From Childonias's recent review, and my other friends' reviews, it seems that Dusit no longer has flat-headed cats. But nevertheless, Duist is a great zoo, and Khao Khew is also great, especially for their efforts of breeding clouded leopards.
there hasn't been a flat-headed cat at Dusit for years. It seems like Songkhla doesn't have them any more either, at least that I saw. I would dispute the comment "Thailand have done a good job in small carnivores" - a zoo having one or two specimens of a given species isn't "doing a good job", they are just a sink for wild-caught animals. "Doing a good job" would suggest establishing captive populations.
something I thought I'd add onto my previous reply - all Malaysian zoos have been having issues in recent years with the wildlife department which has been refusing to issue permits for native species. I don't know the details of it but I don't think it's a ban, just a negative on requests for permits. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. On the one hand it (theoretically) stops the flow of wild-caught animals into dodgy private zoos, but on the other hand it means that the reputable zoos like Taiping Zoo or Zoo Negara can't obtain stock to start breeding programmes, and often the individuals which are currently in the zoos are old or otherwise unsuitable. I think this is partly the reason for some of the apparent "decline" in certain zoos - elderly animals are dying and cannot easily be replaced.
anybody know what these antelope might be? I left them off the species list earlier in the thread because I didn't have an ID for them yet.
I've had two for lechwe now (here and on the photo itself). I thought lechwe myself but not at all firmly. There were quite a number of lechwe at Melaka Zoo last time I was there, so it would make sense. Strangely the only male antelope at Taiping (that I saw) was a nilgai, and the only female antelopes were nyala and these ones.
Oooh has the vet seen the marbled cats? Do you know of anywhere else in Malaysia that has wild linsangs ? Didn't Taiping used to have moonrats and linsangs?
I don't know if he has seen marbled cats there - he only mentioned having seen linsangs. There are linsangs throughout the forested areas of Malaysia (Peninsular and Bornean) but they are seldom seen by anybody actually looking for them. The last moon rat they had at the zoo was about eight years ago, and the last linsang a few years back.
I tend towards the common red lechwe (Kobus leche leche) with respect to Taiping Zoo. The species is / was rather commonly kept in collections in the region. As per 2013 zoo records f.i. Zoo Negara - KL used to hold them (and may still exhibit these).
It is a pity, at least they should give the confiscated animals that have little chances to return to wild to some responsible zoos.
Sadly I don't think there are any lechwe left at Zoo Negara (I saw none January 2016), and they have been lost from Singapore too. But I concur that these look very much like red lechwe to me and seems the most likely option.
I have now uploaded a lot of photos to the Taiping Zoo gallery from my visit in May: Taiping Zoo - Photo Galleries | ZooChat
Looking at the photo, it might have actually been possible to slide the sign out from the right end of the frame. I could have sold it to TLD and funded a substantial extra leg to my trip!
I visited Taiping zoo yesterday and have to say that not much has changed since this post of yours (2019?). I thoroughly enjoyed the grounds and many of the exhibits - notably the dhole enclosure which was designed with the species in mind. Despite fresh food being left at the front, they didn't avail themselves of it for some time but I spent quite a lot of time and eventually saw one or two. The zoo map and signage definitely needs an overhaul, as species such as flat-headed cat and marbled cat are no more and there were no civets on display. I was able to photograph the asian golden cat which was nice. Was the clouded leopard/smooth coated otter exhibits completed whilst you were there? They seemed quite new. Sadly the clouded leopard was not seen on this trip. Also the tarsier enclosure - although I assume they're more likely to be seen at night. All the walkthrough bird exhibits you mentioned as closed were still closed and the Amazon walkthrough was still devoid of species. All in all an interesting day, and the area around the zoo is superb for walking and exploring the surrounding forest. Unfortunately I didn't see the langurs, but the pig-tailed and long-tailed macaques were very much in evidence. The gibbons hadn't been let out on their island either which was a shame.
