Archive for the ‘Reptile House’ Category

National Pollinator Week!

Posted by in Adaptations,Animal Info,Children's Zoo,Conservation,Events,Featured,Insects,Mammals,Natural Encounters,Pollinators,Primates,Reptile House,Reptiles,Tropical Bird House

 

What is a reptile doing on a pollination page?  Well, normally we think of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds as the major pollinators of the world, but did you know….

- There are 37 different species of lizards known to pollinate plants

- The seed production of agave plants (where tequila comes from) drops to one-three thousandth of normal when bats are not around to cross pollinate them

- On the island of Madagascar, black and white ruffed lemurs are the main pollinators of Traveler’s trees or Traveler’s palm

Come join us on June 26th and 27th to learn more about the pollinators around the world.  Meet-the-Keeper chats will be throughout the zoo to answer any and all questions about the pollinators you can see right here at the Houston Zoo!  Stop by and check out the tables supporting conservation efforts and activities throughout the zoo.

For more information on pollinators go to: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/unusual.shtml

For more information on Day Geckos check out www.nbii.gov. Photo taken by Dennis Hansen

Photo of the Day: April 2

Posted by in Photo of the Day,Reptile House,Reptiles

Cuban Crocodile

Cuban Crocodile

Photo of the Day – March 23

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African Spurred Tortoise

African Spurred Tortoise-0001

Blanco, The White Alligator

Posted by in Alligator,Reptile House,Reptiles

Meet The Animal: Blanco
Age: Approximately 21 years old
Scientific Name: Alligator mississippiensis

Houston Zoo's Blanco

Houston Zoo's Blanco

Lifestyle:

Blanco spends half his time in water and the other half on land. He eats previously frozen rats, small rabbits, and about once a year is treated to a turkey.

What Makes Blanco Special:

Because of his white skin, most assume that Blanco is albino. However, that is not the case. Blanco’s skin color is due to leucism, or reduction in all types of skin pigment, not just melanin. Not many zoos have alligators of this color, making him a unique attraction.

Blanco responds to target enrichment without having to be shown food to move. This shows that Blanco understands what keepers want him to do without food being his primary motivator.

Interesting Facts:

When temperatures drops, alligators stop eating (internal temperature below 73 degrees) and they cannot digest food.

Females are very protective of their nests and young. They protect their young for up to one year.

Nest temperature determines the sex of offspring; in the low 90s produces all males, in the low 80s produces all females. Mid-to-high-80s produces a mix of males and females. Females control next temperature by moving off and on the top of the nest.

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