Overview Right then, this year's (2018's) challenge is a little “random” but will hopefully prove to be popular and inclusive -basically you can play, for fun, without really trying or if you're a competitive type go all-out to get a near-maximum score. About fifteen or so years ago my then girlfriend (now wife) and I picked up a copy of an “Usborne Spotter's Guide” for Wild Animals which featured various, you guessed it, wild animals with spaces to tick off each one as you saw them. Whilst it was a little optimistic with some of the species featured we had a good few years of fun ticking off most of the available animals viewable in UK zoos and a smattering of European zoos (frustratingly a small handful which are still potentially spottable still evade us to this day). Whilst trying to come up with something fresh for this year's challenge it occurred to me that the book offered quite a nice challenge -anyone can compare animals seen on their zoo visits to the list for fun but for those taking it more serious some planning and travelling will be called. The list is a good combination of “easy as pie” species, some needing more effort and some really awkward ones (e.g. Markhor, Giant Panda, Koala unless you come from Northern Britain). I think the harder and really awkward species are reasonable spread across the country to even the challenge out nicely. You'll notice from the list of 189 animals there are 21 (asterisked) which, as far as I know, are not currently kept in the UK (though, who knows, that could change). That leaves 168 animals to try to see -I'd say anything over 100 is respectable and achievable for a reasonably traveled UK aficionado. The list is took straight from the book edited, only to clarify, where needed -I hope the names don't cause too much confusion. You'll also note there are some sub-species (e.g. zebras) which, although I usually avoid in challenges (for clarity), I've left in for maximum fun this time. Where a sub-species is not mentioned in the description (e.g. leopards) any leopard will do (including “zoo mix”). Note (to any smarty pants) seeing 4 sub-species of a listed animal still only counts as one tick (i.e. once you've seen one leopard, seeing other sub-species doesn't affect your total). Apologies if any of the names listed do not provide clarity and feel free to ask me for further clarification if needed. It's interesting, looking at the list, to notice those species which were once fairly common in UK zoos and have near-disappeared in the last couple of decades and conversely those that were previously absent and are now here (some fairly abundant). As an aside, I think this'd probably make a fairly good Europe challenge as they'd have a few more species to go at (but not that many more) but I'll leave that challenge in the capable hands of Vision. I look forward to the feedback on this one, including the, “I've seen all but 25 of those species in the past”. Ready. Steady. Go (from 1/1/18). Enjoy! Next: Refreshment of rules
Refreshment Of Rules For clarification, rules are as follows: 1. You have to actually see the animal, even if just for a second. You don't score if you visit a collection but don't see the animal (harsh, but fair); 2. Proof via photographs is not required, your word is your bond; 3. You have to see the animal via normal public access (i.e. not including zookeeper for the day or photography days behind the scenes) during normal public opening hours (i.e. no scoring because you know the keeper and can get access before/after hours). Basically the species has to be seen as Joe Public would; 4. Any severely limited opening or private collections (e.g. Heythrop, WHF, and any similar collections or refuges) don't count for this challenge. Controversial I know, but see previous point and I didn't think it fair to include a handful of days these collections might be open to the public as this might logistically disadvantage a large number of people; 5. Report/update your progress on this thread as you go along (let's say mandatory reporting from fifteen species and above); 6. The winner will be deemed to be the person(s) who's seen the most at 31st December 2018; 7. My (final) decision is final but I'm open to discussion and debate on any specific points. Next: The List
The List * = not currently in a UK zoo to my knowledge (for completeness to show contents of source material). Orang-Utan Lowland Gorilla Chimpanzee Lar Gibbon Pig-tailed Macaque Gelada Mandrill Vervet Monkey Patas Monkey Black & White (Western) Colobus Probocis Monkey* Squirrel Monkey Humboldt's Woolly Monkey (I'll let you have the impure one's) White-faced Saki Common Marmoset Ruffed Lemur (any species) Ring-tailed Lemur Common Tree Shrew* Two-toed Sloth (any species) Giant Anteater Indian Elephant African Elephant Bottle-nosed Dolphin* Californian Sea Lion Grey Seal Grant's Zebra Mountain Zebra Grevy's Zebra Chapman's Zebra Przewalski's Horse Malayan Tapir Indian Rhinoceros Black Rhinoceros White Rhinoceros Hippopotamus Pygmy Hippopotamus Peccary (Collared, as that's the picture) Bactrian Camel Llama Giraffe Okapi Pere David's Deer Reindeer Reeve's Muntjac Gemsbok Scimitar-horned Oryx Blue/Brindled Wildebeest Blackbuck Blue Duiker Greater Kudu American Bison Musk Ox Saiga* Barbary Sheep Markhor Long-nosed Potoroo Western Grey Kangaroo Red Kangaroo Common Wombat* Canadian (North American) Beaver Mara Black-tailed Prairie Dog Siberian Chipmunk Grey Wolf Black-backed Jackal African Hunting Dog Arctic Fox Spotted Hyena Ring-tailed Coati Meerkat Canadian (North American) Otter Asiatic Black Bear Brown Bear Polar Bear Sun Bear Giant Panda Red Panda Serval Wild Cat Ocelot Jungle Cat* Puma Northern Lynx Caracal Clouded Leopard Snow Leopard Leopard Jaguar Lion Tiger Cheetah Emu Ostrich Cassowary Greater Flamingo Lesser Flamingo Chilean Flamingo Caribbean Flamingo Hawaiian Goose King Penguin African Penguin Rockhopper Penguin Mandarin Duck Scarlet Ibis Crowned Crane Maribou Stork European White Pelican Indian Peafowl Golden Pheasant Lady Amherst's Pheasant Helmeted Guinea Fowl Snowy Owl Spectacled Owl Eurasian Eagle Owl Caracara (Crested, as that's the picture) Golden Eagle African Fish Eagle Bateleur Eagle Griffon Vulture King Vulture Andean Condor Sulpur-crested Cockatoo African Grey Parrot Blue & Yellow Macaw Scarlet Macaw Yellow-backed Lory Rainbow Lorikeet Crimson Rosella Fischer's Lovebird Ariel Toucan* Sulphur-breasted (Keel-billed) Toucan White-cheeked Turaco Great Indian Hornbill Hill Mynah Lilac Breasted Roller Blue-crowned Pigeon Blue-crowned Motmot Kookaburra Paradise Whydah* Purple Glossy Starling Gouldian Finch Black-headed Weaver Anaconda Common Boa Indian Python African Python Royal Python Reticulated Python Carpet Python Green Mamba Indian Cobra Puff Adder Gaboon Viper Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Common Iguana Common Chameleon Shingleback Skink* Leopard Gecko Nile Monitor Nile Crocodile American Alligator Hawksbill Turtle* Giant Tortoise Senegal Galago Tarsier* Colugo* Large Flying Fox* Naked Mole Jerboa Kangaroo Rat* North American (Tree) Porcupine Fennec Fox Dingo* North American Raccoon Striped Skunk Indian Mongoose* Aardvark Pangolin* Echidna Koala Boodie* Brown Kiwi Spotted Linsang* Eastern Quoll Bilby* Giant Armadillo* Caribbean Manatee* Golden Lion Tamarin Hyacinth Macaw Kakapo* Right, do your Zootierliste research, get your atlases out (do people still use them?) and Satnavs/smart phones set, go!!
Despite the chances being slim that I'll be visiting a lot of zoos in the UK in 2018 I'd like to say that this sounds like a very fun and interesting challenge. I personally own this edition of the Usborne Spotter's Guide and I've had quite some fun ticking them off where I could. Although I'm not being sponsored I'd encourage those who do not own this guide to pick up a copy to give this challenge an extra dimension. Cheers and may the zoos be in your favour!
Of the ones I'd consider attainable (UK and Europe) the species I've still not ticked are: Jungle Cat (there's a few about in Europe and at WHF I believe) Paradise Whydah (as above, less WHF) Tarsier (I hope to remedy this with a trip to Rhenen later this year, fingers crossed it hangs on in there) Pangolin (Leipzig one day, hopefully) Brown Kiwi (should "get" eventually, possibly Avifauna later this year) That's about the extent of doable ones at the current time. There's others I've not seen (which I'm sure you'll be able to work out) but they're just not about in Europe -though I narrowly missed Saiga by a few weeks at Cologne and I've hopes that Bilby will come in at some point.
I'll cross my fingers for you if you cross yours for me; I'm visiting Rhenen at the start of February Unless you elect to count Belanger's Tree Shrew this one would also require a * as there are no Common in the UK.
Consider my fingers crossed, you'll have the better chance -I'm not going until late May. Are you visiting any other Dutch zoos? Asterisk now added, just before the "edit time out" I think.
Indeed; plus a few non-Dutch collections on the continent. Current plan is for Rhenen, Artis, Rotterdam, Amersfoort, Arnhem, Antwerp, Duisburg and Krefeld.
Wait, for the challenge if we see the species outside of the UK does it count. Also for example since pangolin is on the list, if I went to Leipzig?? (I hope I'm right) can I get a point for pangolin?
is it meant to say 'hill mynah' and 'roller' on separate lines? or is the 'Hill Mynah Roller' a common name for something i don't know about?
I'm not competing because I'm not in the UK, but just a couple of questions for the sake of clarity. 1) Seeing there are no Bottlenose Dolphins in UK zoos, would a wild one do for that species? 2) Does a Brown Kiwi on a monitor screen count? (Because isn't the one in the UK only viewable like that?)
No it's called UK challenge for a reason . I believe it's better as otherwise there's too much of an advantage for those lucky enough to have time and money to go further afield. Don't be too disappointed -seeing a Pangolin is it's own reward.
Good spot, I'm awful at proof reading. That should read Hill Mynah and Lilac-breasted Roller -any chance a moderator can edit for me, please?
Maybe i'm being pedantic now, but here's a few more i feel would benefit from clarification: Vervet Monkey-do zoomix Chlorocebus count? Blue-crowned Pigeon- I'm assuming specifically cristata? Common Boa-Boa imperator or Boa constrictor senso lato? Green Mamba- do eastern and/or Jameson's count? Giant Tortoise- so either Aldabran or Galapagos?
1) No, it's got to be seen in a UK zoo (currently impossible), the dolphin was on the list only to show the original contents of my source material (essentially for curiosity sake). I'm wondering on the wisdom of that approach now. 2)No, as that's essentially the same as seeing it on a tv documentary or on a cage label. You've got to see the animal "in the flesh" so to speak (through mesh, glass whatever but not on tv).
