Archive for the ‘Carnivores’ Category

Nov
15

FOTO Friday Winner of the Week!

Posted by in Carnivores,Contest,Funny

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

Last Friday, we 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 with the top voted caption by Tricia Nicole Mulkey McClelland!

SPOT-ACULAR, and the flock cheers!

Doesn't smell like chicken...

FIRST RUNNER UP:

  Lizette Kim Gonzalez: Darn… they’ve tricked me again!! ITS PLASTIC!! GGGRRRRRRAAAH…

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SECOND RUNNER UP:

  Sara Keene-Jeter: I thought we got free range, not processed

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THIRD RUNNER UP:

  Lynne Hengst: I wonder if Jonathon flamingo flocked me !?!?

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HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Tonia White: Ugh! I can’t eat this! Its pink!

Dana Rice: Unfortunately, the hiney sniff doesn’t give me any clue as to what this creature is. To eat or not to eat?

Tammy Farnsworth: If I get a wee bit lower I can blend right in…

Erika Wehmeyer Livingston: Nope. I still don’t see why the dogs do that!

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Thanks for joining in the fun!

And please come on back for the next FOTO Friday!

Looking for a fun creative way to surprise your friends? Fill their lawn with flamingos from The Houston Zoo’s Flamingo Flocking!


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Nov
08

FOTO Friday Winner of the Week!

Posted by in Carnivores,Contest,Funny

Welcome to the Houston Zoo’s FOTO FRIDAY Caption Challenge results post from Friday, November 4!

Last Friday, we 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 with the top voted caption by Tracy Thornton 

** CROWD ROAR!**

If you squint your eyes just right, they look like lunch

FIRST RUNNER UP:

 
Niki Roberts: Lester, I don’t have my glasses, are those people watching us?
No, dear, just the trees.

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A TIE FOR SECOND RUNNER UP:

Mike McDermott: Keep smiling, then I’ll take the one on the right, you cover me… 

Asa-Mari Elric: Nah. People give me gas. Let’s order pizza

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AND A TIE FOR THIRD RUNNERS UP:

Susan Cunningham: Darling, we must remember our sunglasses next time

Amy Farrugia Jones: “Just closeyour eyes, maybe they will go away!”

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HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Charlie Paul: If you squint hard enough you can imagine the Sahara over there…

Nicole Key: “Just LION around! Get it? Cause we’re lions?”
“Dammit, Jonathan, I got it! I didn’t laugh cause it’s still not funny.”

Nancy Gray Barrow: Pardon me my Queen…do we have any Grey Poupon?

AmyandVinnie Antoline: “The next Solar eclipse is when again”?

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Thanks for joining in the fun!

And please come on back for the next FOTO Friday!

 


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Nov
04

Climbing for Clouded Leopards

Posted by in Carnivores

Think you can climb as well as a clouded leopard?  Think again!

Clouded leopards are arboreal, meaning they spend much of their time in the trees.  Fittingly, they are one of the best climbers in the cat family.  Their long tails help them maintain balance as they maneuver through the branches, and large paws give them a bigger surface area for gripping.  Their coolest feature for climbing, however, is their back ankles.  These are shaped in such a way that the clouded leopards can rotate their back feet, allowing them to climb down a tree head first!

Even the best human climber can’t match the feats of a clouded leopard, although as a rainforest animal the cats are probably not scaling a lot of cliffs.  That doesn’t mean that you can’t come enjoy some rock climbing and help AAZK raise money to help protect and study these beautiful cats!  On November 9, 2011  they’ll be hosting Climbing for Clouded Leopards at the Texas Rock Gym from 5-10pm.  All proceeds will be donated to the Clouded Leopard Project.

Though clouded leopards are solitary, you don’t have to climb alone!  You are welcome to bring a friend and we’ll have volunteers available to belay anyone who comes without a partner.

By Leigh Spencer, Senior Education Specialist

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Nov
01

Rocky the Cougar, 1995-2011

Posted by in Carnivores,Featured,Mammals,Memories

On a cool rainy day in early December 2001 a young male cougar named Rocky arrived at the Houston Zoo.

Rocky the Cougar, 1995 – 2011

The carnivore keepers and the Zoo veterinarians who would care for Rocky the rest of his life knew little if anything about him. They didn’t know when or where he was born or much of anything about his life at his previous home, a suburban back yard in North Harris County. Rocky had been surrendered by his owner along with another young cougar named Martha.

But Rocky’s care team knew one thing – Rocky had attitude. If he didn’t like something or someone he would walk away and sit and glare, slowly twitching the end of his tail back and forth.

But over time, Rocky began to slowly mellow.

 

A handsome portrait of Rocky will be included in a photo essay in an upcoming issue of National Geographic magazine highlighting the National Geographic Society’s Big Cats Initiative.

His keepers learned that he liked perfume. Houston Zoo keepers utilize scents as enrichment for all the carnivores in their care but Rocky was especially taken with bold scents. If it was stinky, Rocky loved it.

And Rocky liked to play with paper. Well, maybe play isn’t the right word – more like shred it into a storm of tiny bits and scatter it about his bedroom.

But what Rocky really enjoyed was painting. In the holding area behind his exhibit, keepers would put paint on a canvas and slide a portion of it toward him, the keepers safely on the other side of the containment screen. Then Rocky would rub the paint on the canvas with his paws. When he let his keepers know he was finished, the task then was to get the canvas back so another part of it could be painted. A few of Rocky’s masterpieces were returned with a bite out of one corner.

Not long after Rocky’s exhibit mate Martha passed away, he was introduced to a young cougar named Haley. Keepers were reticent to introduce one so young to a male of advanced age. But the introduction went well and the new arrival put the spring back in Rocky’s step.

The keepers and his veterinarians who lovingly cared for Rocky and the thousands of Zoo guests and staff who were awed by his presence during his time with us will never forget him.

But over the past year Rocky’s veterinarians determined that his kidneys were not functioning efficiently. He was losing weight and losing interest in food. On Monday, October 31 his care team, his keepers and his veterinarians made the difficult decision to euthanize Rocky.

The keepers and his veterinarians who lovingly cared for Rocky and the thousands of Zoo guests and staff who were awed by his presence during his time with us will never forget him.

A handsome portrait of Rocky will be included in a photo essay in an upcoming issue of National Geographic magazine highlighting the National Geographic Society’s Big Cats Initiative.

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Oct
20

The Clouded Leopard: Elusive, Enigmatic and Endangered

Posted by in Carnivores

The Houston Zoo is home to a species of cat that has evaded researchers for years.  The clouded leopard is a well-hidden secret of Southeast Asia.  This beautiful cat is named for the nebulous spots on its coat.  Even the scientific name, Neofelis nebulosa, refers to the shape of the spots! 

Clouded leopards are found in the dense rainforest of Southeast Asia, where they spend most of their time up in the canopy.  As they are shy, nocturnal, and well-camouflaged, these cats have proven a challenge to study.  Camera traps have proven an effective way of documenting the presence of these cats; these motion-activated cameras are set along trails used by prey animals and can sometimes catch images of the cats as well.Even exhibited at the Zoo, this species can be a tricky one to find.  The exhibit includes many good places to hide, and often the only thing that can be seen is a long tail draped over the edge of the rockwork, or maybe a foot or the tip of an ear.  Keep looking when you visit, though.  When the cat is moving around or even just more easily seen, it’s definitely a reward for your efforts!

Climbing for Clouded Leopards, an event hosted by our AAZK chapter to help support the study and protection of these cats, will be held on November 9.  Come enjoy rock climbing with us and help AAZK raise money to help protect and study these beautiful cats!  On November 9,  they’ll be hosting Climbing for Clouded Leopards at the Texas Rock Gym from 5-10pm.  All proceeds will be donated to the Clouded Leopard Project

By Leigh Spencer, Senior Education Specialist

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Oct
13

The Ambassadors are Wild for the Houston Zoo

Posted by in Carnivores,Events,Supporting Your Zoo

On Thursday, September 22, the Houston Zoo’s Ambassadors gathered at the newly renovated cougar exhibit for an evening of Cocktails and Canapés. Guests enjoyed the cooler weather as they sipped on wine and beer and sampled delicious bites created by Chef Larry of Solarus Catering. The Zoo’s Carnivore team presented a demonstration featuring the cougars and jaguars, delighting guests with an up close and personal view into the training that happens daily at the Houston Zoo. Event goers learned more about these amazing animals and why keepers work diligently to train different behaviors. To view more photos from this event, please click here.

Ambassadors enjoying the training demonstration

The Ambassadors is a growing group of Zoo supporters who are committed to spreading the mission and vision of the Houston Zoo. Each year, the Ambassadors are invited to exclusive social events, aimed at providing members with a personalized Zoo experience to inspire leadership for the Houston Zoo. These events culminate with the Annual Ambassadors’ Winter Gala that directly benefits the Zoo’s animal care, education, and conservation programs. The Fourth Annual Gala will be held on February 4, 2012 and promises to be another exciting evening of food, drinks, and unforgettable animal experiences.

With an annual donation of $250 for an individual or $500 for a couple, Ambassadors receive a number of exclusive benefits including unlimited admission to the Zoo for one year, a 15% discount in the Houston Zoo Gift Shop and much more.

 

This is a great value for those who want to make a difference for their Zoo and are looking for fantastic benefits in return. To learn more about the Ambassadors or to join today, please click here.

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Oct
11

FOTO Friday Winner of the Week!

Posted by in Carnivores,Contest,Funny

Welcome to the Houston Zoo’s FOTO FRIDAY Caption Challenge results post from Friday, October 7!

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.

Here is the picture that was posted on Facebook last Friday, with the top voted caption by Alma Garza Mescher. 

YOUR VOTES HELP DETERMINE THE WINNERS!

I thought it was bobbing for apples, not pumpkins!

FIRST RUNNER UP:

 
Cassidy Lentsch:  With these vicious claws and teeth, I’m a shoe-in to win the pumpkin carving contest. Those bears are only getting second this year!

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A HILARIOUS SECOND RUNNER UP

 Mary Klumpp:  TAKE THIS CINDERELLA!

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THIRD RUNNER UP!
 
Tiffany Spain: Muahahaha… Linus will never find The Great Pumpkin here!!
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TOO MANY Funny Honorable Mentions:

Sandra Fleming Studios: Hey, do I have something stuck in my teeth? 

Randall Laughlin: What happened to just coughing up fur balls!

Blythe Smith McDonald: Nom-O-Lantern

 Dawneen Hebert:  ‎”Nice try pumpkin…. but you can’t escape my awesome pouncing skills!!!”

Sue Harmon-Astorga: I ordered Cafe Mocha – NOT Pumpkin Spice latte!!!!!

Barbara Blanchard Reed: I’m taking my pumpkin and going home!

Tom Burke: I can has punkin?

Margaret Margo Augustin: Does this make me look fat?_________________________________________________________________________________

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!

Thanks for joining in the fun!

And please come on back for next Friday!

You can come get your very OWN pumpkin from our pumpkin patch on any one of the TEN, count ‘em TEN days of Zoo Boo this year. Visit our website for dates and details.  Times vary, so  be sure to check.  See you ghouls, goblins and geeks there!


Sep
20

FOTO Friday Winner of the Week!

Posted by in Carnivores,Contest,Funny

Welcome to the Houston Zoo’s FOTO FRIDAY Caption Challenge results post from Friday, September 16 !

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 Hanna Kenas Roach!!! RAWRRRRR!

Don't tell him I said this, but I think he's had a little too much work done. You know what I mean?

FIRST RUNNER UP:

Bryan Skinner:  Jonathan, did you do something different with your mane this morning?

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SECOND RUNNER UP!

Alma Garza Mescher: Psssstttt….’The Lion King’ in 3D comes out today and is only out for 2 weeks….spread the word.
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THIRD RUNNER UP 
Rhonda Boughner Cates:  What are you doing out THERE? We’re supposed to be in HERE!
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Honorable Mentions:

Kathy Russell: Definitely not a another brother from another mother

Jeff Gifford: Bet he tastes like chicken…

David Frels: Psst! Simba! Over here! Pride Rock is that way. Jonathan is the king of this zoo.

Nicole Gayleen Porterpan: Is this some sort of trick for enrichment day? Of course we know that’s our keeper dressed in a lion suit. Try harder please.

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 Call of the Wild Speaker Series is Back! 

Carnivore Supervisor Kevin Hodge trains our big handsome male Jonathan

Lions Kick Off Fall Line Up  
Tuesday, October 4
* Special Lion Demo Event: Starts at 5:45, limit to 40 people 
* Lion Lecture:  6:30 p.m: Pre-event lite bites and wine, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: Speaker

The people of Mozambique are co-existing with lions thanks to the work of Dr. Colleen Begg, founder of the Niassa Lion Project. Enjoy her thrilling stories and amazing adventures in Africa as she starts off our Speaker Series. Enjoy Light bites and wine and soft drinks and conservation merchandise table before the lecuture, starting at 6:30 p.m.

ANNOUNCING a special, pre-lecture Lion Demonstration event! Join Dr. Colleen Begg for a rare opportunity: an up close and personal view of the Houston Zoo’s African Lion pride getting a special meal and interacting with their keepers! Beginning promptly at 5:45 p.m.

 Attend the Lion Demo, the Lion Lecture or both!  Purchase your paperless tickets to these exciting events — and find out about our future wolf and Galapagos tortoise events – HERE!

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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. Click here for all our chill activities and tips.

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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.

 

Aug
24

Carnivore Enrichment: Hunting, Pouncing and Chasing!

Posted by in Carnivores,Enrichment,Events

The Zookeepers at the Houston Zoo strive to get natural behaviors from their animals by providing novel enrichment items.  Enrichment helps to improve an animal’s well being by stimulating them mentally and physically in order to encourage natural behaviors.  Each enrichment item is geared to stimulating one of their basic senses: sound, taste, sight, touch and smell.  You can help provide items for your favorite carnivore at Amazon.com.

If we want to encourage a Jaguar to hunt like they would in the wild, we will hide a barrel with meat inside on exhibit.  It’s not room service every day at the zoo!!!  In this example the Jaguar smells the meat but cannot see it.  He would have to use his sense of smell to find the food source and then he has to manipulate the barrel in order to get the meat out.  Manipulating the barrel stimulates the Jaguar physically and mentally, often turning into play as well. 

The Carnivore Department provides a different type of enrichment every day.  To prevent repetition and boredom we are constantly changing our enrichment schedule and trying to come up with fresh ideas.  Some of the most popular enrichment items for Carnivores include novel food items, bones, ice pops, various scents, bedding and boxes. 

Bonita, our Maned Wolf loves it when we give her a box of crickets.  The noise and movement created by the crickets stimulate Bonita’s hunting behaviors and she loves tearing the box apart. 

We recently installed a zip line for our African Wild Dog exhibit.  The zip line gives us a whole new way to present bones, hides and large chunks of meat to the African Wild Dogs.  The dogs have to chase their enrichment item and then pull it off the line.  You can see in the photo below it’s a group effort!  Chasing, tearing, pulling and working for their food are all behaviors the Dogs would exhibit in the wild.

By encouraging natural behaviors through enrichment guests visiting the Houston Zoo can see Jaguars hunting, Maned Wolves pouncing and African Wild Dogs chasing.  Hopefully these kinds of moments at the Zoo will foster an appreciation for the plight of all animals in the wild. 

Enrichment Day at the Houston Zoo is Saturday, September 24th.  This is a great opportunity to come and join in the fun.  Come out and 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!

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!

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Jun
28

FOTO Friday Winner of the Week

Posted by in Carnivores,Contest,Funny

Welcome to the Houston Zoo’s FOTO FRIDAY Caption Challenge results post from Friday, June 24!

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 two time winner –Guppy Man!!! (insert appreciative Big Cat yawn!)

THE HANGOVER-PART ZOO

 
FIRST RUNNER UP:

Kay Sutton Koci: Next time I’ll COUNT the sheep….Not eat them!! 

  SECOND RUNNER UP:

Michael Byron: Soft kitty, warm kitty Little ball of fur. Happy kitty, sleepy kitty Purr purr purr.

THIRD RUNNERS UP:

Elaine Thompson: One tequila, two tequila, three tequila, floor.

Kelly Van Gelder: Seriously… who designed this lounge area???

And some wildly funny HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Jeff Bricmont: Where did I get all these tattoos from???

 Megan Neal: I HOPE the photos from last night don’t end up on Facebook!!

Erik Burington:  Ohhhh! I knew I shouldn’t have gone to that party with Blanco

last night!

Bridget Robbins Haines: I don’t care what you say, I don’t believe I have narco-zzzZZZZZ.

  

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.

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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.

  

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