What species would you like to see at Jersey Zoo ?

I don't really like 'thin end of the wedge' arguments. Jersey isn't suddenly going to become like any other zoo. As @GaryA points out, they have kept cats and not just in the early days of the zoo when the collection was arguably less focussed. I think okapi would be a good fit as @Luca Bronzi suggests, maybe Visayan spotted deer too.

 

When Rick the former publicity guy for Jersey Zoo used to post on Zoochat he mentioned that there was a distant thought of exhibiting giant otter-shrews. That seems extremely unlikely, but it would get me to Jersey Zoo ASAP.

 

There are major issues importing cloven hoofed animals to Jersey, due to the perceived (disease) risk to the island’s important dairy industry. To the best of my knowledge, while they have had pigs and peccaries, they have never brought in any ruminants.

 

Jersey Zoo has had several unusual species over the years. According to ZTL, the only cloven-hooved mammals previously kept are collared peccaries, Sulawesi babirusas and red river hogs, as well as domestic pigs, cattle and goats.

 

Thank you for your comment Tim!

So I was right about that then, I was kind of worried my memory was failing me as I read those books a long time ago.

You have to admire Durrell's cheeky irreverance to authority don't you ?

He was quite a character

I think that in terms of large hoofstock the okapi (and maybe zebra duiker) would be one of the best fits with the collection. Especially given that they have gorillas from the same region and the conservation status of the species.

I don't think these would be that hard to obtain given that they are present at a good many European and North American zoos.Personally, though I would much prefer smaller hoofstock like pygmy hogs and Philippine mouse deer as I think these would fit even better.

I completely agree with you about the fossa and sifaka. I think that these would be wonderful additions that would capitalize on Jersey's work in Madagascar and really highlight it too.

 

Indeed a great character who is much missed

 

Yes, I do agree with you that they held these animals historically but I still personally think it is a risky move.

That said, I also agree with you on the need to increase footfall. I just think that it is important that this does not come at the cost of losing important aspects of character and what sets Jersey apart and a cut above literally every other zoo.

In terms of large hoofstock I think okapi would seem to be the best fit but in a more unrealistic scenario I also think that mountain tapir would fit well given that Jersey already focus on species native to the Andean cloud forests and Páramos like the spectacled bears.

 

I would hope that they didn't go down that path and I would tend to think that they would never even contemplate something like that being implemented in Jersey. Even so I worry that in these economically troubled times they could commit to something that really wouldn't be in their favour long-term.

I don't particularly like the idea of big cats for the reasons I stated in other comments. However, I do think that it would be brilliant for Jersey to go into some of the small cat species which have a far greater need for ex-situ conservation and are really quite neglected by conservation as a whole than their larger relatives.

These would be brilliant wouldn't they ? In that scenario I would definitely book a future future ticket to Jersey to see them.

But I do think that the Nimba otter shrew would be a bit of a better fit than the giant given their more concerning conservation status.

Didn't Durrell mention this species in one of his books about collecting in Africa ?

 

I would never advocate these types of mixed exhibits. It seems to work okay for a while then a gorilla grabs a monkey and injures or kills it and the experiment comes to an end. I think guenons at least are too precious to waste in those sort of mixed exhibits. I shudder when I see something numerically rare in zoos like Hamlyn's monkey kept in such a way. On the other hand they seem to work longterm with species like Red-capped Mangabey(Dublin) and Black Mangabey(Gaia Park and others) but these are larger tougher species of primate.

 

I remember seeing most of these. The Prezwalski horses were three(?) bachelor stallions- IMO they looked totally out of place among all of Jersey's other stock. I can't remember how or why they obtained them but I don't think they were there too long. Replaced by Maned Wolf which seemed far more suitable in the surroundings.

 

Yes, I agree with you that they are too precious to waste and the captive population of such species can't really afford these kind of experiments. It would be a tragedy for a Roloway monkey to be killed by a gorilla.

But I have seen pictures in the zoochat gallery of De Brazza's for example being mixed with gorillas at Bristol zoo, did this not work out in the end ?

I think Hamlyn's monkey are / were being kept with lowland gorilla in a Spanish zoo , maybe Valencia ?

 

Yes, I think that Durrell had quite an affection for keeping suids as they seem to be one of those mammals that have been constantly kept at Jersey.

Like the gorillas, orangutangs and bears I wonder whether this is because of how prominent they feature in his books and a desire by the zoo to keep these going because of this symbolic importance (a good enough reason in my opinion to continue keeping them).

Also, I know these are odd-toed ungulates but Jersey did have their famous lowland tapirs too. From reading the book I remember the name of one of them being "Claudius" and there being issues with these escaping and eating peoples flower beds and defecating on lawns or something like that.

 

Bristol- not any more- don't know the exact reason but it was discontinued. Their last two De Brazzas ended up in a rescue sanctuary in Cornwall would you believe, where they still live.

Valencia. I don't think that one is still going either- I hope not, though again I don't know the reason but fear it resulted in a monkey death. Of course its never announced... Howletts did it too with Samango Monkeys- again I believe there was at least one death and it was discontinued. A single male gorilla also killed a Colobus at Port Lympne. The Mangabey mixes with gorillas do seem successful longerterm though

 

So not a pretty history at all in terms of zoos successfully mixing guenons with gorillas...

Yes, I think you are quite right Pertinax, what would ultimately be the point of losing more of these monkeys simply for a short term mixed species exhibit ?

With a species as critically endangered as the Roloway monkey it would be a tragedy to lose even one of these unnecessarily.

 

I think in the very early days of Jersey, Durrell probably would have amassed various species to fill his zoo ready for public opening, on a fairly random basis. Saw Brazilian Tapir on a dealer's list- got them. That may have applied to a number of other species too. Some stayed longterm, others got replaced over time with the higher-profile endangered species.

 

Oh yes I agree, but from what I remember from reading the books Durrell really did seem to have an affection for these tapirs.

The conservation status of all four of the tapir species is getting quite worrying so could one of these species potentially be another viable option for Jersey ?

 

From memory, Durrell mentioned the giant otter shrew

 

Brazilian Tapir is a very popular species, with keepers, visitors alike. If you gave me a £1 for every photo I've seen of keepers feeding, talking to or scratching a brazilian tapir's belly, I'd be halfway rich.

 

Yes, it is definitely a crowd favourite and could be an option.

But what about some of the other species like the mountain tapir for example ?

 

Yes I seem to remember these being mentioned in "Zoo in my luggage" too.

I think there may have even be an illustration of one, but I don't really remember what he wrote about this species.