I thought we could do a fun little game. For each category, list your top three! Top Three: Mammal species: Bird species: Reptile species: Amphibian Species: Invertebrates: Fish: Zoos: Exhibits: Guilty pleasure animals (Ones most zoochatters find boring/too common that you quite enjoy): Proudest Lifeticks: Of course, if you cannot fill out a category, just ignore it
Short-beaked echidna, yellow-throated marten, dhole Kagu, shoebill, great hornbill Gharial, tuatara, thorny devil Mountain chicken, Chinese giant salamander, any caecilian Scalloped hammerhead, arapraima, paddlefish Chester, Paignton, Dudley Tsavo rhino enclosures at Chester. Outdoor aviaries at Living Coasts. Brown bears at Whipsnade Yellow mongoose, Parma wallaby, golden lion tamarin Bornean peacock-pheasant, Baikal seal, southern aardwolf. I skipped inverts as I don't really have an opinion on them.
I list what I personally have seen. Mammal:Aardvark,aye aye,pangolin Birds:Tawny frogmouth,shoebill,black-faced spoonbill Reptile:Tomistoma,aldabra tortoise,hawksbill turtle Amphibian:Chinese giant salamander,hong kong newt,poison dart frog Invertebrates:Fireflies,giant stick insect,Pyrops candelaria Fish:whale shark,flying fish,manta ray Zoos:Chimelong,taipei(long ago),tama zoo(I haven't visit much zoo) I will skip exhibit and Guilty pleasure animals Proudest lifetick:Caspian seal,flying fish,japanese mole
Mammal species: Red-shanked douc, Black-and-rufous elephant shrew, Sunda pangolin Bird species: Wilson's bird-of-paradise, Long-wattled umbrellabird, Golden-headed quetzal Reptile species: Bornean earless monitor, Northern tuatara, King cobra Amphibian Species: Three-toed amphiuma, Emperor newt, Chinese giant salamander Invertebrates: Chambered nautilus, Trilobite larva, Hercules beetle Fish: Giant oceanic manta ray, Leafy sea-dragon, Bowmouth guitarfish Zoos: Singapore zoo, Antwerp zoo, Berlin zoologischer garten Exhibits: Burgers' bush (Burgers' zoo), Primate kingdom (Singapore zoo), Grzimek-Haus (Frankfurt zoo) Guilty pleasure animals: Ring-tailed lemur, Violet turaco, Bali myna Proudest Lifeticks: Bali myna, Short-beaked echidna, Southern white rhinoceros (all three wild )
Mammals: Clouded leopard, Chimpanzee, Aye-aye Birds: Shoebill, Northern brown kiwi, Pesquet's parrot Reptiles: Gharial, Electric blue day gecko, Tentacled snake Amphibians: Lemur leaf frog, Chinese giant salamander, Mountain chicken Invertebrates: Mimic octopus, Vampire crab, Goliath bird eating tarantula Fish: Scalloped hammerhead shark, Flashlight fish, Longhorn cowfish Zoos: Chester Zoo, Burgers' Zoo, Apenheul Exhibits: Budongo Trail (Edinburgh Zoo), Burgers' Bush (Burgers' Zoo), Congo Gorilla Forest (Bronx Zoo) Guilty pleasure animals: Chimpanzee, Aardvark, Giant panda Proudest Lifeticks: Sumatran surili, Little penguin, Lear's macaw
Mammals: Bornean Orangutan, Siamang and Eastern Black Rhino Birds: Magpie Goose, Javan Green Magpie and Red-Winged Reptiles: Ploughshare Tortoise, Black Caiman and Tuatara Amphibians: Chinese Giant Salamander, Amazon Milk Frog and Lake Oku Clawed Frog Invertebrates: Jewel Wasp, Montserrat Tarantula and Orchid Mantis Fish: Pinstripe Damba, Green Sawfish and Zebra Shark Zoos: Chester, Dublin, London Exhibits: Realm of the Red Ape at Chester Zoo, Gorilla Rainforest at Dublin Zoo and Endless Oceans at The Deep Guilty Pleasure Animals: Asian Short-Clawed Otter, Chimps and Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur Proudest Lifeticks: Purple-Faced Langur, Javan Green Magpie and Tuatara
Mammals: Homo sapien, African savanna elephant, and Moose Birds: Great Indian Hornbill, Ornate Hawk Eagle, and couldn't decide between Resplendent Quetzal and Pileated Woodpecker Reptiles: Gharial, Saw Scaled Viper, and Earless Monitor Amphibians: Kaiser's Newt, Japanese Giant Salamander, and Strawberry Poison Dart Frog Inverts: Warrior Wasp, European Honeybee, and Fiddler Crab Fish: Whale shark, Coelacanth, and Marine Hatchetfish Zoos (of the ones I've been to): Bronx, Zoo Miami, and Antwerp zoo Exhibits (of the ones I've been to): Congo Gorilla Forest @ Bronx, Elephant Passage @ Denver, and World of Birds @ Bronx Guilty Pleasure: Giant Pandas, Grizzly Bears, and Tiger Life ticks: Harpy Eagle considering the amount of time I waited to see them, White Crowned Parrot as this was one of the only times I've gone birding by myself and thus I found it myself (also including here Keel billed toucan for same reason), and Scarlet Macaw in the wild
I am including only the species that I have seen in zoos (z), private collections (p) and the wild (w) Mammal species: eastern lowland gorilla (graueri) (z), Hispaniolan solenodon (z), bottle-nosed dolphin (z & w) Bird species: common swift (w)*, long-tailed duck (w & z), chestnut wattle-eyed flycatcher (w) Reptile species: Boelen's python (z), pig-nosed turtle (Fly River turtle) (z), Komodo dragon (z) Amphibian Species: Blomberg's toad (z), natterjack (w), strawberry poison frog (z) Invertebrates: African beak butterfly (Libythea labdaca) (w)**, little cuttle (Sepiola atlantica) (z), emperor dragonfly (w) Fish: Neolamrologus furcifer (p), 'Lamprologus' ocellatus (p), African freshwater pipefish (Enneacampus ansorgii) (p) Zoos: Basle, Chester, Jersey Exhibits: Reptile House at Regent's Park, Bison Hill at Whipsnade (but only when it had a herd of bison), the otter enclosures at the former Otter Trust collection at Bungay (vey natural enclosures on a side channel of the river Waveney). Guilty pleasure animals (Ones most zoochatters find boring/too common that you quite enjoy): amazon parrots, capuchins, Indin rhinos Proudest Lifeticks: peregrine falcon (in the early 1960s, when they were very rare birds), a flock of European hobbies (in Africa), thick-billed cuckoo. Notes * always a favourite species, but a few weeks ago I saw something that I had been hoping to see for more than 40 years - a pair of swifts mating on the wing (fancy that ). ** a migratory species, imagine a cloud of butterflies flying east past your house that takes 2 days to pass by
I was looking through old pictures of my trip to Ethiopia, and I'm proud to say that my proudest life tick was the Ethiopian lion.
I only plan to use animals that I've seen. I'll mark if an animal was off exhibit with this: (bts). Mammals: spectacled flying fox, white-bellied pangolin, West African bushbuck Birds: resplendent quetzal (bts), nene (Hawaiian goose), guanay cormorant (bts) Reptiles: Hawksbill sea turtle (captive and wild), western green mamba, Philippine crocodile Amphibians: Iranian harlequin newt, Panamanian golden frog, axolotl Invertebrates: pick any 3 cephalopods Fish: Whale shark, tiger shark, manta ray (either species; I've seen both, unless you count the third as valid in which case I've not seen oceanic) Not listing zoos or exhibits, I haven't yet decided. Guilty pleasure: giant pandas, koalas, ring-tailed lemurs Proudest lifeticks (wild): Kemps ridley sea turtle, Florida manatee, blacktip reef shark Proudest lifeticks (captive): Sanford's lemur, Sumatran rhinoceros, resplendent quetzal Take all this with a grain of salt, as my opinions about such matters change frequently.
These are all from what Iv'e seen in person Mammals: Sumatran Rhino, Fanaloka, Northern White Rhino Birds: Horned Guan, California Condor (wild), Ornate Hawk Eagle Reptiles: Sedge Viper, Sea Krait, Ethiopian Mountain Viper Amphibians: Chinese Giant Salamander, Panamanian Golden Toad (I love them so much), Japanese Giant Salamander Invertebrates: Lion's Mane Jelly, Flapjack Octopus, Mimic Octopus Fish: Whale Shark, Galapagos Shark, Bull Shark Favorite Zoos: San Diego Zoo, Georgia Aquarium, Animal World and Snake Farm (Not a great zoo but something about it makes me love it) Favorite Exhibits: MOLA in Fort Worth, Whale Shark Tank in Georgia Aquarium, St. Louis Zoo Bird House Guilty Pleasures: Bali Mynah, Panamanian Golden Toad, Common Grackle Proudest Life-Ticks (Captive)- Northern White Rhino, Sumatran Rhino, Flapjack Octopus Proudest Life-Ticks (Wild)- California Condor, Northern Elephant Seal, Humpback Whale
Mammals: White-bellied pangolin, Harbor Porpoise, Sumatran rhino Birds: Shoebill Stork, Guam rail, Emperor penguin Reptiles: Sea krait, Ethiopian Mountain Viper, Mangshan pitviper. Amphibians: Chinese Giant Salamander, Solomon island leaf frog, axolotl Invertebrates: Cone snail, flamboyant cuttlefish, blue ringed octopus Fish: Great White Shark, Tiger Shark, Whale Shark Favorite Zoos: San Diego Zoo, Georgia Aquarium, Monterrey Bay Aquarium Favorite Exhibits: Ocean voyager Georgia Aquarium, Open Sea exhibit Monterrey Bay Aquarium, Tiger Trail, San Diego Safari Park Guilty Pleasures: Elephants, Polar Bears, Giant Pandas Proudest life ticks: Seeing two Northern White Rhinos, Seeing wild Hawaiian monk seals, Snorkeling with Manta Rays
Mammals: Malayin Tapir, White-bellied Pangolin, Tayra Birds: Rhinoceros Hornbill, Marabou Stork, Roseate Spoonbill Reptiles: Orinoco Crocodile, Komodo Dragon, Grand Canyon Blue Iguana Amphibians: Japanese Giant Salamander, Axolotl, Togo Slippery Frog Invertebrates: Pacific Octopus, Upside Down Jellyfish, Moray Eel Fish: Whale Shark, Lion Fish, Japanese Catfish Favorite Zoos: San Diego, Singapore, Brookfield Favorite Exhibits: Can't Decide Guilty Pleasures: Elephants, Giant Pandas, Kinkajou Proudest Life Ticks: Northern White Rhino, Puerto-Rican Parrot, White-Bellied Pangolin
Just species which I have personally seen. I'm guessing the intent was really for zoo animals, but I'll do both captive and wild to cover my bases and give me twice as many answers. Mammal species (captive): Long-beaked Echidna at Taronga Zoo; Sunda Pangolin at Singapore Night Safari; Beluga at Beijing Aquarium Mammal species (wild): Red Panda in China; Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey in China; Tibetan Wolf in India Bird species (captive): Australian Owlet-nightjar at Moonlit Sanctuary; Picathartes at Frankfurt Zoo; Blue-rumped Parrot at Dusit Zoo Bird species (wild): Crested Ibis in China; Rock Wren in New Zealand; Ibisbill in India Reptile species (captive): Moloch at the Melbourne Museum; Viper Boa at Dusit Zoo; Phoboscincus at Noumea Zoo Reptile species (wild): Gharial in India; King Cobra in Malaysia (almost stood on that one); Komodo Dragon Amphibian Species (captive): Chinese Giant Salamander at Singapore River Safari; Southern Corroboree Frog at Melbourne Zoo; Budgett's Frog at Shanghai Natural Wild Insect Kingdom Amphibian Species (wild): Oriental Fire-bellied Toad in South Korea; White-spotted Burrowing Frog in Australia; Spotted Stream Frog in Borneo Invertebrates (captive): Cone Shells at the Shanghai Aquarium; Nautilus at the Noumea Aquarium; Giant Sea Spiders at the International Antarctic Centre in New Zealand Invertebrates (wild): Trilobite Larva in various parts of Malaysia; Peripatus in New Zealand; Kinabalu Giant Leech in Borneo Fish (captive): Kaluga Sturgeon at the Vladivostok Aquarium; Ornate Cowfish at Melbourne Aquarium; NZ Hagfish at Southern Encounter Aquarium in New Zealand Fish (wild): Manta Rays off Komodo; Mudskippers (everywhere); Archerfish in Singapore Zoos: Auckland Zoo; Jurong Bird Park; Healesville Sanctuary Exhibits: Singapore Night Safari's walk-through flying squirrel "aviary"; Singapore River Safari's manatee aquarium; Frankfurt Zoo's Grzimek House Guilty pleasure animals: I don't really have this Proudest Lifeticks (captive): I'm not sure I'm "proud" of being able to see any captive animal because they're just sitting there waiting to be seen, but I guess I'll say Sumatran Rhinoceros at Lok Kawi; Picathartes at Frankfurt Zoo (the last captive individual); and Sumba Hornbill at Bali Bird Park Proudest Lifeticks (wild): Flores Giant Rat (it took two trips to Flores to get that one); Emperor Penguin (never thought I'd have that on my life-list); Cloven-feathered Dove (just because I'd always wanted to see one) ditto for me
Mammals Clouded Leopard Amur Leopard Bengal Tiger Birds Cassowary Harpy Eagle Ostrich Reptiles Komodo Dragon Black Caiman Black Mamba Amphibians Chinese giant Salamander Olm Hellbender Invertebrates Death Stalker scorpion Giant Centipede Atlantic Lobster Fish Great White Shark Fimbriated Moray eel Tiger Shark Zoos Chester Zoo,Australian Reptile Park,Blackpool Zoo Favourite exhibits Chesters Dragons in Danger Australian Reptile Park's American Alligator and Saltwater crocodile exhibit Manly Aquarium Saltwater Crocodile exhibit Guilty Pleasure Giant Anteater Waldrapp Meerkats Proudest lifeticks Seen a wild Thorny Devil in Australia Up close and personal with a Saltwater Crocodile Saw my first Giant Anteater this year
Mammals: Giraffe Tiger Bats Birds: Rhinoceros Hornbill Robin Emu Reptiles Crocodilians (any) Water Dragons Reticulated Python Amphibians: Poison Dart Frogs Hellbender Axolotl Red-Eyed Tree Frogs Fish: Anglerfish Cardinal Tetra Ocellated River Stingray Invertebrates: Land Hermit Crab Phasmids Monarch Butterfly Zoos: Chester Copenhagen Salzburg Exhibits: Fruit Bat Forest (Chester) Hippo House (Copenhagen) Tropical Realm (Chester) Guilty Pleasure: Red River Hogs Koi Carp Ducks Life-Ticks: Mountain Lions Glossy Ibis (wild in UK) Aye-Ayes
