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Animals you'll never see in a zoo

Discussion in 'General Zoo Discussion' started by ^Chris^, 22 May 2007.

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  1. CZJimmy

    CZJimmy Well-Known Member

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    I would love to see a platypus!

    If it is true that there is a ban on exporting them, perhaps Australia could relent a little and do a loan deal similar to pandas and China...
     
  2. patrick

    patrick Well-Known Member

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    platypus are not really an endangered species, however they are notoriously difficult to breed in captivity. only heallesville and taronga have ever had success and the two zoos have now made a first generation captive born pair amid hopes they can repeat success again, something crucial to establishing the species in captivity.
     
  3. MARK

    MARK Well-Known Member

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    Tut tut Pat, dont forget Fleays, lol
     
  4. patrick

    patrick Well-Known Member

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    when david fleay became the first person to ever breed platypus, he was the director of heallesville and they were bred at the sanctuary.

    the currently named "david fleay wildlife park" has never bred playpus.

    so actually, i'm right! ;)
     
  5. MARK

    MARK Well-Known Member

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    yes Pat you are, its seems that there are not that many on display in oz
     
  6. sebbe67

    sebbe67 Well-Known Member

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    Regarding duikers it could have been easy to import animals to USA and Europe from Africa in the past and start new breeding programmes, but there seemed to be little interest in doing this.

    Charles Steiner and his wife (from Switzerland) runned a private zoo in Monrovia (Liberia) where they kept a amazing collection of West African species, I visited this zoo in the early 1990s and by this time he kept many Maxwell, zebra, jentink, yellow-backed and Black duikers. Even a single Brooks duiker. They also seemed to be breeding at least some of these species.

    I dont know if he still operates this zoo, but I doubt it consider the political situation in this country. I spoke to him and he was more than happy to export animals for breeding purpose but no one showed any interest.
     
  7. Sun Wukong

    Sun Wukong Well-Known Member

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    @sebbe67: I saw several pictures of the Liberian zoo, teeming with bushbucks and various species of duikers. Absolutely incredible! I heard that a conservation group has taken over, but couldn't find out much else so far.

    I do think that US and European zoos might be interested in duikers; especially in the US, the breeding of several species has been quite successful, and more and more duikers appear also in European zoos. Leipzig Zoo even announced getting Zebra duikers for its new "Gondwana" project.
    The main reason beside the political instability might be national epizoonotic regulations; Africa is still a dangerous source of several animal diseases that are threatening in terms of economical & human health aspects. Therefore many zoos are afraid about the red tape that awaits them when trying to get African wild animals, especially ungulates.
     
  8. PAT

    PAT Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I guess i'm off to monaco thanks guys
     
  9. jwer

    jwer Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    If you don't care how many there are i'd go see the singleton in Leipzig, the rest of the zoo is also much worth a visit (in a few weeks, you'd probably also be able to catch a pangolin ;))
     
  10. Al

    Al Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    There is alot of talk about importing yellow backed duiker from the US as quite a few zoos are interested in them. We were offered a male but couldnt quarantine it anywhere. In the states they hope to try embryo transfers from wild jenticks to captive yellowbacks to try and establish the species. wether this happens is yet to be seen. Is there a zebra backed at leipzig or are they just planning on importing them?
     
  11. Sun Wukong

    Sun Wukong Well-Known Member

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    Zebra duikers are listed on the list of species planned to be in the "Gondwana" house-but so are Sumatran rhinos...
     
  12. gentle lemur

    gentle lemur Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I suppose you could put any land animal into a Gondwana house. It makes your zoogeographic zoning so easy!

    Alan
     
  13. CZJimmy

    CZJimmy Well-Known Member

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    What is this Godwana House? :confused:
     
  14. Ituri

    Ituri Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    JJ was its name...
     
  15. jwer

    jwer Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Leipzig Zoo are currently constructing one of the biggest greenhouses in Europe, called Gondwanaland. They have (and had) a lot of plans regarding relatively special species. Some (Francois Langur, Giant otter) seem a lot more likely then others (Sumatran rhino, even though there are rumours they are talking with Cincinatti Zoo about keeping them).
     
  16. Ituri

    Ituri Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Anyone have any more information about the Gondwana house at Leipzig, a website perhaps?
     
  17. sebbe67

    sebbe67 Well-Known Member

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    Good news that someone still run the zoo and hopefully they still has such a magnificent collection that the Steiner couple established.

    Regarding duikers in Europe I had a quick look on ISIS and the only duiker which seems to be close to common is the Blue duiker, while the red duiker seems to be increasing. Other than these the yellow-backed and Maxwell is kept by single insitutions. Interesting that a european zoo has shown interest in zebra duikers, question remains from were they would get any.

    As several species is common in the USA I found it quite strange that European zoos has not choosed to import animals from USA, duikers are my favoruite antelopes and I would love to see more European zoos keeping them.
     
  18. patrick

    patrick Well-Known Member

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    idiots!!!!
     
  19. Sun Wukong

    Sun Wukong Well-Known Member

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    Agree with Patrick here-that's just nonsense (and I think also advertisement) and does no good in terms of the ex-situ population.
    @sebbe67: don't trust isis too much in this regard; Yellow-duikers f.e. are becoming more and more popular in European zoos. The US Fish & Wildlife red tape makes the transatlantic animal transfer sometimes a little too difficult...
    @Ituri:
    Gondwanaland - Zoo Leipzig
    If something is of particular interest for You, I can translate it...For those interested: it costs 49,5 million €...
    @gentle lemur: That's exactly the reason why they named it like that...;)
     
  20. Writhedhornbill

    Writhedhornbill Well-Known Member

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    Sun, Can you tell me which animals are planned to be kept in there, and what exhibits they would be kept in....

    Thanks :)
     
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