Little Swan Island hutia

In 2013 Simon Tonge visited RAMM’s stored collections to follow up his personal and professional interest in birds from around the world. He is the the Executive Director of Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust which is responsible for Paignton Zoo. Knowing RAMM had several ex-zoo animals in the collections I gave Simon a list in case he was interested. Two in particular got him excited. We knew they were special but we didn’t realise no-one knew we had them! Read more in his blog below.

A visit to RAMM

Following a visit to RAMM in early 2013 I received a list of specimens that may have arrived at the museum from zoological gardens in the UK. This included two specimens of the Little Swan Island hutia (Geocapromys thoracatus). Primley Zoo (now known as Paignton Zoo Environmental Park) donated them to RAMM in 1939/40.

The Little Swan Island hutia became extinct in the 1950s due to the introduction of non-native predators such as cats and a particularly strong hurricane in 1955. Just 29 specimens of this species were known to exist in museums. 17 are in the USA and 12 at the Natural History Museum, London. Records did not include the two at RAMM.

• 28/1939/4. Male. Mount, with skull embedded. Received 21 March 1939
• 1/1940/1. Male. Study skin, without skull, SVL 317 mm, tail 47 mm. Received 02 Jan 1940

On a subsequent visit to the Museum in June 2013 I was able to examine the listed specimens and to confirm that they were, indeed, G. thoracatus. Both specimens are in excellent condition and conform in every way with the descriptions of the species given in Morgan (1989).

Failed attempt to save the species

These two specimens apparently originate from a failed attempt at captive management by Primley Zoo’s founder Herbert Whitley in the 1930s. Unfortunately Whitley’s written records from that era have not survived, if indeed they ever existed. So we have no independent corroboration that this was indeed the case.

The discovery of these two specimens demonstrates that value of zoological gardens and breeding centres ensuring that post mortem specimens are deposited in recognised museums so that they can be properly preserved for posterity. It is possible that further specimens of G. thoracatus from the same import may exist in other regional museums in the United Kingdom.

Published Paper

Additions to the hypodigm of the extinct Swan Island Hutia (Geocapromys thoracatus, Capromyidae; Rodentia), is published in the Caribbean Journal of Science, Vol. 48, No. 1, 63-65, 2014