Species that need breeding programs?

I often find myself frustrated at the lack of breeding programs for so many species threatened with extinction, I was interested to hear what species others think need ex-situ help. What species do you think are in dire need of breeding programs? Obviously zoos cant keep backup populations for ever species, so as well as suggesting a species in dire need, suggest a common species they could replace.

Practical feasibility in terms of politics can be discussed and taken into consideration, but is not discriminatory for this thread!

Il start with some species that come to mind:

Red Columbus Species (many are endangered and understudied) > Mantled Guezera / Angola Columbus

White Nosed Saki > White Faced Saki

Black-Spotted Cuscus > Small Clawed Otter

Long Nosed Echidna species > Brown Mountain Tortoise (has significant private population)

Jetincks Duiker > Yellow Backed Duiker

Hirola > Roan Antelope

Blonde Capuchin > Other Capuchin/Squirrel monkeys

yellow-tailed woolly monkey > Red Howler Monkey

Banded Ground Cuckoo > Common Pheasant

Javan Leopard > Cougar

Obviously there would be some learning curve with some of these species but nothing infeasible!

Excited to hear what species zoos should be taking on!

 

In Brazil we actually have a good amount of Blonde capuchins beeing kept in zoos, most of the groups breed well and there are projects to release some back to wild (although most of them are from the illegal pet trade).

 

When was the last attempt?

I have to say some of these replacement suggestions are a little baffling to me simply because your proposed species would be make for suitable replacements for the species you want replaced
Starting with the otter, let's not forget that the species is endangered in the wild. They are incredible common, though, and personally I'd like to see more endangered otters such as Smooth-Coated and maybe even Hairy-Nosed become more common in zoos. Of course, ASCO are smaller and therefore easier to manage/house. A cuscus would still not serve as a suitable replacement for otters, though, as they would not fill the role the otters serve in zoos. I would love to see the cuscus taken on, but I would rather zoos try their hands at other, more common cuscus species first.
Beyond the above point I made about an echidna not serving the same role as a tortoise, the tortoise is a Critically Endangered species, with both subspecies having programs in US zoos. The echidna, while endangered, is significantly harder to obtain, keep, and breed. I believe Australia's long-term goal is to eventually phase-out their Short-Beaked Echidna program in favor of a long-beaked program, but we're still a long ways out from that.
I actually think this duiker replacement would be preferable, though given the US government has an almost complete ban on even-toed ungulates being imported into the US, that would have to be a Europe-led program.
On top of the point about not being able to import ungulates, I would imagine obtaining and attempting to successfully keep/breed Hirola would be incredibly risky and difficult. Perhaps a breeding center somewhere in Africa would be a better idea?
Don't forget that there is a US program for Crested Capuchin and a European program for Golden-Bellied. Personally I'd like to see Central American Squirrel Monkey phased-in. Unlikely, though, as the AZA recommended that and zoos chose to stick with Common.
Ring-Necked Pheasants aren't exactly common in zoos to begin with, but I would also imagine obtaining the cuckoo would be extremely difficult. Either way, the latter would be be a suitable replacement for the former.
Cougars are kept so often by US zoos because there is an overabundance of orphans/injured animals from the wild. Like with Grizzly Bears, Cougars are rarely bred for zoos in the US. Meanwhile, Europe is attempting a program for Javan Leopard but there are only so many individuals available.

~Thylo

 

First off Im glad at least my shortcomings inspired some interest in this thread, I thought it was dead

Interesting to hear that there is a Blonde Capuchin breeding program in Brazil, I knew there were some in captivity but I didn't know they were so common. Exporting some CB individuals to jump-start a breeding program in the US might not be a bad idea considering the current volatility in Brazil?

I think it autocorrected Colobus to "Columbus", or maybe I made a dumb mistake... Its interesting to hear that Piliocolobus have such significant care issues compared to the ubiquitous Colobus genus. Of the 17 recognized Piliocolobus species, 8 are EN and an additional 4 are CR. While I understand the difficulties these may pose, considering it hasnt been attempted since the 70s maybe its worth a reinvigorated effort?

I also understand that some of my replacement suggestions wernt like for like, I think potentially the concept is flawed as its hard to think of a common species cuscus should replace..

I would be very interested to hear more about the plans for long beaked echidna in Australia, last I hear there was just an elderly individual. Hard to imagine Australia allowing their import but It would be amazing nonetheless!

 

Rather many freshwater fishes, reptiles, amphibians and also Bavarian pine vole are small-range endemics in Europe and high on the Red List. EAZA zoos could start insurance breeding together with conservation education on native wildlife. There should be no problems with import permissions here...

100s of common Nile Crocodiles in Western zoos could be replaced by more endangered crocodilians, for example tomistomas or gharials.

Javan leopard would benefit from a breeding program. They thrive in zoos and Indonesia is willing to export them at least occassionally, and their habitat is already mostly gone. Java is one of most densely populated places in the world.

Many forms of sifaka are very endangered. Two already live in zoos, although they suffer because very few founders were imported. However they live for years and breed, so their husbanry seems to be solved.

Another two are Blakiston's fish owl and Iriomote cat. Both need an insurance population practically forever, because most of their habitats is already irreversibly developed. Perhaps Japan would want to export some?

 

Totally agree on the crocodilian front, Ive been hoping for an expanded Tomistoma population for a while. I think part of the problem is slow breeding results more than anything, thankfully there are also quite a few private breeders in the US keeping threatened crocs.

Javan Leopards should totally be a faze in IMO considering their precarious wild status. Its been encouraging to watch the small european population, I believe they imported new blood in the last few years. Its a shame the AZA shy's away from importation these days, as considering Europe already maintains Persian, Amur, and Sri Lankan leopard populations while the AZA only keeps Amur they would probably be the better candidate. Of the leopard subspecies Amur, Javan, and Arabian are the most threatened.

The Lemur extinction crisis is so disturbing I can hardly read about it, so many species on the brink and they are still getting eaten to extinction... I would 100% support the capture and creation of breeding programs for the most threatened and taxonomically distinct species. All the Sifaka species are threatened with imminent extinction at this point, considering the success of the Duke Lemur Center with coquereli, I think establishing populations of perrieri, diadema, etc would be advisable at this point.

As for the Iriomote cat I think that the Japanese government and zoological institutions are probably developed and stable enough to tackle their conservation, unlike that of Madagascar.

 

In Europe, who is most likely to pick up a new cuscus program, there are New Guinea Ground Cuscus about in zoos and Common Brushtail Possums are also pretty common. Even smallish nocturnal arboreal species like galago could be seen as a candidate for an endangered cuscus to replace.

~Thylo

 

I responded to most of your points above, and I agree on most fronts. However my point on the faze out of Asian Forest Tortoises was because of their healthy established populations of both subspecies in private hands throughout the US and Europe. You can purchase either readily for a couple hundred bucks. Just like the Small Clawed Otter is endangered in the wild, it is very common in captivity and so fazing in say Hairy Nosed Otters would make alot of sense.

Cheers!

 

Totally agree, Im more familiar with US populations so nothing came to mind off the bat. However all those species would make good replacement candidates! Common marmosets would also be a potential candidate in the AZA now that I think about it.

 

I would like to see a breeding program set up for the Ethiopean Wolf.

 

European zoos and Aquariums can show that they also take care for European species when they should start a breeding programm for the Neretvian nase, a small fish with a small distribution and a lot of great threats :

https://www.aiep.pl/volumes/2020/0_2/pdf/04_02517_F1.pdf

 

The AZA should establish a breeding program for a second tree kangaroo species. I also think a better breeding program for jaguarundi would be cool.

 

I wonder what happens to so-called problem big cats in Africa, Asia and South America?

My impression is that wild lions, tigers, leopards or jaguars are regularly caught: trapped as cattle killers or human killers, injured, sick, orphaned. It is tried to release them back, but this controversial - expensive, can put the animal back into the original problem (like lack of sufficient wild prey), the vacant territory, with good protection, should be easily occupied by a new, young individual. These caught big cats could start or refresh breeding programs. However, at best, they land as non-breeding education animals in local zoos.

 

Here are some species that come to my mind:

Rothschilds Giraffe > Masai Giraffe
Gaur > American Bison
Mountain Nyala > Greater Kudu
Jackson's Hartebeest > Bontebok
Eld's Deer > Sika Deer
Bearded Pig > Red River Hog
White-Lipped Peccary > Collared Peccary
Drill > Mandrill
Cape Chacma Baboon > Guinea Baboon
Northern Cassowary > Southern Cassowary
Andean or Puna Flamingo > Chilean Flamingo
Dalmatian Pelican > Pink Backed Pelican
Madagascar Pond Heron > Javan Pond Heron
Greater Adjutant Stork > Marabou Stork
Madagascar Sacred Ibis > African Sacred Ibis
Giant Ibis > Hadada Ibis
Hooded Crane > Sandhill Crane
Wrinkled Hornbill > Wreathed Hornbill
False Gharial > Nile Crocodile

 

Is Guinea baboon common anywhere? I’ve yet to see one, and the places I know with it are either in Europe or dubious American roadside zoos.

 

They don't seem to be common in the US - most baboons I've seen or heard about are Hamadryas and Olive (which is around in private trade). Indianapolis Zoo has a troop of Guinea baboons.

Considering that the only captive breeding population of Matschie's are in US zoos, I'd rather see that expand as much as possible rather than have it compete with another species - their population isn't that large.

 

Ok then Lelwel. Why AREN'T hartebeests in captivity? Husbandry too challenging?