That's incredible. I think, I can't trust my eyes!!! A vietnamese zoo gets Klippspringers while European zoos don't. Where do they come from? And what was the deal behind it?
European zoos can get them without any problmes-today its just a question of money instead of a questions of quaratine or aviallability. But some euroepan zoos are still interested in the species, and I'm sure, sooner or later they will have a comeback in europe in the near future.
Hmmh. A zoo from a poor or maybe emerging country is able/willing to spent money for an animal but none of the interested European zoos can bring up the necessary bucks? And I doubt it's about popularity. This should be on the same level in Asia as in Europe. I know that at least Frankfurt had interest to get new animals/bloodline. I will ask the former director why exactly an import has failed.
I think European zoos, in general, are more beholden to stakeholders on how they spend their money than this new, privately owned, zoo. Also, is there really any demand for klipspringers in Europe? Surely not among the general public, and there isn't (I think) a conservation need. So that leaves enthusiasts, both professional and amateur. Maybe we will one day see a zoo like RSCC or even Berlin import some.
I can't imagine Vinpearl would pay a lot for a species that the average zoo-goer wouldn't know of or be interested in. I would think that red tape is what is stopping European zoos from getting the species.
And maybe also because it is more and more "not done" for Western zoos to just import wild caught animals for display, especially concerning mammals (ectotherms is a different story)
I will put it as a sign of general decay of Western zoos. I could believe that it is special concern of animal welfare in the West if average Western enclosure for bears, elephants or birds was bigger than these generous spaces in Vinpearl safari.
Okay, now here is the result of my "home work": According to a former leading employee of Frankfurt Zoo the Zoo made strong efforts to get new Klippspringer and would also have accepted another subspecies. But all import efforts has failed. I still don't know the reasons, but I was told that it was NOT because of the money!
