Archive for the ‘Animal Info’ Category

Jan
31

First Ever “Crowd Curated” Exhibit!

Posted by in Animal Info,Crowd Curated Exhibit,Mammals,Primates,Wortham World of Primates

I wanted to give everyone a quick update on where we are with our exhibit.  I have contacted the New World Primate Taxon Advisary Group (TAG) leader to find out the availability of our most frequently mentioned choices.  I included emperor tamarins, callimico (Goeldi’s monkeys) and titi monkeys. 

Titi monkeys are known for the endearing habit of entwining their tails.

Taxon Advisary Groups work under the umbrella of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and over see an entire taxa of animals, for example I mentioned the New World primate TAG. There are also a Felid TAG, a Lizard TAG and many more. If you read my last blog you may remember what an SSP is.  TAGs oversee SSPs.  Have you picked up on the fact that the zoo world has a LOT of acronyms?  The AZA website even has a list you can refer to because there are so many!  For now I think if we can keep AZA, TAG and SSP straight we should be good.

I will keep you posted on what the TAG says about our choices.  I also asked if there were any species that particularly needed space. It’s always good to play nice so if we need to place an animal in the future the TAGs and SSPs will remember that we were willing to help out.

For all the rodent fans out there, there are agoutis available, although we’re not sure how far down the cement around the bottom of our exhibit reaches.  We’re going to look into that to see if there is enough of a dig barrier to contain a rodent species.

Another option comes from reader MC. MC suggested a South American opossum species.  Any ideas of what species might work?  Post your ideas to the comments!

???

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Jan
14

Big Cats Don’t Make Good Pets, Part 2

Posted by in Animal Info,Carnivores,Keepers,Mammals,Zoo News

A student at Texas A & M University at Galveston where she studies marine biology, Kaitlin McGraw interned at the Houston Zoo last summer.

“When I came to the Zoo, I heard stories about the animals, and where they came from,” said Kaitlin.  “I was surprised to learn how many of the animals in the Zoo’s Carnivore Department came from private owners who had kept them as pets,” Kaitlin added.
“I wanted to do something to help people understand that keeping big cats as pets is not a good idea,” Kaitlin added.  The result was a series of video presentations profiling the ‘rescued cats’ at the Houston Zoo and recounting their individual stories.  The videos were produced using a Canon PowerShot camera and edited on the iMovie platform.

“In the future, I hope to work with an organization like the Houston Zoo, promoting conservation education or traveling to new locales, working with marine and wildlife sanctuaries,” said Kaitlin.

 

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Dec
14

Aurora Orangutan: 9 months old and counting…

Posted by in Animal Info,Babies,Primates,Volunteers,Wortham World of Primates,Zoo Births

For the last few months, zoo staff and volunteers have been very busy in the orangutan building. Baby Aurora has been flourishing under their care:  from her birth weight of 3 pounds she is up to a whopping 12 pounds in December. She has gone from a tiny, clinging being to an independent, personality-infused kid who is able to traverse her room all the way up to the skylight and back down again in a heartbeat.  She spends her days interacting with and watching her surrogate mom-to-be, Cheyenne, and her big-sister-in-waiting, Indah, now 7.

Photo by Janet Hughes

Cheyenne seems less than patient on the occasions when Aurora is engaged in play away from the mesh introduction panel placed in between their rooms. Chey kiss-squeaks loudly to get her attention, fishes for her with plant stalks or other modified tools, or makes throaty rumbling sounds in her direction. Cheyenne will come over to the introduction door with a blanket over her head to see if the baby will notice, and when she does, Chey engages her in gentle play through the mesh.  Her tenderness and avid interest in this infant is very touching to see.  Indah is a little more rambunctious in her attentions, and it is evident that she will be a great playmate to the baby once they are all together.

Other activities for Aurora include familiarizing herself with the outdoor exhibit, where she goes every morning prior to the zoo opening as the yard is serviced by keeper staff.  Her volunteer caregiver brings her outside in all but very chilly weather, and she curiously investigates the grass, the pool, the wooden structures and the windows. She enjoys sampling various types of edible browse, watching the fish and ducks get their morning breakfast, and just enjoying the morning air and the sounds of the birds chattering back and forth.

Photo by Tammy Buhrmester

 

Aurora still drinks formula from a bottle, but instead of being held by a caregiver while taking it, she simply receives her bottle through the mesh wall of her room.  This will facilitate the upcoming introduction, as of course human contact will be unnecessary once she goes in with Cheyenne.  She feeds herself bites of fruits, vegetables and primate biscuits and disdains the spoon for her cereal: caregivers just hand her a bowl of the mixture and she makes quick work of it.  She is very comfortable with our more distanced relationship now, which gives us high hopes that she will be quite ready to meet Cheyenne when the time comes.  We expect to start the first full introductions around the first of the new year.  Once Cheyenne and Aurora are fully comfortable with each other, we will work Indah into the mix.

Photo by Diane Chesley

 

This will be Cheyenne’s  fourth adopted baby since 1999.  Now age 39, she has been a great mom to previous kids Luna, Elok and Indah.  Adding Aurora to her brood is something that fulfills Cheyenne’s seemingly never-ending maternal potential. For Indah, at age 7, having a new baby sister will provide a bit of practice for her own child-rearing skills in the future, as well as letting her roughhouse with someone closer to her own age.

We look forward to the introduction and will keep you all posted on their progress!

Nov
21

Thanksgiving and Turkeys

Posted by in Animal Info,Children's Zoo,Gift of Grub,Holidays

Thanksgiving and Turkeys. It is hardly possible to think about one without thinking about the other. Since we are nearing Thanksgiving, I’d like to introduce you to the resident turkeys in the J.P. McGovern Children’s Zoo – but first, a little bit about turkeys in general.

Beautiful Turkey feathers

There are only two species of turkeys in the world and both are found in the Americas. The Ocellated Turkey is primarily found on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico as well as the northern parts of Belize and Guatemala. The Ocellated Turkey’s cousin, the Wild Turkey, is found in North America and Mexico.  It is heavier than the Ocellated but they share almost all the same characteristics. Both species are omnivores feeding primarily on berries, seeds, grasses, and insects. They will occasionally eat snakes, snails, and lizards.  Both species were domesticated by Native Americans for food, but it was the Wild Turkey of North America that became the originator of all our modern breeds of domestic turkey.

Jim the Wild Turkey hen

In the Children’s Zoo, we have a true Wild Turkey as well as two domestic turkeys. Our Wild Turkey is a hen and her name is Jim. Yes, it’s a boy’s name - it’s hard to know what sex they are when they are poults (babies)!  Jim lives with the chickens in the goat yard.

Our two domestic turkeys are both males which are called toms. They are Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys and their names are Benjamin and Franklin. Benjamin Franklin wanted the Wild Turkey to be the national bird, so we named our toms in his honor. Ben and Franklin live on exhibit with the deer.

Ben and Franklin

 
 
 
FUN FACT:
Believe it or not, when Europeans first settled in the Americas and started taking turkeys back to Europe, the turkey was so rare and tasted so good, that only royalty was allowed to eat them!
We hope you will come visit our turkeys!
 
Give the Gift of Grub this Thanksgiving to help provide tasty meals for our resident turkeys and the rest of the Zoo’s 6,000 animals.  From now until December 31, your gift could go twice as far thanks to a generous matching gift challenge by TXU Energy.  All gifts, up to $25,000 total, will be matched dollar for dollar in an effort to help the Zoo provide for its growing animal family. 
 
Thank you in advance for your support and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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Sep
24

Houston Zoo Animal Enrichment Wish List Now at Amazon.com!

Posted by in Animal Info,Enrichment,Events

Do you love to shop?!  The Houston Zoo animals now have a wishlist on Amazon.com!  We all enjoy buying that perfect gift for someone special…..and who’s more special than the animals at the zoo!  I know you’ve often wondered, if I were buying a gift for Jonathan the lion what on earth would he want?  And where would I go to buy it?  What about a baby gift for Aurora the orangutan?  Well today’s your lucky day and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your air conditioned home, yes shopping in the summer without breaking a sweat!!

All of the animals now have brought their needs and wants to you through Amazon.com, just a click away.  Here’s an example of some of the items you can purchase and enrich the lives of your favorite animal.

The Carnivores are asking for boomer balls, catnip and many other items, you know how cats love to wind themselves up on catnip, then start chasing everything in sight!   Like this Jolly Ball available at Amazon.com, peppermint scented!

Horseman's Pride Jolly Ball

The Primates are asking for a Look Lous feeding mirror….hmmmm is that so Rudy orangutan can make sure there are no crumbs on his face when he finishes his favorite breakfast??  Just a click away!

Looky Lou Feeder 14" X 10" Acrylic w/ 3/4" holes (.125 wall) Mirror on one side: 4 in.

Find your favorite animals and see what they’re wishing for at Amazon.com. Then just sit back, shop, click and send your animal of choice a wonderful gift to enrich their life!  They really do appreciate it and so does the Houston Zoo!

Enrichment Day at the Houston Zoo is today, Saturday, September 24th.  This is a great opportunity to see all of the animals enjoying special enrichment, hear keeper chats and loads of  fun games for kids of all ages!  Enrichment Day celebrates the meaning and joy of enriching our animals and visitors! If you are so inspired by this day, or have a favorite species at the Houston Zoo, you can now go on Amazon.com anytime of the year and make a difference!

 

Sep
10

Get Out and Play and The Naturally Wild Swap Shop

Posted by in Animal Info,Children's Zoo,Events,Just for Kids,Swap Shop

On Saturday, September 17 from 10AM – 3PM, the Houston Zoo will be hosting a zoo wide event to challenge everyone to GET OUT AND PLAY!  Many of the children and young adults of this generation are plugged into the electronic world and out of touch with the nature and world around them.  This is known as Nature Deficit Disorder and it can actually be linked to several childhood health issues.    The zoo’s goal for this event is to inspire children and adults to Get Out and Play more often and explore the natural world around them.

The zoo will be filled with exciting and challenging games and activities for children and adults.  The Houston Texans, KICKSTART KIDS, and other community groups and organizations will also be here, showing guests how and where they can be active and enjoy nature year-round in the city.

The Naturally Wild Swap Shop

One great way to become more active in nature is to get involved in the Naturally Wild Swap Shop in the McGovern Children’s Zoo.  The Swap Shop is designed for kids 18 years old and under to bring in things they find in nature and exchange their items for points. The points can then be swapped for items in the shop.   

  A very important part of the swap is knowledge.  If the trader has researched and learned  about the item they have brought in, and can tell us about it,  they get extra points for their knowledge. 

For more information about The Swap Shop and a list of items that can and cannot be brought in click here.

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Jul
31

Whats New in the Swap Shop?

Posted by in Animal Info,Children's Zoo,Insects,Swap Shop

Meet Edward Scissorhands, our Tailless Whip Scorpion.  He now lives in the Swap Shop full time!  Edward is not a true scorpion, but is in the Arachnid family and is a variety found in Africa.  He is harmless to humans but, if you are a cricket or worm, it’s a whole different story.  Tailless Whip Scorpions are nocturnal so they are active at night.  During the day they can be found hiding in leaf litter, logs, bark or under stones.  At night they come out to hunt and then it’s crickets beware.  They don’t have venom like a true scorpion but instead use their pinchers, called pedipalps, to crush their prey.  As in some other arachnid orders, Edward’s first pair of legs are modified to act as sensory organs or whips.  While Edward walks on the other six legs, these two legs are held out in front of his body as he moves to probe terrain and find prey. Come in to swap with us and visit Edward while you are here.  Don’t know about the Swap Shop?  Click here for more information.

Edward the Tailless Whip Scorpion

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Jun
22

A World of Pollinators

Posted by in Animal Info,Pollinators,Spotlight on Species

What the heck is a pollinator and why is the Houston Zoo having an event celebrating them?  A pollinator is an animal that helps a flowering plant complete its life-cycle by picking up pollen from one flower and physically moving it to another of the same type – this fertilizes the plant, allowing it to form seeds for the next generation.  The plant usually offers some sort of reward for this valuable service (sweet, sweet nectar…), but sometimes a plant will attract an animal to its flowers under false pretenses (check out these awesome examples!).  Pollinators are fascinating animals that also happen to provide humans with, oh, at least 30% of ALL the food we eat!

 

Malachite Sunbird, South Africa

 

About 1,000 different vertebrate species around the globe are pollinators – in this group are bats, birds, small mammals, lizards and even a lemur!  Bats are pollinators of some of our favorite edibles, such as mangoes and bananas – they also pollinate Agave, no doubt a very valuable plant to all you tequila lovers out there…

 

Mexico's Banana Bat (photo ©Marco Tschapka)

 

The vast majority of pollinators (a whopping 200,000 species) are invertebrates.   These can be beetles, bees, moths and butterflies, wasps, flies, ants and many others.  The most efficient pollinators in the world by far are bees.  You are probably familiar with the European honeybee, the bee that pollinates many of our crops and provides us with yummy honey.  But the European honeybee is only one of around 25,000 named bee species.  The United States alone has about 4,000 types of native bee – compare that to around 5,000 species of mammal in the entire world!  Want to learn more about our fantastic native bees?  Tune in next time…

 

Green bee on the shores of Lake Michigan

 

*photo credit, Malachite Sunbird: http://academic.sun.ac.za/botzoo/bruce/pollinator_adap.htm

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Jun
18

It’s Time to have a TOADally Awesome Fathers Day!

Posted by in Amphibians,Animal Info,Events

Just say NO to tacky ties!

Fathers Day is creeping up, and now that you’ve learned some about the Dads residing at the Houston Zoo, it’s time to finally pin down the perfect plan for that special dad in your life. As always, we are looking out for you and know not only the perfect gift, but the perfect way to celebrate too.

You’ve probably gotten dad a striped tie or two, some tools and lawn equipment (how fun for him!) and a lunch at The Olive Garden, but this year you need to break out of the box and get creative. The answer? Name a Houston Toad after him!

Houston Toads are a critically endangered species that, once native to Houston, now reside only in a small portion of Texas west of our city. The Houston Zoo’s conservation department has developed a Houston Toad program with hopes to increase their dwindling population and boost their likelihood of survival in the wild.

When you name a toad after dad, you’re helping support our Houston Toads, plus you’re giving one of the lucky toads a really cool name. Click here for more on the Houston Toad and the Name-A-Toad program.

Now that you’ve got the gift down, we have the perfect way to spend Fathers Day – our TOAD-ally Awesome Fathers Day event taking place on Sunday, June 19 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Reflection Pool. You’ll have a chance to introduce dad to one of those special Houston Toads, and you can partake in some TOADally awesome crafts and activities – all FREE with your Zoo admission!

The Houston Toad - Some names we've gotten so far include Sticky, Lord Mittens, Mongo and Mr.Chuckluck!

Can’t get enough toads in your life? Join us for special Toad Tracker Wild Winks taking place June 30, July 21 and August 13. These are one-of-a-kind overnight experiences where you will get to track toads on the Houston Zoo grounds at night. It could even be a good bonding experience with dad! :)  Click here for more details.

Toad trackers measuring a Houston Zoo inhabitant

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Jun
01

Houston Zoo opens redesigned and improved cougar exhibit.

Posted by in Animal Info,Carnivores,Construction,Featured,Mammals

Agile and graceful, cougars once roamed throughout most of the lower 48 United States.  Today, cougars are found in Florida and 14 western states including Texas – and at the Houston Zoo in a brand new exhibit that offers a unique perspective on an elusive species that few have had the opportunity to closely observe.

Designed entirely “in-house” by the Houston Zoo facilities personnel in concert with the carnivore care staff, the newly redesigned exhibit offers a unique viewing experience for Zoo guests.

About the Cougar Exhibit

Designed entirely “in-house” by the Houston Zoo facilities personnel in concert with the carnivore care staff, the newly redesigned exhibit offers a unique viewing experience for Zoo guests. Inside a viewing area designed to replicate an old abandoned mine shaft entrance, a section of ceiling has been replaced with laminated safety glass, allowing a cougar to peer down on Zoo guests from above.

At ground level, the original Lexan viewing panels that previously surrounded the habitat have been replaced with laminated safety glass inside the abandoned mine shaft viewing area and by stainless steel woven mesh outside, providing guests with a much clearer view of the animals in the exhibit.  The mesh allows Zoo Keepers to safely interact with the cats and conduct training demonstrations and Meet the Keeper Talks for Zoo guests.

Inside, the exhibit offers our cougars numerous climbing opportunities, a resting area that can be cooled in the summer and heated in the winter, and an environment that the Zoo horticulture team has planted with cactus representing species commonly found in the Big Bend region of West Texas.  The guest viewing experience has also been improved with the removal of low metal screening that previously covered the guest viewing area.  The redesign provides more viewing space and a better view of the upper elevations of the exhibit.

Haley exploring her new exhibit

About Cougars

The Houston Zoo is home to two cougars, Rocky (age 15) and Haley (age 2 and a half).  Cougars, also known as pumas and mountain lions have the greatest natural distribution of any terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere, other than humans – from southern Canada and the Western United States throughout Mexico and Central and South America, although the status of their range is not entirely known.

Powerfully built and extremely agile, cougars are characterized by a long body with unusually long hind feet, thought to be an adaptation for chasing and ambushing prey.  Opportunistic and adaptable, cougar prey ranges from mice to elk.  As a group, cougars are not an endangered species but in some parts of their range their populations are declining.  Habitat loss and hunting are the primary threats to the survival of cougar populations. As human populations expand, the amount of habitat available for cougars and other wildlife is shrinking and increasingly fragmented.

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