Tchentlo Lake Zoo (My Dream Zoo)

I'd suggest any rarely kept small marsupial if it's a conservation center, look up on Zootierliste for small marsupials in Czech zoos, although you'd need an international import, it's not unfeasable to transport rodent-sized mammals

 

Thanks for that suggestion! I assume I’d have to import a pygmy possum from Australia, and they have pretty strict export rules.

 

But still probably more than the (zero) chances of importing alive Wallace's giant bees (legally).

 

Exactly why I am looking for replacements for them, the possum, and the silky anteater

 

So... just an update on the hunt for replacements for:
Silky Anteater
Mountain Pygmy-Possum
Wallace's Giant Bee
Thoughts on the use of the Pied Tamarin Saguinus bicolor as the anteater replacement, and Partula nodosa as the replacement for the giant bees?
Note: adjustments to enclosures will be made to suit the animals better.

 

No problem for the Pied Tamarins.
I don't know much all the Partula species, even if this genus of snails may be a good idea because they don't require much space and they are very threatened or extinct in the wild.

 

I did some research and St Louis does actually currently house the species of Partula I've named above. Now comes the trouble of finding a critically endangered small animal...
Again, first things coming to mind are Australian gliders and possums (Leadbeater's possum, Northern Glider, Mahogany Glider) but as with the pygmy possum I assume importing them would be next to impossible.

 

I'd suggest looking for species on the IUCN site then try googling "x animal in captivity" or type it in the media section of the forum

 

Yeah IUCN site was where I went first so maybe I will end up just looking for them in captivity. Thanks.

 

So both Leadbeaters possum and Mahogany Glider are kept solely in Australia, so chances are I won’t be getting any of those.

 

A Western woylie would be a good candidate for what you're looking for - you could maybe mix them with tree kangaroos as well.

 

Oh wow. Somehow brush-tailed bettong never crossed my mind silly me. And they mix with tree-kangaroos? Might keep that in mind and expand this possum enclosure to properly house the mix! Thanks for this idea amur!

 

Okay, thanks to all of the suggestions (and a little bit of my own exploration) I can finally somewhat confirm the questionable enclosures and the changes that will occur. Now living in the ACEC in the enclosure opposite the narrow striped mongoose will be 2.3.0 Pied Tamarin.
The two enclosures in the Hall of Extinction have been changed, one only by the species within (from Megachile pluto to Partula nodosa) while the other will be expanded outdoors to around 220 square metres and house 1.1.0 Matschie’s Tree-Kangaroo as well as 2.3.0 Brushtailed Bettong.
Now soon enough I will begin to venture into the first major section of this zoo: the European Sector.

 

While I do like a large tree kangaroo exhibit, 220 square metres is rather large for a pair of tree kangaroos and woylies (just under 15x15 metres). One would certainly not see the woylies and possibly not the larger kangaroos either. I'd suggest a down-sizing to around 80 sqm - even then, woylie spotting would be very challenging unless the exhibit was rather thin. Otherwise good changes .

 

Alright thanks for the insights on the size of the exhibit. I do feel that no matter how small or large the enclosure, only people who are actively looking for the woylie would see them. And even I, someone actively looking for it every time I see it’s sign at my local zoo, struggle to see them

 

European Sector

The first sector of our zoo begins with a pair of 16m2 forested enclosure boxes, each housing a different mustelid species from Europe. The first houses 1.1.0 European Polecat Mustela putorius, while the second houses 1.1.0 European Pine Marten Martes martes. Beyond these mustelid enclosures is a 300m2 pond that houses 2.3.0 Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula, 1.2.0 Greylag Goose Anser anser, and 3.4.0 Caspian Turtle Mauremys caspica.

Across from the pond is a 100m2 enclosure that is meshed off, and for good reason. The animals calling this enclosure home are very much capable of leaping out or climbing out of most exhibits. The 1.1.0 European Wildcat Felis silvestris is a fierce predator, and not nearly as kind as the domestic cats many of us have at home.

Beyond the wildcat enclosure, a pair of equally sized 450m2 aviaries stand on either side of the path. The first, mimicking a forested area with a marshy central region, houses 1.1.0 White Stork Ciconia ciconia, 1.2.0 Northern Lapwing Vanellus vanellus, 2.2.0 Eurasian Treecreeper Certhia familiaris and 2.2.0 Eurasian Bullfinch. The other is a large body of water edged by cliffs, and displays many European shorebirds, including 1.2.0 Eurasian Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus, 2.2.0 Black Guillemot, 3.4.0 Caspian Tern, 1.1.0 Common Shag Gulosus aristotelis, 3.3.0 Sanderling, and 3.4.0 Little Stint.

The next part of the European Sector will be posted soon, but for now, I’d like to hear your thoughts on the first few enclosures!

 

Now we shall continue on with the European Sector.

After the Shoreline and Forest Marsh aviaries, two exhibits greet you. To the left is a 1500m2 field with sparse forest throughout, though denser near the back of the enclosure. The path wraps all the way around what is known as Fallow Fields. This enclosure houses a herd of 3.5.0 Fallow Deer Dama dama, and a breeding pair of 1.1.0 Wild Boar Sus scrofa. The other is much smaller, only about 15m2, and houses 2.3.0 Finlayson’s Squirrel Callosciurus finlaysonii alongside 1.0.0 Northern White-breasted Hedgehog Erinaceus roumanicus.

Beyond both these enclosures are two equal-sized 450m2 aviaries for predatory birds. The first, more densely forested, aviary is home to 1.1.0 Long-eared Owl, while the other, being less densely forested and more rocky, is home to 1.1.0 Lammergeier, or Bearded Vulture.

Now a building begins to peek through the forest. This is the Europe Vivarium, however there are two 300m2 enclosures, one meshed off and the other grounded in substrate. The meshed-off enclosure is also densely forested, allowing the 1.0.0 Eurasian Lynx to disappear among the trees. The other enclosure is home to 1.1.0 European Badger Meles meles who dig their tunnels into the sturdy substrate of the enclosure.

With this, the main entrance of the Europe Vivarium stands in front of you. This will be covered later on, and for now simply comment opinions, thoughts and suggestions for the enclosures of Europe so far.

 

I don't see the interest of Finlayson's Squirrels in this zone. It isn't an European native.
It may fit in a sector for introduced invasive species, but it isn't actually widespread as the Grey Squirrel in Britain.
I'd rather see Red Squirrels, or even Siberian Flying Squirrels in this zone.

 

Alright thanks for the input. Out of curiosity, since red squirrels are already common in North America as well, would Caucasian Squirrel perhaps fit in this zone?

 

It's okay, as it lives in the South-Eastern fringes of Europe (Georgia, Armenia...).
And even in Greek islands, off the Turkish coast.
Additionnally it would show European species not belonging to the "mainstream" species of Western or Central Europe.