Aggieland Safari New Aggieland Safari Park and Species List

I recently visited a zoo which opened this year called the Aggieland Safari. I was quite impressed by the animal collection which consisted of several new species for me as well as others I have only seen a few times, along with the fact that most of the exhibits were quite nice for the inhabitants. Here is their website: https://www.aggielandsafari.com/.

The zoo consists of two portions: The Zoo and Safari portions

The Zoo Portion:
This open walking area consists of two aviaries, a few hoof-stock yards, several small mammal enclosures, a building with native herps along with a few exotic small animals, an interactive tortoise yard, and the best hippo exhibit I've ever seen, which is more or less a fenced in lake and marsh.

The species on exhibit in this portion were:
Parma Wallaby
Red Kangaroo
Indonesian Plantain Squirrel
Tayra
Crab-eating Raccoon
Fennec Fox
African Crested Porcupine
Red Fox
Tamandua
Black-crested Macaque
Lowland Paca
Reeve's Muntjac
Lowland Anoa
Bonnet Macaque
Japanese Macaque
Squirrel Monkey
White-handed Gibbon
Hippo
Red River Hog
Capybara
Reticulated Giraffe
Nilgai
Red Lechwe
Ring-tailed Lemur
Warthog
Dromedary Camel

Bronze-tailed Peacock Pheasant
Germaine's Peacock Pheasant
Grey-headed Swamphen
Great Curassow
Northern Helmeted Curassow
Garganey
Marbled Teal
Eurasian Wigeon
Northern Shoveler
Hooded Merganser
Northern Bobwhite
California Quail
Silver Pheasant
Golden Pheasant
Greater Vasa Parrot
Eclectus Parrot
Rosy-faced Lovebird
Cockatiel
Diamond Dove
Fischer's Lovebird
Budgy

Texas Spiny Crevice Lizard (Sceloporus poinsettii axtelli)
Great Plains Ratsnake
Western Hognose
Eastern Hognose
Sonoran Gopher Snake
Texas Ratsnake
Prairie Kingsnake
Longnose Snake
Desert Kingsnake
Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake
Blue Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus cyanogenys)
Great Plains Skink
Reticulated Python
Sulcata Tortoise

Plains Leopard Frog (Could not find this there was a bullfrog in the enclosure)
American Bullfrog
Blanchard's Cricket Frog
Gulf Coast Toad

Safari Portion:
This portion of the park is accessible only by car and consists of 3 portions, named the Farm Pasture (Full of domestic animals), the Zebra Pasture, and the Serengeti of the South which contains most of these species in the safari area.

Species I was able to locate:
Ostrich
Rhea
Domestic Pig
Llama
Domestic Goat
Yak
Plains Zebra
Nubian Ibex
Pere David's Deer
Bontebok
Blackbuck
Barasingha
Axis Deer
Fallow Deer
Addra Gazelle
Scimitar-horned Oryx
Asian Water Buffalo
Giant Eland

 

How many hippos does the zoo have exactly? Any word on where they came from?

 

This is a newly-opened zoo, and they have all of these species?! That's incredible! Rare Scimitar-horned oryx! Was this zoo already existing under another name? How could they get this many endangered species just starting out?

 

There were only 2 but I believe there are plans to bring more in. I have no idea where they came from.

 

I don't know the specifics of how the animals were acquired and when but this zoo is completely new and everything on site was freshly constructed. In fact, some parts of the zoo were still under construction such as the aviary where plants were still being planted.

 

Wow! Some people in high places must have great faith in them!

 

Just about every ranch in Texas can get Scimitar pretty easily. Private owners are also breeding large numbers of Bongo. There are several ranches in Texas with more Eastern Bongo than are in the Wild.

 

The scimitars are highly endangered in the wild, so I didn't know they were doing quite so well in human care. The Bronx, NZP's off-campus site, and Six Flags Great Adventure all near me have pretty sizeable herds, but I didn't know they had become practically "garden variety"! What are their in-captivity numbers estimated to be worldwide!

 

Sure about Giant elands, I thought these were very rare even in AZA institutions.

 

Wow, what an incredible collection, especially for a zoo that just opened! I've bolded the rarities.

 

Those are fairly solid numbers! Are any being returned to the wild?

 

They are actually quite rare in zoos, surprisingly.

 

Yes, only one site for the western and three for the Eastern. For those who like trivia, Hollywood legend William Holden discovered African wildlife in the 1950s on a trip to Kenya. By the mid 60's, he had purchased 1800 acres of land devoted solely to conservation. He spoke of the eland more than any other species--I guess back then, there were still eland in Kenya. When he died and left a large bequest to the foundation, his longtime partner Stefanie Powers ("Hart to Hart") created The William Holden Wildlife Foundation. A man ahead of his time, although now sadly, very few probably recognize the names of either Holden or Powers to bring in donors. Kenya seems to have no eland, but supposedly there would still be those bred on this conservation center.

 

I went to Aggieland Safari last month, and here is what I observed:

In general, I found this more impressive than any non-AZA facility in TX I have been too. I thought the cages were fairly decent and clean, and most of the animals looked safe from harassment by the public, so this place is so very, very superior to the abominable conditions at Alvin. The drive-through areas were of course spacious and most of the outdoor cages, as well as the aviary, though of simple design, were as spacious (or more) than their counterparts at AZA zoos in TX. Some were even larger. The hippo exhibit, which they told me was an enclosed natural pond, was very impressive. The binturong has both an indoor and outdoor exhibit, and can be relocated depending on weather. The indoor exhibits were less impressive: the vasa parrot, plantain squirrel, and turaco certainly were being kept in unduly small cages. rather than in a proper aviary. I also thought the spider monkey cage lemur island looked rather small for such mobile species.

The open-air and indoor exhibits in the walk-through area were well labeled, which I LOVED. However, most of the birds in the aviary were unsigned, despite the fact these were some of the rarest species in the entire place! However, I took some photos and very detailed notes on their appearance and have some experience as a birdwatcher, and was able to go home and figure out their species. I am glad I found this post, as I thought I was going insane...based on features I had written down in my notebook, I was sure I was seeing some VERY real pheasants that I could NOT bee seeing, and turns out I absolutely was. But if you have something that rare, Aggieland, PLEASE put up a sign and brag! Also, note the drive-thru area lacked any type of species guide and has extensive wooded areas (and it was HOT!), so I may have failed to see any animals that ARE actually present in the drive-through area.

Here is a complete compiled mammal-and-bird species list based on the above list, the website, and what I saw, with notes on what seemed to be missing. Sorry, I didn't keep track of which reptiles I saw in the indoor area. I have broken the list down by general taxonomy, and then by whether or not I was able to locate and see the species.


=BOVIDS=
*note--most of these species were in the drive-through area*
1. addax
2. banteng
3. bison
4. blackbuck (didn't see)
5. bongo (didn't see)
6. bontebok (didn't see)
7. dama gazelle (addra type); at least some are in walk-thru outdoor cage.
8. giant eland (didn't see)
9. goat ("West African pygmy" breed)
10. Grant's gazelle
11. ?kudu?; unsigned in walk-thru outdoor cage next to giraffes
12. lowland anoa
13. nilgai (didn't see)
14. Nubian ibex [baby kept separate, in petting zoo]
14. ox ("Watusi" breed)
16. red lechwe; at least some are in walk-thru outdoor cage
17. scimitar oryx
18. water buffalo
19. white-bearded gnu
20. "Watusi" ox
21. yak
22. zebu

=CERVIDS=
*note--most of these species were in the drive-through area, and I saw several at distance without binoculars (I'll remember next time!), so I may have seen more types than I realized*
23. axis deer
24. barasingha
25. fallow deer
26. Pere David's deer (seen in both the drive-through and walk-through areas; according to a worker, "these are the oldest deer we know about, going back to Biblical times"--I found this claim rather peculiar, and I think the worker may not realize they are not named after KING David)
27. Reeve's muntjac (didn't see, but I assume in the walk-through area)

=CAMELIDS=
*note--out of my peripheral vision I think I glimpsed a Bactrian camel; all these species are seen in the drive-through????*
28. alpaca
29. llama
30. dromedary

=RODENTS=
*note--all these species are in the walk-through areas; according to the signage and an employee, the agouti IS on exhibit in the out-door aviary, but is very shy and likes to hide under the bridge; the capybara pen is outdooers; the squirrel cage is indoors*
31. African crested porcupine
32. Brazilian agouti (didn't see)
33. capybara
34. lowland paca (didn't see)
35. plaintain squirrel

=PRIMATES=
*note--all these species are in out-door exhibits that could use enlarging and enrichment*
36. black-headed spider monkey
37. bonnet macaque
38. Guianan squirrel monkey
39. Japanese snow macaque
40. Patas monkey
41. ring-tailed lemur42. Sulawesi black macaque
43. white-handed gibbon (didn't see)

=CARNIVORA=
*note--all these species are in out-door exhibits, although the binturong is kept in an in-door exhibit when the weather gets very hot, as when I visited; note I did not see a crab-eating raccoon sign nor was it present on the walk-through map, and I suspect this is no longer on exhibit*
44. binturong
45. crab-eating raccoon (didn't see)
46. Eurasian red fox ("silver" breed)
47. fennec fox (didn't see)
48. kinkajou (didn't see; new exhibit being built)
49. tayra

==MARSUPIALS==
*note: kept in out-door walk-through exhibits; I suspect the parma wallaby is no longer kept and has been replaced by the red-necked*
50. parma wallaby (didn't see)
51. red-necked wallaby
52. red kangaroo
53. tammar wallaby

=SWINE=
*note: kept in out-door walk-through exhibits*
54. common warthog
55. hog ("Guinea forest" breed)
56. red river hog (with piglets!)

==EQUIDS=
*note: kept in drive-through*
57. Grevy's zebra
58. plains zebra (subspecies not signed)
59. wild ass (Somali type)

=OTHER MAMMALS=
*note: giraffe and hippo in out-door cages in walk-thru; tamandua in indoor cage*
60. northern tamandua
61. reticulated giraffe
62. river hippo

=PARROTS=
*note: kept in indoor exhibits*
63. blue-and-gold macaw
64. budgerigar
65. cockatiel
66. coconut lorikeet (green-naped type)
67. Fischer's lovebird (didn't see)
68. greater Vasa parrot
69. rosy-faced lovebird

=DOVES=
*note: the diamond dove was in the indoor area but the pigeon was in the out-door aviary*
70. diamond dove
71. pigeon ("fantail" breed)

=GALLIFORM GROUNDFOWL=
*note: most of these are unsigned and in the aviary, but the silver pheasant is kept in an out-door exhibit with the alpaca!; note that the curassow are not at all shy and will sit on a rail within reaching distance, though I was respectful enough not to touch; however, the two species of peacock-pheasants are fairly shy and like to spend a lot of time under the bridge, and it is worth spending some time in the aviary to get a chance to spot them--I revisited the aviary twice and saw both of these species, firsts for me!*
72. blue peafowl
73. California quail
74. Germaine's peacock-pheasant
75. golden pheasant (didn't see)
76. great curassow
77. northern bobwhite quail (looked leucistic?)
78. northern helmeted curassow
79. silver pheasant
80. Sumatran peacock pheasant

=ANATIFORM WATERFOWL=
*note: most of these are unsigned, in the out-door aviary or in the out-door capybara cage*
81. bar-headed goose
82. black swan
83. cackling goose
84. Canada goose
85. common shelduck
86. Egyptian goose
87. Eurasian wigeon (didn't see)
88. garganey (didn't see)
89. goose (one of the European domestic breeds)
90. hooded merganser (didn't see)
91. marbled teal (didn't see)
92. Muscovy duck (wild type)
93. northern shoveler
94. Raja shelduck
95. rosybill pochard
96. wood duck

=RATITES=
*note--these are in the drive-thru*
97. emu
98. greater rhea (didn't see)
99. ostrich

=RAILS=
*note--these are in the out-door aviary and are both unsigned*
100. giant wood rail
101. grey-headed swamphen

=OTHER BIRDS=
*note--the cranes are in an out-door exhibit in the walk-through, the turaco is indoors*
102. grey crown crane; in the walk-through
103. red-crested turaco

 

Which collection holds Western giant eland. Does anyone know of other zoos in the US with Grey-headed swamphens, Plantain squirrels, Greater vasa parrots, or Bronze-tailed peacock-pheasants?

 

@AbileneBoy Wow they added a lot since my visit! I visited less than a month after they opened! I may have missed many of the hoofstock due to the same reasons you mentioned but I was very meticulous about the birds and can provide photos of some such as the Garganey. Giant Wood Rail is quite the surprise! That has me very excited! The curassow were rather shy for me but the swamphens were hanging around on the boardwalk and being quite friendly. Upon my visit the Silver Pheasants were in the main aviary. At first the peacock-pheasants remained quite elusive however the Bronze-tailed eventually emerged into the open sunlight providing me with fantastic photos of them! Germaine's never left under the bridge but I got a fairly clear view of it from afar.

@drill The Tampa Zoo has a species signed as Purple Swamphen which I believe may be Grey-headed. I know the San Antonio Zoo recently had Greater Vasa so it is possible they may still hold them, but the vasas on exhibit I was told are Lesser. The Plaintain Squirrels I have never heard of being in another zoo in the US, however I have seen them for sale on exotic animals for sale, which may be the source of these animals (And perhaps the Crab-eating Raccoon). I know there are Bronze-tailed Peacock-pheasants in private trade around the US but I have never heard of any being around in zoos so I was shocked when I read the signage for them in the aviary.

 

There are tons of Common eland in Kenya, but 0 Giant eland and Giant eland have never occured in Kenya, at least in recent times.

 

I was wrong--thought White Oaks in Yulee, FL had westerns. Apologies.