The breeding programs at

Zoo Basel Zoo Basel is a non-profit zoo in the city of Basel, Switzerland. Its official name is ''Zoologischer Garten Basel'' — or in English: Basel Zoological Garden. Basel residents affectionately call it ''Zolli''.

have had many highlights since the zoo's opening in 1874. These include the worldwide first zoo births of an

Indian rhinoceros } The Indian rhinoceros (''Rhinoceros unicornis''), also called the Indian rhino, greater one-horned rhinoceros or great Indian rhinoceros, is a rhinoceros species native to the Indian subcontinent. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red Li ...

and

greater flamingo The greater flamingo (''Phoenicopterus roseus'') is the most widespread and largest species of the flamingo family. It is found in Africa, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and in southern Europe. Taxonomy The greater flamingo was desc ...

hatch, as well as the first European gorilla birth. Due to Zoo Basel's successful breeding programs, it manages the international

studbook A breed registry, also known as a herdbook, studbook or register, in animal husbandry and the hobby of animal fancy, is an official list of animals within a specific breed whose parents are known. Animals are usually registered by their breeders ...

for the Indian rhinoceros and the

pygmy hippopotamus The pygmy hippopotamus or pygmy hippo (''Choeropsis liberiensis'') is a small hippopotamid which is native to the forests and swamps of West Africa, primarily in Liberia, with small populations in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast. It has bee ...

, as well as several European studbooks.

General information

The zoo is a member of the

World Association of Zoos and Aquariums The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) is the "umbrella" organization for the world zoo and aquarium community. Its mission is to provide leadership and support for zoos, aquariums, and partner organizations of the world in animal ca ...

(WAZA), the

European Endangered Species Programme The EAZA Ex-situ Programme (EEP) is a population management and conservation programme by European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) for wild animals living in European zoos. The programme was formerly known as the European Endangered Species ...

(EEP), and 18 other programs and organizations. In 1935, the forerunner of the WAZA (the International Union of Directors of Zoological Gardens or IUDZG) was founded in

Basel , french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese , neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...

Breeding program participations

Among the

breeding program A breeding program is the planned breeding of a group of animals or plants, usually involving at least several individuals and extending over several generations. There are a couple of breeding methods, such as artificial (which is man made) and ...

s for

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

that the Zoo Basel participates in are:

Studbook overview

is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) and holds following

Cheetahs

Among 82 other European zoos with

cheetah The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...

s, the zoo's breeding program is one in a dozen that has repeated success. Basel had five young cheetahs born in 1993, 1995, and 2007. Cheetah breeding is difficult in captivity, as males and females live separately in the wild and females are picky in partners. The 30% mortality rate among newborns also lowers breeding success. That is why the new pair of female cheetahs that came to Basel in 2001 did not show interest in the presented males and had no offspring – until "Survivor" came from Vienna in 2006.

Currently in Basel

As of June 2011, the male "Survivor" and two females are living in Basel with two young cheetahs. On June 17, 2009, mother ''Msichana'' had two males and a female baby. The youngest cheetah died in the fall of 2009.

Flamingos

For over 50 years Zoo Basel had its flamingo breeding program and hatched over 400 flamingos. Since 2000, every year 20 to 27 young flamingos are hatched in Basel. One of the main reasons for this annual success is the current flamingo exhibit which was built in 1991.

Currently in Basel

As of June 27, 2010, Basel's flamingo herd counts 113 individuals. During the spring of 2010, these birds built 41 nests and between June 5 and June 29, 2010 thirty-three flamingos hatched - of which thirty survived. This is a new record for the zoo, that never had these many flamingo hatches in its history. In a media release on June 22, 2010 zoo officials consider a calm hatching time and ideal weather as reasons for this record.

Basel history

Zoo Basel hatched the first

flamingo Flamingos or flamingoes are a type of Wader, wading bird in the Family (biology), family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas ...

, a

Chilean flamingo The Chilean flamingo (''Phoenicopterus chilensis'') is a species of large flamingo at closely related to the American flamingo and the greater flamingo, with which it was sometimes considered conspecific. The species is listed as near threatened ...

in a European zoo in 1958 and a year later the first

in captivity. While at first Zoo Basel had all six flamingo species, it decided to focus on the greater flamingo in the 1980s.

Indian rhinoceros

The

holds international

for the

since 1972 Panzernashorngeburt im Zoo Basel
. Zoo Basel, written 2010-07-27, retrieved 2010-07-27 and coordinates since 1990 the

(EEP), which ensures that the captive Indian rhinoceros population stays as genetically healthy as possible. One of the main reasons for Basel to have these studbooks is due to its successful breeding program.

Currently in Basel

As of September 2012, ''Ellora'' (1982), ''Quetta'' (1993), ''Jaffna'' (Basels stock bull / 1994), ''Henna'' (2010), and ''Jari'' (2012) live in the ''Zolli''.http://www.zoobasel.ch/aktuell/detail.php?NEWSID=563 On July 23, 2010, ''Ellora'' gave birth to a rhino girl called ''Henna'', which is ''Ellora's'' seventh baby. ''Henna'' is unique in Basel's breeding history, as her left front leg is white. A video of ''Henna's'' birth can be watched here
rhino birth
ref name="Rhinos" />

Basel history

In 1952, the first rhino, the bull ''Gadadhar'', arrived in Basel and a year later, the female ''Joymothi'' followed. These two animals are the parents of Basel's Indian rhino breeding program. On September 14, 1956, the birth of rhino boy ''Rudra'' (the first Indian rhino born in a zoo) started Basel's Indian rhino success story. He was the son of Gadadhar and Joymothi that came from

Kaziranga National Park Kaziranga National Park is a national park in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India. The park, which hosts two-thirds of the world's great one-horned rhinoceroses, is a World Heritage Site. According to the census held i ...

. Two hours after birth he weighed and was long and quickly gained 1.5 kilograms per day. In 1959, Rudra was transferred to the

Milwaukee County Zoo The Milwaukee County Zoo is a zoo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, operated by the Milwaukee County Parks Commission. The zoo houses 1,800 animals and covers an area of . It is noted for the second birth of polar bears and siamangs in captivity and for ...

, where he only became a father once until his death. 55 Jahre Panzernashornzucht – Schutz der grauen Riesen nötiger denn je
Zoo Basel, written 2010-07-27, retrieved 2011-09-41, retrieved 2011-10-23 As of September 2012, 33 Indian rhinos have been born in Basel out of about 80 births worldwide. Therefore, most of the 174 Indian rhinoceroses in zoos around the globe are somehow related to the rhino population in Basel.

Rhino exhibit

The Indian rhinoceros house and outdoor exhibit were built in 1959, extensively renovated from 2006 to 2008, and re-opened in May 2008. In the new

rhinoceros A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...

exhibit, the rhinos, are sharing the outdoor exhibit with

muntjac Muntjacs ( ), also known as the barking deer or rib-faced deer, (URL is Google Books) are small deer of the genus ''Muntiacus'' native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. Muntjacs are thought to have begun appearing 15–35 million years ago, ...

s, and

Oriental small-clawed otter The Asian small-clawed otter (''Aonyx cinereus''), also known as the oriental small-clawed otter and the small-clawed otter, is an otter species native to South and Southeast Asia. It has short claws that do not extend beyond the pads of its we ...

s. As of July 2010, the three different species lived together with no incidents. The 2.5-ton-

es are sharing their food with the 30-kilogram-muntjacs or go into one of four ponds where the Asian otters are swimming around the rhinos.

Preservation efforts

The ''Zolli'' supports Indian Rhino Vision 2020, which intends to increase the wild Indian rhino population to 3'000 animals. The partnership with the

Orang National Park Orang National Park is a national park in India located on the northern bank of the Brahmaputra River in the Darrang and Sonitpur districts of Assam. It covers an area of . It was established as a sanctuary in 1985 and declared a national park o ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

, where currently about 60 rhinos live, is one of the projects supported. In 2008, out of every day pass sold 15 Rappen (US$0.14) and out of every annual pass CHF 1.50 ($1.45) went to the Rhino Vision, totaling CHF 100'000 ($99,900).

Okapi

Worldwide, there are about 160 okapis living in zoos. In Europe, there are about 55. Since Basel Zoo's first zoo birth in 1957, twenty-two okapis have been born in Basel (2009).

Currently in Basel

On December 2, 2009, the okapi bull ''Stomp'' (b. 2003) came from Zoo Berlin and on August 24, 2011 the female ''Hazima'' (b. 2007) arrived from the British

Marwell Wildlife Marwell Zoo is a zoo situated in Colden Common near Winchester, Hampshire, Winchester, in the English county of Hampshire. It is owned and run by the registered charity Marwell Wildlife. The zoo is home to 1,208 animals of 149 species. The ch ...

. Okapi Hazima soll für Nachwuchs sorgen.
Zoo Basel, retrieved 2011-10-23

Basel history

The first okapi that arrived in Basel on June 16, 1949, was the bull ''Bambe''. However, after only 66 days, he died due to liver parasites. ''Nanouk'' (1955) and ''Bibi'' (1956) followed him and laid the foundation of Basel's successful okapi breeding program. In 2008, Basels ''Ahadi'' fathered the first okapi birth in the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

and

Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...

at Zoo Dvur Kralove. A video of this birth can be seen here on YouTube.

Okapi preservation efforts

All okapi zoos (including Basel) in Europe and North America are supporting the

Okapi Wildlife Reserve The Okapi Wildlife Reserve is a wildlife reserve in the Ituri Forest in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, near the borders with South Sudan and Uganda. At approximately 14,000 km2, it covers approximately one-fifth of t ...

managed by the Gilman International Conservation Organization, in the

Ituri Rainforest The Ituri Rainforest is a rainforest located in the Ituri Province of northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The forest's name derives from the nearby Ituri River which flows through the rainforest, connecting firstly to the Aruwimi Rive ...

(

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

). In 2008, Zoo Basel donated $5,000 to the Gilman Conservation.

Pygmy hippopotamus

Zoo Basel oversees the international

for the

. Since the construction of the rhino exhibit, the pygmy hippos can only be viewed in their outdoor exhibits. During the winter they are inside.

Basel history

In 1928, the first animals arrived in Basel and started a breeding program in which 53 hippos were born and successfully raised. These animals and their offspring are living today in zoos all over the globe.

Somali wild ass

The

Somali wild ass The Somali wild ass (''Equus africanus somaliensis'') is a subspecies of the African wild ass. It is found in Somalia, the Southern Red Sea region of Eritrea, and the Afar Region of Ethiopia. The legs of the Somali wild ass are striped, resembli ...

('' Equus africanus somaliensis'') is a wild donkey, a subspecies of the

African wild ass The African wild ass (''Equus africanus'') or African wild donkey is a wild member of the horse family, Equidae. This species is thought to be the ancestor of the domestic donkey (''Equus asinus''), which is sometimes placed within the same spec ...

. It is extremely endangered, as there are likely less than 1000 animals (or even 700) in the wild. There are about 200 individuals in zoos around the globe, of which 35 were born in Basel. Seltene Schönheit
. Zoo Basel, retrieved 2010-12-25 Zoo Basel manages the European studbook for the Somali wild ass and coordinates the

(EEP). All European wild donkeys are either descendants of the original group at Zoo Basel or of 12 others that came from the

Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve The Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve is a breeding and reacclimation center administered by the Israel Nature Reserves & National Parks Authority, situated in the Southern Arava near Yotvata. The Yotvata Hai-Bar is the desert counterpart of t ...

in Israel in 1972.

Currently in Basel

As of December 16, 2010, there are four Somali wild donkeys in Basel: The stallion "Ares" (22), three females (among them "Yogala"-12), and the baby girl "Hakaba."

Basel history

Basel started having Somali wild asses in 1970 and had its first birth in 1972. Since then, 11 stallions and 24 females were born and survived childhood.

Preservation efforts

Zoo Basel supports a conservation project in the

Northeast Africa Northeast Africa, or ''Northeastern Africa'' or Northern East Africa as it was known in the past, is a geographic regional term used to refer to the countries of Africa situated in and around the Red Sea. The region is intermediate between North ...

n country of

Eritrea Eritrea ( ; ti, ኤርትራ, Ertra, ; ar, إرتريا, ʾIritriyā), officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa, with its capital and largest city at Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia ...

, where 47 Somali wild ass live in the mountains between the

Buri Peninsula The Buri Peninsula extends from central Eritrea north into the Red Sea. Geography The Buri Peninsula is an area of land in the Ghela'elo Subregion of Eritrea, that juts out into the Red Sea. To its west lies the Gulf of Zula, also known as Anne ...

and the Dalool ditch.

References

External links

* * *
Many of Zoo Basel's recent animal births are viewable here
{{DEFAULTSORT:Breeding Programs At Zoo Basel Zoo Basel Nature conservation in Switzerland