What species would you like to see at Jersey Zoo ?

Yes it would.

 

Like a replica of one ? or what was this planning ?

It doesn't sound very Jersey-like to me.

 

I'm sure that given this experience even if it is historic Jersey could well also reach the same breeding success with the Nasolo's, the montane shrew, aquatic or the Jenkin's shrew tenrec.

 

Maybe Water genet or African chevrotain?

 

Interesting choices !

Why these particular species @HungarianBison ? I know they were both mentioned in Durrell's books about collecting for zoos in Africa.

 

I think interesting, easy to keep and valuable to conservation choices could be focusing on invertebrates. The list of endangered species is very extensive and many are very easy to keep and do not even need something like a coordination program.

 

Yes, these animals are mentioned in Durrell's books, this is the first reason.
And they are smaller, nocturnal species, which are not interesting for visitors.
Last, both species kept nowhere in Europe.

 

But they do not need any ex-situ program as of now, so many species are in more urgent need of a breeding program. The zoo seems to chose very extreme last chance species (Comore fruitbats, Black lion tamarins) when it comes to non existing species in captivity in Europe.

 

I have visited Jersey twice, once when Mr Durrell was still with us, and once about 15 years later, and which was now about that long ago.

I was surprised how much the collection had contracted in that time. Reading what I have, It seems to have reduced further in the interim.

I understand this from a financial point of view, especially being located on a small island with limited visitors, but I agree that the keeping of meerkats, ring tailed lemurs and short-clawed otters has little to no conservation value, when there are so many species that require the help Jersey can offer.

I also question the need to keep the gorilla today given their fecundity elsewhere, but I understand they are something of a mascot having been there so long.

I believe that bringing in a couple of charismatic species would possibly bring in larger numbers of visitors, thus allowing for some of the "little brown jobs" more craved by zoo nerds.

Given the green open areas I recall, I think a larger hoofstock species would be a gain, possibly in a mixed exhibit, plus a rare carnivore, such as Malay or Bengal (true) tigers, Asiatic Lion or one of the leopard subspecies.

 

Like a replica of one I think. I seem to just remember 'Mbeli bai' being quoted in a proposed plan for a gorilla extension, though I didn't know what that encompassed. But the whole thing was squashed due to cost anyway.

I think I would like to see Jersey put their expertise to one or two of the rarer guenon species perhaps. These are so neglected in zoos nowadays though without looking I can't remember the exact status of each species and which, if any, are endangered..

 

The Red River Hogs joined the collection as a projected adjunct to the proposed Bai. I don’t think there was ever an intention to mix them with the gorillas, but mixing gorillas with a monkey (mangabey?) species was definitely being considered.

 

Yes Menagerie Manor is the book in which Durrell:
(a) complained most zoos kept tuatara at too high a temperature, as they were normally kept in reptile houses designed for tropical species
(b) stated that when the New Zealand authorities told him he could have a tuatara, he replied "one is no good, I want a true pair".

 

Why did he want a pair?

 

I recently saw for the first time White-backed ducks. Only the mainland subspecies is kept in captivity, and it has been bred in Jersey.
Maybe a nice addition/replacement would be the Madagascar subspecies, considered endangered, which may be just as easy to keep.

 

In the hope that Jersey Zoo would breed them

 

I'm actually quite glad that this squashed I guess. It sounds like it would have been quite a departure from the character of this place and much more like the Bronx zoo or Chester zoo and I think character is a very important aspect of Jersey, it is in fact what sets it apart from other zoos.

I agree with you about the Guenons and one species that particularly comes to mind in that regard is the Roloway guenon.

That is quite interesting to learn that they considered mixing a monkey species with the gorillas. Do you think this sort of mix could work with the Roloway monkey (afterall it seems to work with the De Brazza's in a lot of collections) ?

 

I see, well I think that definitely a chevrotain could work but the African species is not really of conservation concern currently.

There could, however, be some better alternatives found though with an Asian species which is threatened like the Philippine mouse deer.

The aquatic genet is an interesting one, it is near threatened, but don't you think it would be incredibly hard to obtain ?

Yes, I agree with you on that. Lots of invertebrates to choose from too and something like a partula snail or Lord Howe Island stick insect require very little space or resources.

Could be an option as the subspecies is endangered and they already do some brilliant ex-situ work with the Madagascan pochard and historically with other waterfowl too.

Have to admit though I would really like to see them keep the Brazilian merganser as this is really on the edge of extinction over here and would benefit greatly from a population formed at Jersey

 

Needless to say, I totally agree with you about the meerkats and otters.

Not sure about the gorillas as I do think that like the spectacled bears and orangutangs they are another part of Jersey's character and losing them would take away something integral from the zoo.

Incidentally, I wonder if these are also kept partly because of the love that Durrell clearly had for these species and the fact that appear so prominently in many of his books written about the zoo.

I don't think it is necessarily a bad thing that they have downsized their collection as it could really help them to focus / re-align their efforts on a few select long-term conservation ex-situ captive breeding projects.

Not at all keen with the idea of Jersey bringing in large hoofstock or tigers, lions or even leopards. I believe this would probably open the floodgates to them keeping more large species that are so commonly kept and focused on by zoos everywhere else and again would risk something being lost in terms of character.

That said, I do know what you mean about the need for the zoos to attract visitors but I do think it could be a slipperly slope and I would hope that they would avoid taking this path.

 

Okapis would fit quite well imo, if they weren't so difficult to obtain and to breed.
Also sifakas and fosas would be nice.

 

I would point out that Jersey did keep African Lion, Cheetah, Snow Leopard, Przewalski Horse in the past so have kept both large carnivore and hoofstock before.
As I argue, I think the adoption of at least one endangered variant of an ABC species would result in increased visitor footfall which could be used to support some of the rarer, perhaps more interesting species nominated.

I dont know that these days we can afford to experiment too much with husbandry on endangered species. There would be a massive outcry if it fails and the animals die. Look at the Northern White Rhino and Sumatran Rhino captive breeding fiascos.

I think there must be some deer and antelope species that could be housed in mixed exhibits, making the most of the spaces available. Some of the species that seem to be dying off in the UK collections due to lack of new bloodlines.

Jersey still has a massive cachet in the zoo world. I am sure many collections, if not governments, would co operate in bringing in some amazing species for new captive breeding populations if the will is there.