundra Trek exhibit will need to be fully excavated to bedrock I believe and the soil totally replaced before a new herd will be acquired... I believe the current plan is to go for caribou and muskox which will be good change to showcase the endangered woodland caribou and the iconic muskox. This exhibit is now the home to Barbary sheep and female mouflon who will also be managed to extinction.

Thanks TZ

I only saw the original 'Eurasia' area (pre-Eurasia Wilds development) once, on my first visit to Toronto (2000). Sadly a camera malfunction means I don't have any pictures. On my second visit (2012), the area was closed for the panda development, and then on my third (2016), it was Eurasia Wilds. Was the original Eurasia much different? I remember dhole (in the original panda enclosure?) and some hoofstock that's not there now?

From 2012 to 2016 you would be better to ask someone else. I had about a 14 year gap in visits that just picked up in 2012. I cant say for certain what was there just prior to it closing.

2000 I could probably answer a little better but others may correct me. Based on memory alone Eurasia had...

Amur tigers in the former panda exhibit
I dont remember what was in the current Barbary sheep exhibit
Red pandas never moved
Dromedary camels were always in the exhibit exiting the drive through
European reindeer in the last drive through exhibit
Scimitar Horned Oryx in the middle one
Przewalskis horses in the first one and their current other two yards too
Dhole in the well dhole exhibit
Snow leopards were nearby (exhibit demoed)
Barbary Apes and Japanese Macaques in the now lion tailed macaque and barbary ape exhibits with I believe rotation.
Wisent exhibit nearby but I dont know when they died out
Tur have stayed
Barbary Sheep and mouflon in the current snow leopard space
Chamois never moved
Bactrian Camels never moved

I might be missing something or wrong a little but someone else might be able to correct. If I'd have visited during those 14 years I might have a better recollection.