Hi all, I've been perusing the Joburg Zoo website (as you do) and noticed that the zoo have recently(?) acquired Ethiopian jackals. Now my question is this; are these a subspecies of the black-backed or golden jackals or are they actually Ethiopian wolf? (Also known as the Simien or Ethiopian jackal!) I'm thinking it's probably the former but if - and it's a big if - it's the latter then this means Ethiopia is actually willing to export its most treasured national animals. Surely if that's the case then maybe a Western zoo can import some; maybe throw in a mountain nyala or two and some fresh blood for the gelada gene pool. Can anyone confirm which species is held there? Has anyone visited recently or heard of any news?
I've posted an enquiry to this effect on the Joburg Zoo Facebook page - though I suspect it will be one of the more common jackal species. Be great if some fresh blood for gelada could indeed get into Western zoos, though.
I do not know if it are really ethiopian wolfs, but this link gives a good and very interesting read: http://www.canids.org/publicat/ewactpln/EWAP Chapter 8 Captive Breeding.PDF although the conclusion makes it quite unrealistic, as they apparently propose a breeding facility in Ethiopia, as the best solution, although it is an article from 15 years old now....
As far as I know,it is impossible to get any species out of ethipoia-anyway its endangeréd or not. The government has forbidden any Export of animals.So I can't imagine Johannesburg Zoo has got Ethopian wolfs-and they are a highly endangered species.
I'm betting on a typo and that they are actually Egyptian golden jackals. If they are Ethiopian wolves that would be incredible news!!
I'm thinking it is a typo as well but I'm interested enough to want to find out. I am expecting to be disappointed though, as Tarsius* says, Ethiopia are extremely strict on exports of native species. *I meant Bib Fortuna, easy mistake to make!
oh, forgot to say this last night. Although the zoo website says "recently arrived" or something like that, I also found references from the start of 2012 to the same thing so they have been there at least going on two years now, which makes it far less likely they are Ethiopian wolves.
Some years ago the Durrell Wildlife Park announced plans to build a larger gorilla enclosure. I believe these plans have been dropped now because of finance. But I have always thought that, should they ever succeed in building a new place for the gorillas, it would be marvellous if the present gorilla enclosure could then be used either for gelada or, better yet, for Ethiopian wolf. I think it would make a wonderful enclosure for Ethiopian wolf. Doubt it will ever happen though.
It was a mistake, the zoo received Side-striped Jackals, still rare but not as rare as Ethiopian Wolfs.
After nearly 8 years I finally got actual confirmation to a some random question I asked when bored as a much younger (and more naive) man... This is why I love ZooChat!
