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Animals Unique to Canadian Zoos

Discussion in 'Canada' started by Van Beal, 29 Aug 2022.

  1. Van Beal

    Van Beal Well-Known Member

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    Just curious, but are there any species in Canadian zoos that are unique to Canadian facilities?
     
  2. TZFan

    TZFan Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    First welcome to the club. I noticed you were new a few days ago I just didnt have anything relevant to add at the time but now that I do nice to have a new member.

    I cant say I know a lot of unique to Canada species.

    Im not sure if there are other zoos in the US working with Eastern Loggerheaded Shrikes. A couple of Canadian facilities are.

    Oh one I can say Vancouver Island Marmots are unique to Canada. There are so few I doubt we would have shipped any to the US. I got to see one in Toronto's health center once. Very cool to be an Ontario resident and be able to see Canada's rarest mammal. Probably one of a very small group outside of keepers to have seen them here because they are not display animals.

    While not exclusive to Canada, Moose are pretty flipping rare in North American zoos. The SSP lists just a handful of them. Toronto and Zoo Sauvage have them. Not sure anyone else does.

    Big rarity at the zoo though is Lloyd our white headed vulture. There are just 2 in all of North America which is pretty cool. I think they are more common in zoos elsewhere but I will take a North American win.

    If you are looking for more of unique in Canada and dont care if other countries have them check out this thread.

    Species only found at one zoo or aquarium in Canada?

    Sometimes checking out the older threads can provide really cool information.
     
  3. TinoPup

    TinoPup Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    There's probably a dozen places in Quebec with moose, everywhere I'm looking at has at least one!

    Harp seal is another. A couple of places in the USA temporarily have rescues, and one of the Seaworld locations has an unsigned rescued one that is sometimes visible, but there are permanent exhibits for them in Canada.
     
  4. TZFan

    TZFan Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    @TinoPup, thanks for checking other zoos for moose. Maybe we wont have to go without moose in Toronto when Lily and Trilly pass if someone else has spares or calves, or we can use Quebec as a source for rescues.
     
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  5. TinoPup

    TinoPup Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    I have a trip to Quebec coming up soon :) basically every place that has anything large or native rescues has moose, to the point that my notes for ecomuseum zoo includes "no moose". I think 8 of the places I've saved have the species? That doesn't include anywhere out of the range I'm traveling, or anywhere closed in October.
     
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  6. Pier-Luc Chouinard

    Pier-Luc Chouinard Active Member

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    As a resident of the province of Quebec, I would not say moose are very common in Quebec zoos, at least the most famed ones (Granby ; Parc safari ; Biodôme - though the thought of one crammed into that building is a weird, horrifying and funny "what if" ; Ecomuseum). Miller has (or had until recently) moose, same for Saint-Félicien and Parc Oméga. So mooses aren't rare but they aren't common either.

    I think the Biodôme probably have some unique bird species (some NW warblers for example). I haven't visited in 8 months so I can't say what their passerine collection looks like at the moment. They also have a Red-necked grebe (maybe not the only one in captivity in North America, but definitely a rare species).
     
  7. Ursus maritimus

    Ursus maritimus Member

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    For your information, moose can also be found in at least two other zoos, Zoo de Falardeau and Ferme 5 Étoiles. They are often rescues or orphans.
     
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  8. TinoPup

    TinoPup Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    I thought Familizoo had moose, but looking at the map again, it's eland; they used a drawing of a moose, for some reason! Bioparc de la Gaspésie has moose, so do Parc Omega and Refuge Pageau. Miller Zoo still has them on their website.
     
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