Review of Beijing Zoo, August 2008 » Beijing Zoo

27-08-2008

Thanks for a review!

I visited this zoo briefly in 2006 and would be more sharp about exhibits - many are small empty cages and stalls, which disappeared from Western zoos decades ago.

What species of sea mammals were on display?

I wonder if any forumers have experience with more Chinese zoos (Sun Wu-kong?)
My LP guidebook mentioned several aquariums with interesting pinnipeds and cetaceans. And possibly, other places keep ultra-rare endemics like Chinese mountain cat or Guizhou snub-nosed monkey.

Hopefully now that China feels it opened itself to Western world it would be more receptive for exchange animals for breeding programs.

28-08-2008

Fascinating review - thanks .

28-08-2008

My pleasure

Bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions. 4 dolphins were used for the show, but I believe the aquarium may hold up to 8 in total. It was difficult to count them in the backstage pools because I couldn't tell which pools were linked together, and of course, not all the dolphins surfaced at the same time 1.2 sea lions were used for the show, and I didn't see any others.

I have found some evidence to suggest that the only collections holding Chinese Mountain Cat are Xining Zoo and Xining Wildlife Rescue Center, but this information dated from 2002. Xi'an Zoo formerly kept this species too.

I'm not aware of any other collections with P. brelichi. I'm kicking myself because I had a good opportunity to photograph the adult individual in the enclosure at Beijing, but as I lined up the shot it disappeared into the house which was closed to visitors that day.

02-09-2008

Thanks for the review; it let me remember and re-"enact" my own visit bit by bit. A new species of snub-nosed monkeys??? (runs to the travel agency) Interesting to read yet somehow to expect that some species (like the Spectacled langurs or the wild camel; argali?) are no longer kept, wheras the reconstruction site lets one hope for the future...

@Jurek7: Yepp, have seen my share of Chinese zoos (among others Chengdu and various smaller ones), but unfortunately not the bifg aquariums You mentioned. The husbandry is often worse than in Beijing (which, as I agree with Chris79 in many, many aspects, could also be improved), and the collection of rare species often impressive (f.e. various krait species, Asian Forest Tortoise, Chinese Monal...), but usually smaller than Beijing's. The Panda Breeding centers are often quite nice (and according to my local sources, even after the earthquake).

02-09-2008

Thanks Sun Wukong.

I can safely say the argalis are still there, I have a photo of them somewhere. Plus they had recently bred.

However there was no sign of any langurs other than a group of Francois' langur in one of the newish primate exhibits near the gibbons. Also, I'm not sure whether the wild camel has gone, or whether it's merely been moved off-show (I read somewhere that this has happened before).