Dr Tariq Abou-Zahr BVSc CertAVP(ZooMed) DipECZM(Avian) MRCVS
Exotic Animal Veterinary Surgeon
EBVS & RCVS Recognised Veterinary Specialist in Zoological Medicine (Avian Medicine & Surgery)
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Collection
Tariq has been involved in private aviculture and herpetoculture and keeping and breeding birds and reptiles as a hobby for many years and currently maintains a small private collection of select avian and reptilian species. Some of these animals are part of a conservation breeding program. There are occasionally a small number of surplus offspring produced from certain species, which are sold to or exchanged with other hobbyists and collections.
Tariq's want to become an exotic veterinary surgeon was inspired by his own animals, which he was keeping from a very young age.
Tariq's keeping focus is primarily birds of the family Ramphastidae (toucans, toucanets and aracaris) and Indo-Australian pythons - especially carpet pythons and the dwarf pythons (Antaresia). A few other species are kept too (see below). The ethos is to focus on few select species and to establish genetically diverse groups of those species, with multiple bloodlines. Well-maintained, genetically diverse captive collections can be considered an "invisible ark" reserve of species.
Please see below for currently kept species:
Toco Toucan - Ramphatos toco
The largest species of toucan, endemic to South America. Unlike other toucans, it inhabits semi-open habitats commonly, rather than forests. They are less gregarious than other toucans, frequently feeding alone. The bill is the largest relative to body size of all birds, according for 20-50% of the surface area of the body.
Tariq keeps a pair of Toco toucans and remains forever hopeful that they may one day produce offspring.
Black-necked Aracari - Pteroglossus aracari atricollis
A large aracari, with an average weight of around 250g. Its maxillary beak is ivory-white, contrasting with a jet-black mandible. There are three subspecies of black necked aracari. The atricollis subspecies is found in eastern Venezuela, the Guianas and northern Bazil. A gregarious bird, it nests in hollows in trees made by woodpeckers, or by the fracturing of branches.
Chestnut-eared Aracari - Pteroglossus castanotis
Another large aracari species, similar to the black-necked, but with a bit more colour. They are a particularly noisy aracari species, making a "mweep mweep" noise when excited or distressed. As with all toucans, it plays an important role in its native habitat as a disperser of fruit seeds.
Carpet Python - Morelia spilota spp.
Carpet Pythons are Tariq's favourite group of snakes. Native to Australia and New Guinea, Tariq keeps the following Australian subspecies:
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Jungle Carpet Python, Morelia spilota cheynei
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Darwin Carpet Python, Morelia spilota variegata
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Inland Carpet Python, Morelia spilota metcalfei
Bredl's Python - Morelia bredli
The Bredl's python, or centralian python is Tariq's favourite species of snake. Native to a region in Australia's southern Northern Territory, these snakes are semi arboreal and often inhabit rocky outcrops in their red, Australian desert habitat. Bredl's pythons are colourful, hardy and typically have a great disposition. They are larger than many of the carpet python subspecies, often getting to 6-8 feet in length, with some specimens getting even bigger than that.
Spotted Python - Antaresia maculosa
This species is the largest of the Antaresia genus. They originate from the east coast of Australia and seldom exceed four foot in length. Tariq rehomed a male spotted python that was a stowaway from Mackay in Queensland that accidentally arrived in the UK in a suitcase.
Stimson's Python - Antaresia stimsoni spp.
Tariq has kept Stimson's pythons for many years and bred them a number of times. He keeps NT type Eastern Stimson's Pythons (Antaresia stimsoni orientalis) which were originally acquired from Australian Addiction Reptiles in the USA, as well as animals from the Frank Schofield line, from NSW. Also Wheatbelt type western Stimson's Pythons (Antaresia stimsoni stimsoni) which were acquired from UK Pythons, Pilbara western stimson's pythons and an unrelated line of western stimson's pythons from no designated locality, which came from mainland Europe.
Royal Python - Python regius
Tariq's interests are predominantly in pure, natural type snakes, however royal pythons have been kept since the university days in some spectacular colours and patterns and Tariq still keeps a few of these beautiful little pythons. The royal python is one species which is well on its way to being a "domesticated" reptile. In nature, these snakes come from west Africa.