ZooChat Challenge (Global) 2018

Happy New Year everyone! Once again with a new year comes a new challenge, and for the sixth installment of this competition, @Vision (the 2017 Challenge winner) and myself have settled on A̶u̶s̶t̶r̶a̶l̶i̶a̶n̶ ̶M̶a̶r̶s̶u̶p̶i̶a̶l̶s̶ Carnivora! Most members here seem to have at least some interest in Carnivores and this is a relatively well-represented group of mammals in zoos worldwide.

Rules are as follows:
1. You have to actually see the animal, even if just for a second. You don't score if you visit a collection but don't see the animal (harsh, but fair);
2. Proof via photographs is not required, your word is your bond;
3. All entries must be presented in numbered list form, with scientific names included (simply to make it easier to keep track of and to avoid uncountable species being slipped in due to vagueness);
4. You have to see the animal via normal public access (zookeeper for the day or photography days behind the scenes do not count) during normal public opening hours (i.e. no scoring because you know the keeper and can get access before/after hours). Basically the species has to be seen as Joe Public would;
5. Any severely limited opening or private collections don't count for this challenge. Controversial yes, but see previous point and it isn't fair to include a handful of days these collections might be open to the public as this might logistically disadvantage a large number of people;
6. Only public zoological collections count, animals seen at farms or pet stores do not count.
7. Report/update your progress on this thread as you go along;
8. Only one subspecies per species can be counted;
9. Controversial entries due to splits will be discussed on a case-by-case basis;
10. Domestics do not count, the animals must be in a wild form. You can count a species that's been domesticated just as long as the animal you're looking at isn't (i.e. Grey Wolves do count but Domestic Dogs do not);
11. Hybrid animals do not count;
12. Wild animals do not count, all species must be seen in captivity under all the conditions listed above;
13. Any issues with any of the above rules is open to discussion but the rules are set and any decisions made are final;
14. Except for the unlikely event that someone gets to see all the species potentially see-able by 12/31/18 the winner will be deemed to be the person(s) who's seen the most at that date.

As always, thanks to @Shorts for the original challenge idea and the general rules format.

Good luck everyone, I look forward to seeing how everyone does!

 

So is it like who sees the most animals in a public zoo in the order Carnivora wins?

 

That's the idea yes!

~Thylo

 

This is exactly what I would have done! May the best man win. I look forward to this one.

 

The Marsupials thing was supposed to be a joke calling back to how every year a few Australian members jokingly request to make the next challenge Marsupials so they'll win hands-down. I thought it was clever but as multiple PMs and this post have pointed out it seems no one else got it so my bad

I figured Passerines was the most fair for the largest amount of people as there are a number of wild passerines native to Oceania, but even that seems to put them at a disadvantage. I'd love to include everyone more fairly but it's difficult finding an animal group that isn't too broad which fits North America and Europe (where most members and thus participants are from) and then Oceania and Asia (though Asia seems to be able to compete pretty well).

~Thylo

 

This should be fun...

 

That was a lesson in the state of modern zoo collections

 

Exactly the problem yet also the reason why it's one of the most desirable places for animal nerds to visit Perhaps parrots and indeed a broad reptiles challenge will be in order one day which would even out the playing field. Of course if Australasian zoos still only keep the Australasian species, though...

 

Your telling me there’s no “Glossy Starling Odyssey” or “Cape Canary Canyon”?

 

Why will capybara count?They aren't carnivora and they isn't carnivore either.

 

You don't go for trip this year?

 

Alright then, I'm in. Also, do pinnipeds count as members of Carnivora?

 

Chester Zoo- 01/01/2018
1) Meerkat (Suricata suricatta)
2) Malayan Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus)
3) Palawan Binturong (Arctictis binturong whitei)
4) Sumatran Tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae)
5) Central African Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringi)
6) Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica)
7) Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens)
8) Dwarf Mongoose (Helogale parvulus)
9) Spectacled Bear (Tremarctos ornatus)
10) Jaguar (Panthera onca)
11) Asian Short-clawed Otter (Aonyx cinera)
12) Giant Otter (Pteronura brasilensis)
13) Bush Dog (Speothos venaticus)

 

They do yes