ZooChat Challenge (Global) 2019

I have of course already made my point, but I'd like to expand upon it and say that in my opinion the subject of the challenge is sufficiently narrow to warrant a broader interpretation of the rules instead of a narrower one.

The fact is that not many zoos exhibit significant numbers of amphibians, and those that do have decent numbers often have collections mainly consisting of a few of a very select amount of species. I assume that for a lot of people, after getting the most common poison dart frogs, tree frogs and a handful of salamanders the challenge will be all but over for the rest of the year. As soon as somebody visits one or a few of the key collections mentioned in earlier posts like Chemnitz or Berlin, that might be the end of any real competition. Nature centres and musea, however, have the potential for bringing in unexpected (native) species, making sure people keep enjoying the challenge and have the opportunity to score high without having to book flights/trains to Germany.

At the end of the day it's just a game invented to have some fun; let's not let semantics of what is and isn't a zoo get in the way of all of us seeing some interesting and underrepresented animals...

 

Astounding! Utterly astounding! Must be one of the more mystifying philosophies of the century. I should award a ZooBinh Golden Medal for this.

My "jokes" aside, I do think that nature centers should count as long as they are displayed animals. If you read the posts thoroughly, you would've seen that the debate was over whether institutions displaying animals besides zoos and aquaria, starting with Thylo's remark stating the latter institutions should not count, and the debate started over whether they should, not because someone got four species.

 

You all have made your points clear and I have heard them, feel free to count nature centers and museums for the challenge

~Thylo

 

And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for you meddling kids.

This would be much easier if FREEA still existed.

 

Shepreth 26/1/19

9 African Clawed Frog - Xenopus laevis
10 Golden Mantella - Mantella aurantiaca

 

Cotswold Wildlife Park

25. Sambava tomato frog (Dyscophus guineti)
26. Borneo eared frog (Polypedates otilophus)
27. Vermiculated tree frog (Leptopelis vermiculatus)
28. Cinnamon frog (Nyctixalus pictus)
29. Beautiful mantella (Mantella pulchra)

 

Pilsen Zoo (Short visit)

1. White spotted reed frog (Heterixalus alboguttatus) - rákosnička běloskvrnná
2. Golden Poison Frog (Phyllobates terribilis) - pralesnička strašná
3. Dyeing Dart Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius) - pralesnička mnohobarvá

 

Finally able to throw my hat in the ring!

Bronx Zoo
1) Asian Tree Toad Pedostibes hosii
2) Hellbender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis
3) Kihansi Spray Toad Nectophrynoides asperginis
4) Golden Poison Dart Frog Phyllobates terribilis
5) Yellow-Banded Poison Dart Frog Dendrobates leucomelas
6) Panamanian Golden Toad Atelopus zeteki
7) Solomon Islands Leaf Frog Ceratobatrachus guentheri
8) Dyeing Poison Dart Frog Dendrobates tinctorius
9) Green-and-Black Poison Dart Frog Dendrobates auratus
10) Smooth-Sided Toad Rhaebo guttatus
11) Congo Dwarf Clawed Frog Hymenochirus boettgeri
12) African Bullfrog Pyxicephalus adspersus
13) Sambava Tomato Frog Dyscophus guineti

I missed a good four or so species on-exhibit at the zoo, but I'm still happy as I'd initially missed eight of the above species!

~Thylo

 

Well since museums and nature centers are allowed now...

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum - 01/18/19
22. Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans)
23. Pickerel Frog (Lithobates palustris)
24. Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens)
25. Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)
26. Common Mudpuppy (Necturus maculosus)

 

I would have counted that collection even if museums weren't allowed. I've always considered PNNM as a zoo rather than a museum.

 

Terárium Dubeč 27. 1. 2019:

4) Sharp-ribbed Newt (Pleurodeles waltl) - žebrovník Waltlův

 

Idea for next year's challenge:

Chordates.

Actually, I think would be a really fun challenge.

 

Greensboro Science Center: (2/2/19)
31) Australian green tree frog (Litoria caerulea)
32) Tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum)
33) Cope's gray tree frog (Hyla chrysoscelis)

 

So my science teacher runs this "discovery kiosk" in y school. It's like a mini nature center. She exhibits animals there. It's open for anyone in the school to come visit. Would that count? Cause then I'd have two species to start. They're not "classroom pets", its a literal room.

 

See rule 5.

~Thylo

 

Paradise Wildlife Park 2/2/19
11 Cane Toad - Rhinella marina

 

Zoo Praha 3/2/2019
5) American Green Tree Frog (Hyla cinerea) - rosnička bělopruhá
6) Australian Green Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea) - rosnice siná
7) Cuban Toad (Peltophryne peltocephala) - ropucha síťkovaná
8) Chinese Giant Salamander (Andrias davidianus) - velemlok čínský

 

Shedd Aquarium (again) - 02/09/2019
27. Silverstone’s Poison Frog (Ameerega silverstonei)
28. Lesser Siren (Siren intermedia)
29. Long-tailed Salamander (Eurycea longicauda)
30. Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum)

 

Blijdorp
7. "Jeberos" mimic poison frog (Ranitomeya imitator)
8. "Brazil" dyeing poison frog (Dendrobates tinctorius)
9. Antillean ditch frog (Leptodactylus fallax)
10. Colorado River toad (Incilius alvarius)

 

The Exotic Zoo Telford- 17/02/2019
14) Red-eye Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas)
15) Cane Toad (Rhinella marina)
16) African Bullfrog (Pyxicephalus adspersus)