Zoo Stock Species and the Red List

Zoo Stock

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This indicates that the species is included in the Second Zoo Stock Plan, which was formulated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in 2018. The plan sets goals for the next 10 years in three areas: "species conservation," "contribution to wildlife conservation," and "environmental education and conservation awareness." 124 animal species are included.

What is the Red List?

Based on scientific research, this is a list of wildlife classified by rank (category) indicating the degree of risk of extinction.
Livng Things Encyclopedia shows the categories (mainland and islands) assessed by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) at the global level, the Ministry of the Environment for Japan, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government for Tokyo.

The higher the category in each table, the higher the risk of extinction, and CR, EN, and VU are the three categories known as "endangered species." In Tokyo, species that are not at the NT (near threatened) level but are relatively rare are considered "species of concern."

IUCN categories

EX

extinction

EW

Extinction in the wild

CR+EN

CR

Serious crisis

EN

crisis

VU

emergency

NT

Near Threatened

LC・○

Low Concern

DD

Data shortage

LP

Japan (Ministry of the Environment) Category

EX

extinction

EW

Extinction in the wild

CR+EN

Endangered species

CR

Critically Endangered

EN

Endangered species

VU

Endangered species

NT

Near Threatened

LC・○

DD

Lack of information

LP

Endangered
local population

Tokyo Category

EX

extinction

EW

Extinction in the wild

CR+EN

Endangered species

CR

Critically Endangered

EN

Endangered species

VU

Endangered species

NT

Near Threatened

LC・○

Unranked

DD

Lack of information

LP

Endangered
local population

Creatures at Ueno Zoo

Giraffe

Giraffa camelopardalis

キリン
キリン
キリン
キリン

They are the tallest land animals. When they become adults, they can reach a head height of over 4 meters and can eat tall branches and leaves. They live in loose groups with no fixed membership. Newborn babies hide with other babies in a safe place and wait for their mother to finish eating and return.

classification Mammalia, Artiodactyla, Giraffe
English name Giraffe
distribution Sub-Saharan Africa
Residence Sparsely wooded grassland
Size
Height: Males 5.3m, females 4.3m
Weight: Male 1,200 kg, female 830 kg
food leaves
Red List
IUCN: VU (Very)
Ueno Zoo exhibition area

Head features

Their eyes are located on protrusions on the sides of their face and point downwards, so they can see behind them and their feet without moving their heads. Their tongues are 45 to 50 cm long and are dark in colour. When eating leaves that are high up or from thorny plants, they stretch out their long tongue to grab the leaves and take them into their mouths. They have three horns in total: two on top of their heads and one bump-like horn on their forehead. They are covered in fur and contain a bone inside.

poop

Considering their body size, they produce small, round poops about 2cm in diameter, with about 200 pellets passing at a time.

relapse

If you see them chewing their cud even though they haven't eaten, they are chewing their cud. If you observe their long neck for about three minutes, you will see food going back and forth between their mouth and stomach.

Pregnancy and childbirth

The gestation period is about 15 months, and they give birth to one, or rarely two, calves at a time.

Danger in the wild

Their population has declined by nearly 30% over the past 35 years, making them one of the most endangered large mammals.