Archive for the ‘Bears’ Category

Feb
13

Patty & Willie, A Love Story

Posted by in Bears,Mammals,Uncategorized,Valentine's Day

          Patty and Willie are a pair of our Andean or “Spectacled” bears that have cohabitated in the bear exhibit here at the Houston Zoo for 25 years. Spectacled bears are the only bears found on the continent of South America and are named for the facial markings that sometimes resemble spectacles. During their years together Patty and Willie have had two sets of cubs. One set was born on Valentine’s Day in 1993! The kids now live at other zoos as part of the Houston Zoo’s participation in cooperative captive management.

 

Now in their twilight years, the chance of more cubs has passed for Patty and Willie but as long time companions they do not like to be separated from each other for too long. Although Patty occasionally needs some alone time, which she orchestrates by going into the moat where Willie typically doesn’t go, they can often be seen snoozing together. Patty makes wonderful fluffy nests which Willie promptly plops down in. Patty then proceeds to make an even bigger and fluffier nest for herself! It seems to be a system that works for them.

 

 

 

Come by the Andean bear exhibit over Valentine’s Day and congratulate Patty and Willie on 25 blissful years!

 

 

 

Dec
01

12 Days of Grub: Day 2 – Two Grizzly Bears

Posted by in Bears,Gift of Grub,Holidays

On the Second Day of Grub, your zoo gift will help to feed…Two Grizzly Bears and Darwin the Cassowary! CLICK HERE to read them all!

Grizzly Bears are known for their love of fish and The Houston Zoo’s Boomer and Bailey are no exception!

 

The two 32 year old bears weigh in at 490lbs and 518lbs respectively and each consume about 12lbs of fish and meat, 15lbs fruits and vegetables, and 35lbs omnivore biscuits every week. They are offered a variety of produce items including oranges, apples, pears, pineapple, mango, papaya, avocado, lettuce, bananas, and several different types of berries. They also receive treats of honey, yogurt, and peanut butter. Each bear has his own likes, dislikes, and favorite items. This summer, keepers even kept a chart of each bear’s preferences to further tailor their diets to their personal tastes!

Brown bears have the largest range of any bear species and can be found in a variety of habitats. Grizzly bears are a sub species of brown bear and are found in the continental Unites States, Canada and interior Alaska. The name “grizzly” refers to their “grizzled” or grey blond hair in its fur. Brown bears are easily recognizable by the large muscle on their shoulders, which is used to help them dig for rodents and other foods.

Grizzly Bear diets vary depending on what foods are available. They are omnivorous and although the main part of their diet is fruits and plant material, they will occasionally eat deer, elk, and caribou. To maintain such a large body, they must consume a lot of calories, especially before hibernation. They can gain as much as three pounds a day to put on enough fat to make it through the long winters.  If you’d like to learn more about grizzly bears and other bear species, visit the Great Bear Foundation or the Center for Wildlife Information!

Written by Carnivore Keepers, Samantha Junker and Courtney Patterson

Help provide tasty and nutritious grub for the Zoo’s grizzly bears and the rest of our animal family this holiday season: Give the Gift of Grub! TXU Energy is matching all donations through December 31, up to $25,000 total, so your gift could have TWICE the impact.  Yes, that means you could help feed TWO bears for the price of ONE!

Tags: , , , ,
Oct
04

FOTO Friday Winner of the Week!

Posted by in Bears,Contest,Funny

Welcome to the Houston Zoo’s FOTO FRIDAY Caption Challenge results post from Friday, September 30!

Last Friday, we posted a photo on Facebook and asked you to leave your best caption in the comment section. Then readers could “like” each caption comment to vote for their favorites. Their votes, combined with those of our own panel, determined the caption to appear under the picture right here on the Official Houston Zoo Blog this week. We hope you’ll come back for the fun EVERY FRIDAY.

YOUR VOTES HELP DETERMINE THE WINNERS!

Here is the picture that was posted on Facebook last Friday, with the top voted caption by Tiffany  Alton- Herrmann!!!  Everybody ROAR!

Darn you Yogi Bear!

 FIRST RUNNER UP:

Sandra Fleming Studios: Alrighty then Doctor . . . let’s hope for another successful organ transplant.

_________________________________________________________________________________

SECOND RUNNER UP

Enchanted Forest: Heeeey BooBoo, It’s a pic-a-nic basket!

_________________________________________________________________________________


THIRD RUNNER UP TRIFECTA!
Wendy Kolleski: I can’t bear this anymore, I’m hungry!!!!

Della Schapiro: I’ve had a long hard day… Where’s my Bud Light?

 Logan Crocker: alright guys the fun stops when you take away my beer….

________________________________________________________________________________

MANY Funny Honorable Mentions:

Bridget Robbins Haines: WHERE’S THE BEEF!?

Amanda Pinup’perfect Isbell: Aren’t polar bears supposed to be at the north pole? I’m telling Santa they took my Coca-Cola again and they are going on the naughty list!

Stacey Ricks: Who drank the last Coke? Grrrrrr……

_________________________________________________________________________________

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!

Thanks for joining in the fun!

And please come on back for next Friday!


Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Jul
26

FOTO Friday Winner of the Week!

Posted by in Bears,Contest,Funny

Welcome to the Houston Zoo’s FOTO FRIDAY Caption Challenge results post from Friday, July 22!

Last Friday, we posted a photo on Facebook and asked you to leave your best caption in the comment section. Then readers could “like” each caption comment to vote for their favorites. Their votes, combined with those of our own panel, determined the caption to appear under the picture right here on the Official Houston Zoo Blog this week. We hope you’ll come back for the fun EVERY FRIDAY.

YOUR VOTES HELP DETERMINE THE WINNERS!

Here is the picture that was posted on Facebook last Friday, with the top voted caption by Barbara Blanchard Reed !!! (insert Grizzly roar!)

Aahhhh- wuh - NO, I did not pee in the pool!

 FIRST RUNNER UP:

Cathleen Grauel Schlechte: Oh…I shoulda been a seal!

SECOND RUNNER UP:

Amy McKinney Weisman: Don’t judge… What would you do if you were wearing a fur coat in this heat? 

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Sharon Rose: Ican’t “bear” the thought of one more day of this heat!!!!

Jamie Pempek Van Wunnik:  I do my best thinking right here…. 

Reba Athey: So…go fer a swim… catch some rays… get somethin -SQUIRREL!… uh..what was I sayin

Donna Lybarger:  Just too tired to get out.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!

Thanks for joining in the fun!

And please come on back for next Friday!

DID YOU KNOW:

Grizzly bears, native of Alaska, western Canada and the northwestern United States, are second in size only to polar bears.  Grizzlies are omnivores, eating both plants and animals.   Both the Zoo’s naturalistic spectacled bear and grizzly bear habitats feature a flowing watercourse and pool, natural grass substrate, climbing features and additional shade.  Come on in and visit them soon!


TXU Energy Presents Chill Out at the Houston Zoo:

Houston summers are hot, but the Houston Zoo is cool.

Guess what’s new? Starting today, you can enjoy four brand new misting stations in addition to the mister fans that are spread out all over our grounds! You can find them here:

*at the lawn by the okapis

*off Duck Lake on the side near our Wortham World of Primates

*next to the wishing well at the start of the McGovern’s Childrens Zoo

* at the entrance to The African Forest.

Click here for all our chill activities and tips.

*******

Check out our Facebook page to see the rest of the entries. We hope this brought a smile to your face. And stay tuned for next Friday’s photo! Tell your friends, share this on Facebook, Twitter or your own blogs, and start your office pools to see who can come up with the best lines. (To show the picture and link on your social media, just click the little icons under the title SHARE THIS on the lower left of this post).To find us on Facebook, type in Houston Zoo Inc. in the search field or go to http://www.facebook.com/houstonzoo and become a fan.

 

Tags: , , , , ,
Jul
05

FOTO FRIDAY Winner of the Week!

Posted by in Bears,Contest,Funny

Welcome to the Houston Zoo’s FOTO FRIDAY Caption Challenge results post from Friday, July 1!

Last Friday, we posted a photo on Facebook and asked you to leave your best caption in the comment section. Then readers could “like” each caption comment to vote for their favorites. Their votes, combined with those of our own panel, determined the caption to appear under the picture right here on the Official Houston Zoo Blog this week. We hope you’ll come back for the fun EVERY FRIDAY.

YOUR VOTES HELP DETERMINE THE WINNERS!

Here is the picture that was posted on Facebook last Friday, with the top voted caption by Kathy Burgamy Bear — Yes, in fact, that last name is BEAR!

“Hey have you heard the nursery rhyme that goes…sing a song of six pence a pocket full of rye, four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie..?.” Bird: “Yeah, why?” Bear: “Cause I am hungry for blackbird pie now!”

A tie in votes for FIRST RUNNER UP: 

Guppy Man: I know you are but what am I? :-p
Barbara Blanchard Reed: ‎’Do I feel lucky?’…. Well, do ya, punk?

  SECOND RUNNER UP:

Erik Burington:  Bye Bye Birdie…

And some wildly funny HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Cynthia Stipeche:  Bear asks, “How many licks does it take to get to the Toosie-Roll center of a Grackle-Pop?”

David Frels: I don’t mind sitting on your nest, but these eggs are getting uncomfortable.

Lawrence Skip:  Black bear says “Whats your name bird ?…Bird responds “Black .” Bear says “Really? My first name is Brown!”

Jennifer Burgdorf: This is TOO easy…

Chase Byron Samford: Wanna join me for lunch?

Beverly Steele: You’re awful small to be the manicurist..Do you have grizzly brown enamel?

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!

Thanks for joining in the fun!  And please come on back for next Friday!


TXU Energy Presents Chill Out at the Houston Zoo:

Houston summers are hot, but the Houston Zoo is cool.

Guess what’s new? Starting today, you can enjoy four brand new misting stations in addition to the mister fans that are spread out all over our grounds! You can find them here:

*at the lawn by the okapis

*off Duck Lake on the side near our Wortham World of Primates

*next to the wishing well at the start of the McGovern’s Childrens Zoo

* at the entrance to The African Forest.

Click here for all our chill activities and tips.

*******

Check out our Facebook page to see the rest of the entries. We hope this brought a smile to your face. And stay tuned for next Friday’s photo! Tell your friends, share this on Facebook, Twitter or your own blogs, and start your office pools to see who can come up with the best lines. (To show the picture and link on your social media, just click the little icons under the title SHARE THIS on the lower left of this post).To find us on Facebook, type in Houston Zoo Inc. in the search field or go to http://www.facebook.com/houstonzoo and become a fan.

     

Tags: , , , , ,
Mar
15

FOTO FRIDAY Winner of the Week!

Posted by in Bears,Contest,Funny

Welcome to the Houston Zoo’s FOTO FRIDAY Caption Challenge results post from Friday, March 11!

Last Friday, we posted a photo on Facebook and asked you to leave your best shot at a caption in the comment section. Then readers could “Like” each caption comment to vote for their favorite captions. Their votes, combined with those of our own panel, determined the caption to appear under the picture right here on the Official Houston Zoo Blog this week. We hope you’ll come back for the fun EVERY FRIDAY.

YOUR VOTES HELP DETERMINE THE WINNERS!

Here is the picture that was posted on Facebook last Friday, with the winning caption by – are y’all ready?  Cassidy Lentsch!!!!  Wooo!

1, 2, 3, 4, I declare a thumb war... Wait, do we actually have thumbs?

First Runner Up:

Eileen Petre Rock, paper, scissors...

And a three way tie for Second Runner Up:

Cynthia Stipeche: Wonder-Bear powers ACTIVATE!

Heather Robert: Wigga wigga wigga wigga aahhh! You the bear. No, you the bear. No really, you the bear….

Michael Byron:  Hey! Pull my finger.

_________________________________________________________________

Thanks to everyone for participating

and

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!  

DID YOU KNOW:

The Houston Zoo’s two Grizzlies, Bailey and Boomer, came to the Zoo as a result of an SPCA confiscation. They, among other bears and tigers, had been retired from some kind of circus work and had been kept for years in small cages, in the heat, with little water or even room to move around. After these animals were safely in custody, Houston Zoo vets worked with the SPCA to help the animals return to health and Bailey and Boomer were given a forever home here at the Zoo. They now enjoy long naps in the shade, with lots of enrichment, a great diet, and excellent medical care. Best of all, they have a pool that they love to sit and play in.

You can read more by clicking this link: http://www.houstonzoo.org/en/cms/219/

To see video of  our vets helping these bear’s pal Betsy, visit the Houston Zoo website at http://www.houstonzoo.org/betsy-bear/

*******

Check out our Facebook page to see the rest of the entries. We hope this brought a smile to your face. And stay tuned for next Friday’s photo!Tell your friends, share this on Facebook, Twitter or your own blogs, and start your office pools to see who can come up with the best lines. (To show the picture and link on your social media, just click the little icons under the title SHARE THIS on the lower left of this post).To find us on Facebook, type in Houston Zoo Inc. in the search field or go to http://www.facebook.com/houstonzoo and become a fan.

 

Tags: , , ,
Feb
15

FOTO FRIDAY Caption Challenge Winner of the Week!

Posted by in Bears,Contest,Funny,Photo of the Day

Welcome to the Houston Zoo’s FOTO FRIDAY Caption Challenge results post from Friday, February 11!

Last Friday, we posted a photo on Facebook and asked you to leave your best shot at a caption in the comment section. Then readers could “like” each caption comment to vote for their favorite captions. Their votes, combined with those of our own panel, determined the caption to appear under the picture right here on the Official Houston Zoo Blog this week.

Without further ado, here is the picture  that was posted on Facebook last Friday, with the winning caption by Caitlyn Craft. This one is appropriately holiday themed…

WITH VALENTINES DAY SOON APPROACHING, ANIMALS ALL ACROSS THE HOUSTON ZOO ARE UPDATING THEIR eHabitat PROFILES. HERE WE HAVE THE LATEST PHOTO UPDATE FROM A SPECTACLED BEAR WHO IS HOPING TO MAKE A CONNECTION BEFORE THE BIG DAY!

Once again we had an enormous showing of creative and humorous captions. It’s very hard to pick from them but here are a few honorable mentions:

* Greg Davis: Alright, who turned up the gravity?

* In keeping with the gravity theme, David Frels got poetic:

The problem is I keep falling down.
I’m seem to be attracted to the ground.
I wonder if the people I meet
will notice the fact that I’m not on my feet.

* A very punny one from Wil Albright: OMG…….I’m Naked!!! How EmBEARrassing……

* And all the way from upstate New York, Joyce Nicodemus said: I’m not letting Goldilocks out until she makes more porridge!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!

Check out our Facebook page to see the rest of the entries.  We hope this brought a smile to your face. And stay tuned for next Friday’s photo!

Tell your friends, share this on Facebook, Twitter or your own blogs, and start your office pools to see who can come up with the best lines. (To show the picture and link on your social media, just click the little icons under the title SHARE THIS on the lower left of this post).

To find us on Facebook, type in Houston Zoo Inc. in the search field or go to http://www.facebook.com/houstonzoo and become a fan.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Sep
20

Bear Awareness Day at the Houston Zoo

Posted by in Bears,Carnivores,Events

Did you know that Black Bears are coming back into East Texas? That’s right– *back* into East Texas. 

Up until the 1940’s several populations of North American Black Bears called East Texas home.  And now they are returning.  In 2005 a task force was developed to assist in the recovery of the Black Bear.  Called the East Texas Black Bear Task Force, this is a subcommittee of the Black Bear Conservation Coalition consisting of landowners, state and federal agencies, conservation groups and private organizations. 

One of the main focuses of the task force is to promote the restoration of black bears to their historic range of East Texas.  They do this through education, research and habitat management. 

One way the Houston Zoo is assisting with this plan is to host a Bear Awareness Day, which will take place on September 25, 2010.  On that day, the Carnivore Department will perform some fun, educational skits at our Grizzly and Spectacled Bear exhibits. 

These skits are meant to educate our guests on how to reduce conflict with bears.  During the first skit, at the Grizzly Bear exhibit at 11:00 a.m., staff and volunteers will show how to differentiate between grizzly and black bears and then what to do if you see one while you are hiking. 

During the second skit, at the Spectacled Bear exhibit at 2:00 p.m., staff and volunteers will discuss camping and will show the right (and wrong!) ways to camp when there are bears around.

A Spectacled Bear kindly demonstrating one of the "Don'ts" of human picnicing!

We hope you come out to learn more about bears themselves and how to safely co-habitate with them while enjoying a great day at the Houston Zoo on Saturday, September 25!

Written by Susan Shepard

For more information about the return of the Louisiana Black Bear, please click on the link embedding in the East Texas Black Bear Task Force above to visit their website, or go to the Texas Parks and Wildlife website at:  http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/nuisance/bears

Tags: , , , , , ,
Aug
28

Meet the Staff: Susan Shepard

Posted by in Bears,Featured,Meet the Staff

Susan Shepard

Hometown:  Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base, CA (Oceanside)

Department/Title: Carnivore Keeper

How long have you worked at the Houston Zoo?: 8 years

How long have you been in the your field?: Total of 11 years – I worked at the Topeka Zoo for 2 ½ years

Animals I train: Patty (Spectacled Bear); Kadu (Leopard); Uzima (one of newest female Lions); Taji (Anatolian Shepherd)

Favorite animal: Spectacled Bears – bears in general!

Animals at home: I have a Blue and Gold Macaw, 1 dog and 2 cats.

Special interests/hobbies: Knitting, reading, hiking, working with Rhodesian Ridgeback and Anatolian Shepherd rescue groups. I also volunteer at a low cost spay/neuter clinic in La Marque.

 

Spectacled Bear

What made you want to work at a zoo?:

Initially I wanted to be a vet but by the time I would have gotten accepted, I would have had to go to college for 8 years and didn’t want to commit the time. I also knew that I did not want to work with livestock animals as a career. One day a woman from Cat Tales, a private facility in Spokane, WA that specializes in cats, came to the university and did a presentation about cats and zoo keeping. She brought one of their leopards and took him out for part of the presentation. After talking with her I thought Zoo Keeping would be fun to do as a career. I did some research, decided that it was something I wanted to do and switched my major to Zoology.

Education/training: Bachelor of Science Zoology, emphasis on Animal Care from Washington State University and a Certificate in Zoo Keeping from Cat Tales Zoological Training Center.

Advice to anyone wanting to enter your field: Be prepared for a lot of hard work and don’t get discouraged if you don’t get a job right away! Getting a job takes a lot of luck and good timing. You have to work for it and be persistent! If possible, take courses in psychology, training workshops, horticulture, and public speaking.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,