One animal that would improve a collection

Based on a thread in the UK section of the forums, pick one animal that would make a collection better. The only rule is that they have to fit in with what's already there. I'll go first.

Detroit: Snow Leopard
Columbus: Pygmy Hippo
Toledo: Kangaroo

 

Already a thread for this : Species that would improve your local zoo, it has been inactive for a bit, though.
A couple of similar ones are: If your home zoo could have any of these animals which would you choose poll. and Changes You Would Make to Your Zoo

 

The one I was referring to was this one One animal to improve a collection. The others have a separate idea. The first one was for multiple animals for your local zoo. The second was a poll for random animals. The third was about what you would change in your zoo, and some people have entire master plans written down on that one. The whole point of this thread and the one that inspired it was you can only pick one animal you would want in a zoo of your choice. Probably should've made that clear.

 

I see, thanks for the clarification, the latter two were just as similar threads, not necessarily as others the same as this per say. Either way, thanks for clearing that up.

 

Cairns Aquarium: Largetooth Sawfish. They used to have a pair, but have been taken off display (outgrew the exhibit), they were definitely the crown jewels of the aquarium's collection. If getting sawfish back is not an option, I would say some species of cephalopod. Not picky which, but Chambered Nautilus, Broadclub Cuttlefish and Day Octopus would be interesting and theme-appropriate options. Possibly could repurpose the large wall tank next to the touch tank for a cephalopod, as it is large enough and is currently a rather boring tank with just Bluegreen Chromis and a Pastel Green Wrasse. A Green Sea Turtle would be nice too, and they do have means to obtain one. They have a turtle rehab centre behind the scenes, and if for any reason one of the turtles is unreleasable, they would likely put it on display in the Coral Sea Oceanarium.

 

Technically speaking, unless the same amount or more species are phased out of the collection at the same time, any species added to a zoo’s collection would be considered an improvement. I don’t see how a single species would make a particular collection stand out though, unless it’s a really rare species (like Sumatran rhinoceros, Javan rhino, saiga, etc).

 

Cincinnati: Gaur
Cincinnati is already going to make a new home for their elephants and I think it would be neat to add in other Indian animals in the area as well, of course it is unlikely there would be extra room left after making habitats for the elephants along with the monkey island and caprid exhibit but I think these mixed with some other Indian ungulates would be a nice addition. Gaur are also quite rare in the U.S so the addition of gaur would be a nice animal to add to the zoo.

 

Since everyone else is explaining their picks, I'd thought I'd explain mine.

Detroit: Snow Leopard - I feel like Snow Leopards would be right at home in the Michigan climate, plus they're only felids are lions and tigers and John Ball and Binder Park have them as well. I think there's still some open land in Asia looking at the zoo treks map.

Columbus: Pygmy Hippo - I know instead of Adventure Cove people really wanted something like South America or Hippos, so I would pick hippos because seeing them at Toledo was amazing. Pygmy hippos are more endangered than their savanna counterparts, plus I don't think Columbus has room for regular hippos, so if space in Congo allows then a breeding pair would be a welcome addition.

Toledo: Kangaroo - With Toledo extensive collection of Australian animals I'm surprised they don't have a dedicated Australian complex. My ideal choice is similar to others by finally getting rid of the Tiger Terrace. I don't mind which species they get; most likely I'd be Reds.

Maybe when the elephants move, Gaur or Rhinos could go in the Elephant Reserve, fitting in with the Indian theme of the building, plus they'd be the best options considering the size of the current yards.

 

Bruemmer Park Zoo: Bighorn Sheep (or really any rock-climbing ungulate).

 

Philly could use pinnipeds for Water is Life (which currently has fairly little to do with water outside of the otters).

 

Rather than focus on any specific zoo, I'll just list some species I think would benefit from inclusion in New England zoos, I really don't care what one they go to and aren't present in the region at all:
- Okapi: a personal favorite of mine and overall a fascinating species
- Bonobo and/or Orangutan: it would be really nice to get a third great ape species in the region, and it'd be really nice to see more Zoos take on bonobos as they are rare in Zoos and in need of more holders. Orangutans are also a popular species that more Zoos would benefit from housing.
- More Antelope Species: besides Wildebeest, none of the AZA Zoos in New England currently have any Antelope in their collection- which is really a shame. I'd love to see just about any species- but in particular I'm a big fan of Roan Antelope, Greater Kudu, Nyala, Gemsbok, Springbok, and Impala. Any of these species would be hugely appreciated in any collection willing to take them on.
- Maned Wolf: technically Beardsley has them, but I'd love it if a zoo closer to me had maned wolves.
- Clouded Leopard: a smaller big cat species that is extraordinarily beautiful and would make a great display animal.
There's also a lot of birds I'd like to see in the area, but this is the big mammals I'd love to see.

 

Snowy owls in the Arctic Ring of Life exhibit in Detroit would be a great touch.

 

When I visited Sunset Zoo I saw the area that the Red Crowned Cranes, Sloth Bears and Malayan Tigers inhabited. I instantly realized it would be perfect as a mixed species for Gaur. I chose them because of K-State's agricultural program and connection to the beef cattle industry. They could be mixed with Bactrian or Eld's Deer and since some Gaur live in southern China the Red Crowned Cranes and Tufted Deer could perhaps share the space as well.

 

For my two nearest ones:
Safari Zoo Cumbria - a great ape, I'm thinking orangutans. They mostly have small primates like lemurs and marmosets, and medium sized species like gibbons and spider monkeys, so a great ape would add a lot to the zoo's primate line-up.
Lake District Wildlife Park - a big cat. They have smaller cats such as lynx, servals and Scottish wildcats, but something like cheetahs or even leopards would suit the place well.

 

Have to say Musk Ox; I find them so engaging to watch, fascinating animals and we don't have a zoo with them now in the UK any longer I believe. Selfishly I'd locate them at ZSL Whipsnade! There might be very good reasons why that couldn't happen but it would be a great large animal addition.

 

I think Detroit had them at one point. Ironically, they might have been in the Arctic Ring of Life. I haven't seen Snowy Owls yet so these would be welcome.

The whole point of this thread is just to think about an animal you think would fit will with your local zoo, so not just a species that would make it stand out.

I do find it neat that a lot of people want more zoos to house Gaur, since they're really cool. Sadly, only Bronx has a breeding program, so the species in the US will probably be no more in a decade or two .

 

Dallas - Rhinoceros
Topeka - Rhinoceros
Fresno Chaffee - River Hippopotamus
San Diego Safari Park - River Hippo
Cincinnati - Polar Bear
San Diego Zoo - American Black Bear/Moon Bear
Sedgwick County - Polar Bear
Baltimore - Tiger
Birmingham - Gorilla

 

Monarto Safari Park: Hamadryas baboon.
More 'on-foot' exhibits would do wonders to make the work for longer days out, and there's definitely room for expansion in its primate collection (presently just chimpanzee and ring-tailed lemur). Hamadryas baboons fit with the zoo's African theming, and can be housed in large groups appropriate for the scale of the zoo. I could also have said hippopotamus as my species pick, but as that is apparently on the cards and fairly imminent, I went with the baboon.

Adelaide Zoo: Western gorilla
I swear all my answers aren't going to be primates! Adelaide Zoo has a long history of housing great apes, but presently only keeps a pair (pair being a strong word as they live separately) of Sumatran orangutans. Gorillas would be a major drawcard, and in the case of a family group, be very active and hold sustained interest. I'm very much hoping the zoo's master plan to bring in the species in the next few years is still intended to go ahead; I think a good gorilla exhibit could breathe new life into the zoo.

Werribee Open Range Zoo: Spotted hyena.
With the species getting a firm foothold in the region, I'm surprised WORZ hasn't yet added spotted hyena to its primarily African-centred collection.

Melbourne Zoo: Indian rhinoceros.
With a large section of zoo soon to be vacated by the elephants, I think a breeding pair (or more?) of Indian rhinoceros would be very exciting, and something to differentiate Melbourne from other city zoos in the region. Presently, the only animals of the species within the region are in quite a remote location (Dubbo), so they would present something of a novelty.

 

New Zealand

Auckland Zoo: Mandrill

Auckland Zoo have phased out several species in recent years and are planning to phase out their elephants and pinnipeds. Mandrill would be an exciting addition to the African precinct and give Auckland Zoo another point of difference in addition to their orangutans and flamingos.

Runner up: Common hippopotamus (worst phase out ever)

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Hamilton Zoo: Sri Lankan leopard

Hamilton Zoo are currently planning to build a third Sumatran tiger exhibit, which will do little to boost visitor numbers. I’d rather see them build an exhibit for Sri Lankan leopard. As the only holder in the country, this would give Hamilton Zoo the point of difference it lacks with regards to New Zealand’s other main zoos.

Runner up: Snow leopard

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Wellington Zoo: Grant’s zebra

The zoo has been without this species for over a decade. They would be a great addition to the African Savannah and would support efforts to breed this species in Australia.

Runner up: Hamadryas baboon (worst phase out ever)

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Orana Wildlife Park: Common hippopotamus

It would be great to see a herd of Common hippopotamus established at New Zealand’s only open range zoo. They’d be a great compliment to the other spacious African exhibits for rhino, giraffe, zebra, lions etc.

Runner up: Hamadryas baboon

 

I’ve always wanted to post my own list here on this thread, ever since I first happened to come across it. So today, I decided that it was probably about time for me to explain about what kind of species I could see being added to any of the following institutions that I listed below:

Central Florida Zoo: Any gibbon species (but preferably Siamang) - I decided to chose this species primarily because the zoo currently lacks any species of ape (gibbons included), along with the fact that the zoo used to have them on exhibit before, and I would really like to see them swinging about in an updated habitat within this particular zoo.

Brevard Zoo: Florida Panther - I would imagine that this would be the species that will move into the current lion enclosure, once a new habitat has been built for the latter species. Although I could also see this space end up being a secondary black bear enclosure in the long-term as well.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park: Sloth Bear - Even though I have already discussed about this particular decision in the *Add any species to your local Zoo* thread. I just thought it would be nice to mention about this subject once again, albeit, not as detailed as the one that I previously wrote about.

Zoo Miami: Indian Gharial - Although I have not yet visited this zoo in person, I would imagine that the current Cuban Crocodile enclosure would end up being a small, but decent-sized habitat for at least one individual gharial. I could also see the crocodiles being relocated to a different part of the zoo, all in order for this to be logistically possible, eventually ending up in a new space that would still being visible to the general public.

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens: Bush Dog - This choice is probably my most anticipated one yet for this list, but I really do hope that Jacksonville could at the very least, find a way to incorporate this species into their collection. Sure, it would mean that the zoo would no longer have any capybaras and blue-billed curassows (with the latter, I could easily see them being relocated into the adjacent Emerald Forest Aviary). But I honestly do think that this exhibit could be given a slight redevelopment not too long after the current residents depart, in order for this area to better fit the needs for it to be a proper habitat for this species.

Gatorland: Crocodile Monitor - I honestly don’t have a lot to say about this particular decision, but I think it would be rather nice to add in at least, this one species of large monitor that could balance out the large quantity of snakes and crocodilians that this facility has at the moment. Thus, it also has the word “crocodile” in its common name, so I thought it would a perfect choice for this particular facility.

SeaWorld Orlando: Short-Finned Pilot Whale - Again, I don’t have a lot to say about this particular choice, but I do think that once their orcas do end up being phased out sooner than later, then this would probably end up being a perfect alternative to having a large cetacean species that is not a beluga (which the park already has).

Clearwater Marine Aquarium: Any species of medium to large-sized shark (such as a Sandbar) - Originally, when I last visited this facility, I would have stated the Florida Manatee as a suitable addition. But now that we know that the aquarium have plans to add this species in the near future, I later decided to pick on the other major option that I could see the aquarium add in the long-term. I believe that an exhibit similar to the Georgia Aquarium’s *Predators of the Deep* exhibit, could perhaps end up being a worthwhile addition, and would really be a dramatic improvement from the current Nurse Shark exhibit, which in opinion, is probably one of the aquarium’s weaker exhibits in terms of its current state, along with the fact that guests have to view the sharks from a relatively tight corridor with several glass portholes that serve as viewing windows.


I know that there are plenty of other facilities in the sunshine state that could perhaps benefit from a new, and unique, crowd-appealing species. But for the sake of this list, I only focused on some select facilities that I have already visited (with Zoo Miami being the only exception); along with the possibility of each zoo being able to logistically acquire any of the listed species above, unlike for example, a second importation of a pair of platypuses from Australia to a facility somewhere like Busch Gardens Tampa or anywhere else in the state, in that particular matter.