You do not say?!!! What does this actually imply re the currents standards (after some of the most experienced bird and ungulate staff have since left)? I find the latest news article rather confusing and diffuse as an information source, ... not exactly getting a clear one on what is actually going on on the ground! However, what seems now crsytal clear is the enheritors do not value the collection for what its conservation value and center of excellence as it should be. Had this happened in some other countries and not in the Middle East it would have sure alerted authorities to sub standard zoo conditions and putting the place under some form of intermediate and new apt management.
The Beira (in contrary to the other ungulates at Al Wabra) were highly susceptible to the pox virus. Because nobody else has experience with Beira, this was unknown. A possible explanation could be that due to their range/habitat (small populations and very few other ungalate species around) the wild populations have never been in contact with pox (or the specific strain of pox) so no prior natural selection occured for pox resistance.
I downloaded this poster in 2010, when the Ungulate Taxonomy was released, but is made 2008. As far as know most of this spieces are no longer there, but can not speculate.
