Oh yes, we have our own special little wolf here, so not all bad, thats for sure!! Yes Asian wolves would be a very good idea.. and considering many zoos have asian themes in their collection would fit in nicely, and they are in need of protecting. Patrick, i shall sit in my little corner and hope!
well the recently imported dhole have sort of filled that place haven't they? and keep in mind you talking to a guy who didn't even want them to do that!! we had maned wolves perseverance in the country hanging on more that two zoos keeping them and yet taronga and adelaide said they wanted to import dhole!! (mind you melbourne did too, but they already had maned wolf)
Asian wolves from the more tropical parts of their enormous range would be an ideal choice for warm climate zoos in Australia. They are short coated and smaller (e.g. the Indian wolf is hardly bigger than a Jackal or Coyote) than their more Northerly counterparts- so are a lot less impressive- but would be much more suited to the climate (and terrain?) As was mentioned, some of these races are badly in need of protection too...
On the other side of the coin, we would dearly love to import some dingoes to the US. It seems that m=not many zoos in Australia are breeding them these days. Our last pair came from Europe, and now we just have the lone female. You're welcome to come see her DiNgO BoY if you get lonesome while you're in the States As for coyotes, I'd love for you to take the ones that live just outside our zoo gates. Each morning I watch their tracks in the snow come all along our perimeter fence, and see the remnants of the ducks they have killed on the frozen lake just outside my gate. These animals are living in a park in the middle of a city. No idea how many--we've seen at least two sets of prints together, and it looks like more out on the lake.
Coyotes are one of those amazing North American mammals (much like racoons and opossums) that can exist absolutely anywhere. A coyote was found wandering through Central Park and onto 5th Avenue in New York City a couple of years ago...proof that they will attempt to blend in with us humans.
i think we should start another thread where all us urbanites from australia, north america and europe can compare the species that hop, crawl, fly around their urban park... an interesting comparison. i'll do that now...
Species I would like to see in Australian zoos I would really like to see more species of African wildlife, Australia has such a dry climate and would really suit the African Savannah species, imagine how awesome Monarto or Werribee Zoos would look with springbok, sable antelope, wildebeest, impala, warthog, marabou stork, duiker and okapi within their open range exhibits. I was amazed at the diversity of species at San Diego Wild Animal Park and Animal Kingdom and the antelope species really bring out the African exhibits. I have often wondered why Orana Park Zoo which has sable antelope and springbok don't breed these animals and transport them to Australia, or is there some quarantine issues involved? Adelaide Zoo used to have giant ant eaters, and there is one surviving pronghorn at Monarto Zoo in one of their holding yards, and they have hyenas behind the scenes in a small enclosure. Monarto also has ring tailed lemurs, colobus monkey and water buck behind the scenes too. I know this because I did an internship there where I was assigned to a keeper each time and did everything they did. The experience was incredibly fun, I got to get up close to many of the animals including their hand raised cheetahs, and the baby rhino was incredibly cute, but it was also hard work, rhinos tend to **** a lot and not fun to clean up after. They also have a lot of surplus animals behind the scenes, including a male black buck and many many barbary sheep and oryx.
i was about to say aw101, are you sure its a pronghorn and not a chamois? as i know they have a single chamois and you may have got the two, similar looking animals confused. anyhow to answer your question(s), australian biosecurity has a ban on the import of artodactyls (thats all cloven-hoofed animals) so there can be no antelope, pigs,deer, buffalo, okapi, giraffe, hippo etc, imported into this country at the current time. zoos are tying to get some species exempted, but its tough and will take a long, long, time. and when it does happen, expect animals already here that are desperate for new genetics to take priority.
I would like to see pudu, Nilgai and wolves. I think pudu could fit nicely in most of the city zoos and make an interesting exhibit, Nilgai would be a great addition to all the open range zoos and wolves because i don't think i've ever seen one except a maned wolf.
I would like to see: Mammals: Giant Anteaters, Tamandua, Capybara, Bolivian Red Howler Monkeys, Okapi, Impala, Cape Buffalo, Thomson's Gazelle, Springbok, Barbirusa, Red River Hogs, Warthogs, Yak, Aardvark, Yellow Mongoose, Fossa, Kinkajou, Ratel, Spectacled Bears, Sloth Bears, Black-backed Jackal, Bat-eared Foxes, Bonobo, Gray Wolves. Birds: Secretary Bird, Toucans, Hornbills, Raggiana Bird of Paradise, (maybe other) Flamingos, African Crowned Cranes, Turacos, Kakapo, Kea, Kiwis, Hummingbirds and more types of ducks. Reptiles: Red-footed Tortoises, Nile Crocodiles, Mexican Beaded Lizards, Chameleons, Geckos, More types of Monitors and Skinks, Tokay Gecko, King Cobra and Tuatara. Also Frogs for Amphibians. To import more of: Greater Kudu, Aldabra Giant Tortoises, Galapagos Tortoises, Alligator Snapping Turtles, Jackson's Chameleon, Razor-billed Curassow, Hyacinth Macaw, Andean Condor, African Elephants, Waterbuck, Nilgai, Rhea, Pheasants, Mara, Collared Pevccary, Bongo, American Beaver, Brown Bears, River Hippos, Pygmy Hippos, Red Deer, Persian Leopards, Mandrill, Baboons, Tamarins, Marmosets, Lemurs, Slow Loris, Sloths and Frogs. It's a long list sorry but I would put on more.
Maybe a couple of female Indian rhinos from the SSP or EEP (over repersented bloodlines) to go to Dubbo
African Elephants. . . Just because I think they are a better looking elephant and with so many about to be culled why not. . .
