I've definately seen fire-bellied newts of some description for sale locally; I think they are one of the commoner newts in Britain. I would recommend ordering one of the back issues of Practical Reptile Keeping, where they have some substantial information about fire-bellies. If you are interested and want to know the exact issue, just send me a PM. Carrying on with the private ownership of rarer species, I was just doing some internet searching and recently found an American website that sells among other animals giant otter shrew (Potamogale velox)! I never even knew this species was kept in captivity; does anyone know of anywhere else that holds this species? Now, to get completely back on topic. I was investigating Zootierliste, and I noticed how Palma Aquarium in Mallorca is listed as having both devil fish (Mobula mobular) and shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus). I was wondering if there was any truth to this at all, because I can find nothing else about either species anywhere else.
It's alright, my girlfriend has collected it from the start so I can easily see an issue, I'll just search it out next time I'm round .
Very interesting, unless it is African scam. I heard about zoos unwilling to import warthogs from West Africa as they were afraid of losing their money!
I am not sure if this is a scam, to be honest. It looks like the guy who runs the website is definately in the exotic mammal business. If you are interested, check the link below (the otter shrews are mentioned under the picture of the Luzon slender-tailed cloud rat). Servals, Bat Ear Fox, Cavy, Cloud Rat, Otter for Sale
Really dont like the fact that "the new gambian pouched rat" is in brackets beside the Cloud Rat! Yes, there are alot of Gambian Pouched Rats in captivity, and many look after them well, but I would not like to see Cloud Rats become as common as the Gambian/Emin Pouched Rats.
everything I have read says that giant otter shrews do very poorly in captivity and don't live long. There are some very interesting species on that site, and I noted this care advice for three-banded armadillos on the site: "The Three Banded Armadillo stays tiny, and can be housed in a 75gallon tank with mulch." (that's only a four-foot tank!).
I don't want to accuse anyone falsely. Simply too many scams are done in West Africa and now people are suspicious about anything offered for sale which comes from that region. If this is for real, presumably somebody in USA already has/will have them on photo.
the company (judging by their site) is importing birds directly from Africa, so they potentially could be bringing in the otter shrews (or have been offered them) but I doubt they would survive long given the species' previous track record in captivity
Of this list, I especially adore the tree kangaroos and Klipspringers are on my list of species I'd love to see. Speaking of Monitors, I'm lucky to live within an hour of some Black Monitors at Toronto (not sure if they're a rarely kept species or not). Very neat species and definitely overlooked at the zoo, whenever I've been there. In fact I rarely see anyone in the reptile wing of the Australasia pavilion (by the Komodos).
With this thread, do we mean species rarely kept or species that, even if they are widely kept, are generally overlooked by the general public?
both but mainly the latter. Its more interesting if it is species you've seen and can link your photos to
Here's my partial of non ABCs: Black-crested Bulbul (lots of birds are what I consider overlooked) http://www.zoochat.com/1350/birds-niagara-parks-greenhouse-120130/ Spotted Hyena http://www.zoochat.com/532/hyenas-snow-56482/ http://www.zoochat.com/532/hyena-195111/ Asiatic Dhole http://www.zoochat.com/532/asiatic-dhole-39595/ http://www.zoochat.com/532/asiatic-dholes-39581/ False Gharial http://www.zoochat.com/532/gahrial-39594/ Sable Antelope Puff Daddy » Toronto Zoo Gallery Canadian Beaver I\'ve got a pole, and I\'m not afraid to use it! » Toronto Zoo Gallery Black Monitor: http://www.zoochat.com/532/black-monitor-195113/ Matchie's Tree Kangaroo http://www.zoochat.com/532/matschie-s-tree-kangaroo-195112/
I originally started it simply as a break from pages of (entirely valid, I should stress) discussion around the same dozen or so species (apes, big cats, elephants). So both 'rare' and 'overlooked' species are fine (though as Chlidonias says, the 'overlooked' species are closer to my original inspiration!). Basically, the fewer posts or photos the species has on here, the better!
Sable Antelope are one of my all-time favourites; cannot understand why only one UK zoo currently has them (Marwell). That said, Roan Antelope have been slowly becoming more common in these parts, so it's not all bad Hippotragus news.
a couple for the new year: http://www.zoochat.com/400/new-zealand-falcon-falco-novaeseelandiae-203297/ http://www.zoochat.com/400/campbell-island-teal-anas-nesiotis-203298/ (neither good photos but the best I could manage at the time: and its the first time I've even seen the Campbell Island teal out in the open!)
escape from ABC I try to go to zoos that have animals i`ve not seen Some that i`ve been lucky to see Sumatran rhino Giant otters Banteng Aye aye Kowari Bilby Duck billed platypus Komodo dragon And i`ll always remember seeing my first maned wolf in a cage with cement floor and bars at zsl in either 1950s or 1960s
