Jersey Zoo has welcomed two ring-tailed vontsiras (Galidia elegans), a rare carnivorous mammal found only in Madagascar. Female Agnes and male Vonathan now form the only pair of the species held in a UK zoo, with hopes that they will eventually breed.
Twelve-year-old Agnes arrived from Zie Zoo in the Netherlands, while four-year-old Vonathan came from CERZA Zoo in France. After spending more than a month behind the scenes to complete a gradual introduction, the pair has now moved into the Kirindy Forest exhibit, where visitors can observe them alongside greater bamboo lemurs.
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome such a rare and charismatic species to Jersey Zoo. Having these beautiful Malagasy carnivores is a great way to honour Durrell’s longstanding history of working in Madagascar, where our team work tirelessly to protect some of the country’s most endangered wildlife. This species is unlike anything else currently at the zoo and we can’t wait for people to come and see them,” said Sam Poole, Senior Keeper at Jersey Zoo.
The ring-tailed vontsira is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, largely because of its relatively wide distribution across Madagascar. Nevertheless, the species continues to face threats from deforestation, agricultural expansion, logging and mining, all of which fragment the forest habitats on which it depends.
Since 1986, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust has worked with local communities and conservation partners across Madagascar to restore forest habitats and help safeguard the island’s unique biodiversity.
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