Western Giant Eland

Western Giant Eland
05-05-2008

I've just been reading something on the Antelope and Giraffe TAG that there were plans to import the western subspecies of the giant eland to Europe. Has this happened, or will it happen soon?

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Jonathan Beilby-www.zooscene.co.uk

(Join the hornbill group-www.zoobeat.com/group.php?groupid=2)

05-05-2008

I hope so, can you give us a link to that Jonathon?

05-05-2008

I'm so Jealous of the Hoofstock kept in the U.S. All those duikers and Gazelles (not to mention San Diego's bountiful pig collection.....)

Kiang, here is the link:

Antelope & Giraffe TAG: Regional Collection Plan

It was the first Collection plan that I found the information on...

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Jonathan Beilby-www.zooscene.co.uk

(Join the hornbill group-www.zoobeat.com/group.php?groupid=2)

05-05-2008

If they were to come to Europe, they would need to come from the U.S or the small population in South Africa, and the logistics for importing from either would be a nightmare!

They have been held in Europe before Antwerp and E Berlin spring to mind, can anyone else
tell what other collections have held them?
I'm sure London would have had them at sometime, have they bred in Europe?

05-05-2008

Kiang, the eastern giant eland is the one kept in the U.S. The Antelope and Giraffe TAG mention the Western subspecies (which is rarer apparently..)

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Jonathan Beilby-www.zooscene.co.uk

(Join the hornbill group-www.zoobeat.com/group.php?groupid=2)

05-05-2008

Maybe it is just a recommendation?

05-05-2008

Yes, could be...

Are there still plans with the zebra duiker in Europe?

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Jonathan Beilby-www.zooscene.co.uk

(Join the hornbill group-www.zoobeat.com/group.php?groupid=2)

05-05-2008

I know of some ranchers that are housing them in Sengal, but I believe all of the males captured, except one, died...leaving little room for any good genetic population. Of course there are other captive hoofstock populations that started out with less. If the EEP is to acquire any, it might be from this stock. There was talk several years ago of importing those animals into the SSP, but luckily they decided to concentrate on the Eastern subspecies.

05-05-2008

These are the current Eastern Giant Eland holders in the US:

White Oak Conservation Center
San Diego Wild Animal Park
Miami Metrozoo
Houston Zoo
Los Angeles Zoo
Cincinnati Zoo
International Animal Exchange (Port Clinton, OH) - they imported the founding stock.

05-05-2008

Thanks Okapikpr

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Jonathan Beilby-www.zooscene.co.uk

(Join the hornbill group-www.zoobeat.com/group.php?groupid=2)

05-05-2008

Jonothan; I'm jealous of every zoo outside Australia. With their african savannahs with more then one or two types of antelope, Their surplus pygmy hippos and animals that can be gotten for a beginner zoo just like that.

06-05-2008

@Writhedhornbill: Currently, no European zoo seems to have any plans to get zebra duikers-neither for Leipzig's "Gondwanaland" or anyone else. Same might be true for the Giant eland-both Eastern and Western...

06-05-2008

@Writhedhornbill Where can you read any recomendation to import western Giant Eland to Europe on the side you linked? I can see only collection plan for AZA members there...

I do not think the logistic itself would be such a great problem (some european collections regularly export hoofed stock to Africa), the main problem is definatly the mentioned import ban from the most countries in Africa.

I have just loaded a picture of a poster about the project of captive management of Giant Derby Eland in Senegal. It is in Czech language, but one of the pictures shows the bull Niokolo, the (by okapipr already mentioned) only male founder of the captive herd (44 animals at 2006).
Poster about Derby Eland @ Prague zoo - Photo Gallery

06-05-2008

@Jana it is mentioned in the AZA antelope tag on a page concerning Eastern Giant Eland about the EEP considering the import of Western Giant Eland.

06-05-2008

I also forgot...

White Oak shipped out 3 Giant Eland bulls last year to a safaripark in Costa Rica called Africa Mia.

.. Africa Mia ..