Aren't ZooChatters strange I shouldn't really be critical of anyone else's choices, but I do find some of these puzzling. Panamanian golden toad as a Guilty Pleasure? Seeing mudskippers everywhere? (That must be a medical condition) Not being able to count up to three. Liking any caecilian or hagfish (although that's probably just my prejudices showing through) Plus all those venomous species - king cobra, lion's mane jellyfish, blue-ringed octopus and all? Of course after I have posted this, anyone is entitled to deride my choices in a similar way. Please feel free to do so
All of my picks are indeed ones I've seen. I saw wild ones in Malaysia in 2007 or 2008. I'd love to see them in a zoo however, though I'm not sure if that has been done?
I have only included species that I have personally seen in a zoo. Mammals:-golden takin; zebra duiker; common hippopotamus (It was very difficult to reduce this list to three species. I regret there wasn’t room to include a species of rhinoceros, a species of wild ass; a species of chevrotain; elephant seal; proboscis monkey; long-beaked echidna and various others) Birds:- shoebill; kagu; monkey-eating eagle (This was much easier than the mammal list but I was sorry not to have included both species of Picathartes) Reptiles:- pig-nosed turtle (Fly River turtle); gharial; tuatara Amphibians:- Goliath frog; Japanese giant salamander; Chinese giant salamander Fish:- Australian lungfish; Mississippi paddlefish; arapaima Invertebrates: any species of cuttlefish; octopus; nautilus Zoos:- Berlin Zoo; Berlin Tierpark; Vienna (Schonbrunn) Exhibit:- Hippo House with underwater viewing (Berlin Zoo); Antelope Hose (Berlin Zoo); Grzimek House (Frankfurt Zoo) Guilty Pleasures:- I don’t feel guilty about any of the species I enjoy watching Proudest lifeticks: I am not sure that “proudest” is the right word, but those I am most pleased to have seen are:- northern white rhinoceros; Sumatran rhinoceros; Jentink’s duiker (It was hard to leave mountain gorilla (“Reuben” at London Zoo); tarsier; marbled cat; South American river dolphin and various others off this list.)
I've seen them on Youtube being kept by hobbyists. I would guess they must have been kept in zoos as well, although zoos aren't that interested in insects a lot of the time. I don't know how difficult they are to keep though. If they could be kept and bred successfully - as opposed to just being collected and sold but don't actually survive well - then I would definitely have them in my imaginary zoo's Invertebrate House.
Restricting myself to species I have actually seen..... Mammal species: Marbled Polecat, Chinese Pangolin, Okapi Bird species: Shoebill, Tawny Owl, European Redstart Reptile species: Tuatara, Ganges Gharial, European Adder Amphibian Species: Kaiser's Spotted Newt, European Tree Frog, this undescribed Harlequin Toad Invertebrates: Coconut Crab, Jewel Wasp, Bee Chafer Fish: Basking Shark, Green Sawfish, Brook Lamprey Zoos: Zoo Berlin, Tierpark Berlin, Prague Zoo Exhibits: Tropical Realm (Chester), Cliffside paddocks (Prague), Outdoor Terrariums (Innsbruck Alpenzoo) Guilty pleasure animals: Yellow Mongoose, Red Panda, Sumatran Orangutan Proudest Lifeticks: Chinese Pangolin, Leatherback Turtle, Cuvier's Beaked Whale
So people are saying that yellow mongoose is "guilty pleasure".I just want to say,I would absolutely love to see one.(I've only seen dwarf mongoose and meerkat)
They are really common in accredited zoos in the states, perhaps almost as common as meerkats. They can be found in just about every reptile house or similar exhibit. Regardless, I really enjoy them.
*Facepalm*, maybe I shoulden't have wrote this at 12 in the morning . Pacific Octopus, Upside Down Jellyfish, Spider Crab
I should list my "guilty pleasure"animal as giant panda or something like that.They're more common than meerkat in China.
I'm only including species I have seen (recently*). Ask me at any other time and my answer would be different. Also these aren't judged by rarity or anything like that, but rather more my enjoyment of the species. Mammals: Aardwolf, Ground Cuscus, Field Vole Birds: Schalow's Turaco, European Kestrel, Blue-crowned Hanging-parrot (only a brief glimpse...) Reptiles: Green Tree Monitor, Northern Adder, Egyptian Tortoise Amphibians: Amazon Milk Frog, Lemur Leaf Frog, Yellow-throated Frog Invertebrates: Orchid Mantis, Golden Orb Weaver, Speckled Wood Fish: Mosquito Rasbora, Yellow Tang, Cockatoo Cichlid Zoos: Highland Wildlife Park, Whipsnade Zoo, Hamerton Zoo Exhibits: Lagoon of Light (The Deep), Tropical Realm (Chester Zoo), Main Reserve (HWP) Guilty Pleasure Animals: (I'm not sure if I feel guilty about these) Russian Dwarf Hamster, Ruffed Lemur, Domestic Goat Proudest Lifeticks: Aardwolf, Hen Harrier (male), Great Grey Shrike *There is a chance I have seen Kloss's Gibbon, Phayre's Langur etc.
