BioParque do Rio Rio de Janeiro Zoo (Bioparque do Rio)

Of course it’s important that the biodiversity of Brazil is protected and showcased by their zoos but shouldn't Brazilians have the same opportunity to see and learn about global megafauna as we in Europe (and North Americans, Australasians, Asians and so on) do?

 

Agree with both @Kifaru Bwana and @Shirokuma about it in certain ways. Bioparque do Rio has acquired these animals in order to fill their big savanna exhibit, wich counts with a river safari and an elevated path. The enclosure is temporarily holding aoudads, rusa deer, cassowary and various random species, as they still don't possess neither giraffes nor zebras (the last ones died a few years ago, before the renovation works). Only the hippos and guineafowls are definitive dwellers of the place. In this moment, if Brazil wants to develop a considerable conservation program for giraffes or megafauna in general, there would be the need to make a big import like this one indeed, as many of the exotics in zoos here, specially giraffes, are decreasing numbers, and many are relatives. The only problem I see in all this is that we are not completely sure if the Bioparque will insert these specimens in conservation programs. If they don't, the objective will be only exposition and entertainment, and it would be a total shame to waste all these healthy individuals and not breed them in order to increase the genetic quality of the support population of giraffes in the country.

 

When there is a definite breeding program for southern giraffe in Brasileira zoos and for exhibition value and attract visitors fine.

I just would like to see concerted cooperative efforts in this. Is it clear at all various zoos participate and benefit from this import?

For one zoo 18 giraffe is a ludicrous number. The Chinese for import southern African wildlife do this quite a lot and it seems the individuals are almost expendable at times.

 

but what about the asian fauna? i think it would be great.

 

First and foremost collections need to be managed and coordinated at national level SZB or whatever and it should include national collection planning with prioritising species and genus that either have a conservation ex situ education or public engagement role with full members' participation and cooperation in animal exchange, breeding loans, logistical support, research, formulating husbandry and exhibit guidelines and conservation in situ validity and support and otherwise Brasil's zoos will continue to struggle. There are very good zoos, just also ones that need to improve significantly.

How do you propose to guarantee that?

 

i can propose that they should invest in endangered species like the sumatran rhino, cotton top tamarin, spix macaw and more. of course there are zoos that need to improve like the zoos that exist in the mena region, southeast asia and etc, but i do agree with everything you said.

 

Quick correction, Kifaru, you've been using the word "brasileira", but it is actually the form that we reffer to the female version of the brazilian gentile. The correct way would be "brasileiro", if you wanna reffer to the zoos, as it's a masculine noun.

Anyway, yes, you are correct about the exhibition issue, but there are absolutely no conservation programs for african megafauna in Brazil nowadays. Actually, the only exotic mammal that is bred inside a conservation program in Brazil are the gorillas, and in one zoo: Belo Horizonte.

It seems like there were attempts in 2018 to organize the breeding of other species in the country such as elephants and giraffes, but it didn't actually happen. These giraffes will be only useful if there is some organization in this issue, and that's what leaves me a bit worried.

 

@DAVID thank you for your comments too.

Puzzling that the SZB does not plan or manage breeding programs for exotic species. You are right to say this requires national species management. Same is true for white rhino, hippo and a few other exotisch species.

Going back to Bioparque how is further renovation of the zoo going forward?

 

Yeah, agree. As long as AZAB doesn't develop the programs, it will be a waste of time and resources to keep these exotic animals here, besides it's quite unfear to keep them in zoos without an objective beyond exposition... I tend to think (or at least I hope) this might change in a near future though, specially with alliances that brazilian zoos might do with EAZA, like Belo Horizonte did and seems to be planning to include other programs.

About the next steps of the renovations of Bioparque do Rio, they haven't been giving more news about it, specially after this issue with the giraffes, as they have stopped publishing stuff on social media since then. Anyway, it seems like exhibits for baboons, mandrill and birds of prey are confirmed to the moment, but we've been wondering (and hoping) that they include new big cat areas in this next step, as lions and tigers are being kept in some average/not great exhibits. Maybe move the jaguars to the present tiger exhibit (Bengal tiger exhibit - BioParque do Rio - ZooChat) and the pumas to the present lion exhibit (Lion exhibit - BioParque do Rio - ZooChat) and build new and larger ones for lions and tigers. Also, they might build a new aoudad exhibit in place of a former large bighorn sheep concrete enclosure. As soon as I have more info, I'll be sharing here with you guys

 

i got some great ideas. i hope they can be able to someday bring chimpanzees and gorillas back as a friend of mine told me when he visited the zoo.

 

Well, there is always the possibility that they have changed their minds indeed, but as I said, on my visit last year, a keeper told me they do not plan to receive chimpanzees. About gorillas, well, Belo Horizonte took 10 years to be accepted by EAZA to keep gorillas in the conservation program, so if the Bioparque wants to receive some of these animals, they would either wait and adequate their structures and methods, or look for some individuals at some zoo outside any conservation program (either AZA, EAZA, whatever) to obtain them in an "easier" way, wich would be a shame if they did...

 

looks like the zoo has different keepers, one told me about the plan to receive chimps, now this keeper told you they don't.

 

I would think Bioparque Rio would have to go through the same rigorous vetting process as did Belo Horizonte Zoo. They would do well to consult with BHZ and thru AZAB and they would probably stand a much better change of being accepted in (and perhaps in shorter time frame given we have issues with bachelor male gorilla et cetera in European zoos). It is time for Brasileiro (I do learn ... thank you) zoos wise up to the regional zoo association system and setting up breeding programs thru their individual zoo associations.

Not sure if the national species ex situ programs like Lear's macaw, maned wolf, golden lion tamarin are actually managed as AZAB or not or that it is down to conservation minded zoos like Sao Paulo or Sorocaba that do the good works. POST SCRIPTUM: Perhaps worthy of a thread of its own???

 

you're right.

 

Sorry for the late reply, friend Kifaru.

Totally agree about the proccess the Bioparque would need to go through in order to receive these animals. Also, it would be great indeed if our zoos were able to set up more healthy and strong breeding programs. (About the gentilic, you got it right indeed, that's great. Makes me wanna risk myself using some dutch words in threads of Netherlands zoos if you help me, ha ha.)

About the native species ex-situ programs, I have to say AZAB actually manages many of them well. Of course, there are leaks on programs like the giant otter's and the jaguar's (weirdly enough, if I'm not incredibly wrong, nowadays more lions are born in brazilian zoos than jaguars, and the otters haven't been bred for over a decade now, afaik).

And yes, I would say this issue is totally worth a thread of it's own.

 

There were some interesting points made on this regard by former zoochatter OC, who works as a co-coordinator of the mountain marmoset conservation program, in this thread.
Pandas for Brazil!? [Rio de Janeiro Zoo]

 

hey guys i have something nice to say, today my friend andré told me that the maned wolves will get a new enclosure in the new expansion area, and he told me that they will likely have 3 expansion areas, and other animals in the zoo should get new enclosures in this expansion areas as well.

 

That is great to know. When you say expansion, do you mean actual increase in the institution's area or you are talking about the non renovated areas that will be re opened to the public?

 

i'm talking about the non renovated areas that will be re opened to the public. but i think it also can be the both things you asked me.

 

I have never heard about actual expansion plans at the Bioparque... What place have you heard they will take? Those terrains that the jail possesses, or that vegetation area beside the tropical immersion vivarium?