Species on the brink of disappearing from U.K Collections

Interesting, thank you. Not too much we can do about 2 and 3, I guess? We had considered stress of course, as it was a very logical conclusion, but we've tried every combination of housing and facilities, and nothing appears to be consistent and there is no obvious evidence. Another possibility has occurred to us, IF (which of course we dont know) it is happening at the same stage, has it become habitual after happening by chance the first time. I've not managed to get an opinion; could you run that one past your Aussie contact?

 

Will do. check in again tomorrow for an answer to that.

 

I do remember seeing Malayan Tapirs there in 71

 

Sayang was PTS earlier this year.

 

That has certainly been my impression.

 

And Elmer from Belfast Zoo is still alive?

 

Yes.

Port Lympne currently have 2.2 - Kingut, Nias, Tengui and Queenie.

 

And dwindling in number even here too- not so long ago they had 7 or more I believe...

 

No comment on the habituation theory really. But she does say Tiger Quoll is territorial whereas Eastern Quoll isn't (or maybe its less so...?) So any mileage in the suggestion of the females not feeling secure enough after matings by still being kept in too close proximity to the males or each other? 'So many variables' was another consensus. Not too helpful I'm afraid...

 

With the updates the population of Malayan Tapirs in UK is of 6.3.

 

Thought I would update this thread with some species that are in low numbers.

First of all, there seems to be very few holders of wild ass. Both onagers and kiang are down to one holder each. Chester has been the only holder of onager for 5 years now but as far as I'm aware they still breed somewhat regularly? I'm not knowegable on the situation of the kiang at Knowsley, they have been the only ones in the UK for 8 years.

A long while ago in this thread there was much worry over Arabian oryx, Marwell are still the only holder here... But one thing that always surprises me is how rare gemsbok have gotten. Whipsnade is currently the only holder of gemsbok! Beisa are also currently only held at Marwell but they had actually been absent from the UK for a while until this pair appeared. Seems the only oryx that is doing well is scimitar-horned which is currently held in 7 collections but even so this is still a decrease in the last decade as there was at least 10 previously.

Another obvious one to mention is giant panda, they should be leaving Edinburgh in a year or so... And I really doubt anywhere else is going to be getting them any time soon.

The closure of Living Coasts and Bristol also saw the departure of some species from the UK... Tufted puffin, kowari, South American fur seal (formerly held at both! Though I imagine the Bristol animals are still there and will move to another UK collection? Either way, not on public view currently in the UK!) ... There is definitely more but that is all I can currently think of.

One I haven't seen mentioned that is certainly getting rare very quickly in the UK is the North American river otter, go back 10 years and there was about 10 collections with this species but now there is only 2! And if zootierliste is accurate, they are all female, meaning without fresh import this species could be doomed here.

 

Which 2 collections have the North American River Otters now? I remember seeing a few in the 1990s, the Buckfast butterfly/otter centre was one for sure, also the Chestnut Centre and New Forest, and I think Bristol? I guess the Smooth Coated Otter has replaced them to an extent in the UK, as I never saw any of them at that time. I hadn't realised they had declined to this extent, though!

 

Current Otter holdings in the UK as per ZTL:

• Alaskan sea otter - 1 holder (Sea Life Birmingham)
• Asian small-clawed otter - 83 holders (Not naming all these )
• Eurasian otter - 5 holders (Buckfast, Wildwood, British Wildlife Centre, Welsh Owl Garden, New Forest WP)
• Giant otter - 5 holders (Yorkshire WP, Chester, South Lakes, New Forest WP, Longleat)
• Indochinese smooth-coated otter - 6 holders (Yorkshire WP, Exmoor, Colchester, New Forest WP, Twycross, Wingham)
• North American river otter - 2 holders (Buckfast, Amazona)
• Spotted-necked otter - 1 holder (Belfast)

I didn't realise until looking this up that there is multiple collections with 4 or 3 otter species! Buckfast has 3 and New Forest have 4.

 

I think New Forest have 4 and had 5 possibly before the last N American River otter died

 

You're right they have 4, I've edited my message above.

 

Was still there in September!

 

The ASCO’s are hugely over represented, but perhaps they are the ‘best fit’ for most collections as they may be the most visible for their size? I’d be interested to know whether experience in ASCO husbandry prepares a collection for perhaps looking after a less represented species like the Marine Otter, that may need more intervention for survival against extinction?

 

Thanks for posting this list - fantastic info! I'm amazed that more collections have the Smooth-Coated Otter now than our own native otter species, which is nowhere near as well represented as I would have expected!

83 holders of ASCO is quite astonishing, but they are very cute!!