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What I learned. What I saw. What I did.
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It was a fantastic surprise today! However, I will not be posting about it until after the other Stroll days are over, so as not to spoil the surprise for those who have not yet attended this month. Please check back!
By:
Chris,
on 1/21/2008
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An even chillier morning than yesterday, everyone was nonetheless excited to be at the Zoo for January's last Stroll. The guests took advantage of the warmth of the Otto Center briefly before heading down to the center of the Zoo and up into Cat Canyon.
The New Guinea singing dogs, Samber and Marlin, were outside, and they seemed just as interested in the guests as the guests were in them. The Keepers were on the outside of the enclosure this time; both dogs were keeping a close watch on them just in case random treats should happen to appear. Both got some Keeper attention, though Samber managed to get more than Marlin. Though smaller, she's very much the dominant of the two. Many times, Keepers have to give Marlin attention separately so that Samber doesn't get aggressive with him. It's not wise to take attention from the princess! The two of them get many different toys, which are switched out often. They love to play with their toys, but their interest fades fast, and switching the toys out keeps them "new" and interesting. Samber gave everyone a nice singing demonstration, and after falling in love with both dogs, we all moved down to the next exhibit.
Our gorgeous striped hyena girl, Malia, was waiting for us outside. Earlier, catching up with the group after waiting for the last guests, I passes Malia and Jipenzi who watched me walk by them. I was so entranced by their deep, soft, moving eyes, that I nearly walked full speed through a huge trash can! Now the whole group was in front of their enclosure, and Jipenzi came back out to join Malia and impress the guests. Striped hyenas are smaller than their spotted relatives, and they don't make the "laughing" sound that the other hyenas are known for. They are more beautiful than photos can really depict. Striped hyenas look as though they're pastel chalk drawings that came to life! One of the Keepers had a new toy for the pair, and Malia came over as she was about to toss it into the enclosure. She raised up the long fur down her back, showing how excited she was. The Keeper threw in the toy, and Malia sniffed and poked at it for a moment before Jipenzi came and snatched it, running off in triumph.
As we pulled away, the Educator led our final January group to the bottom of the canyon and into the panda's classroom exhibit. An early observer, who records the panda's activities, had come in that morning, so both mom and baby were already out when we arrived. Zhen Zhen, self-proclaimed master tree climber now, had gone straight up the big tree and was snuggly curled into a panda ball near the end of a high branch. Mom Bai Yun was munching away at her bamboo pile. We were able to get a terrific view of her, as she walked around to give everyone ample photo opportunities. Bai has been described by many as the "perfect panda". Her markings are so perfect, crisp, and beautiful that she looks like she was manufactured. Stuffed animal makers aspire to make their creations look like Bai Yun! We were all pretty cold by this point, but the pandas were paying no attention to the temperature; they're built for the cold and have even been known to play in the snow in the wild, repeatedly sliding down snowy hills. We finally moved on to "Muffin Land" and wrapped up our morning. It was an awesome Stroll month as usual. I can't wait to see what we'll be doing next month!
By:
Chris,
on 1/19/2008
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After the morning's Sunrise Surprise Stroll, one of the Educators invited me to accompany him on a Special Group Tour. Golbon, a large food service marketer, had invited it's distributors from across the country to a special Zoo trip. The huge group was divided across two Educators, and it was obvious that everyone was very excited to be there.
The group started off on a short walking tour. We made our way to the Bactrian camels, where everyone was able to meet and feed Mongo, Amu, and Heidi. Mongo was having a surprisingly unslobbery morning. WE knew it couldn't last, and the dry streak came to an end when a big slobber blob fell right down the inside of a woman's shirt as she was feeding him. Eww! She was very good natured about it; I mean, how many opportunities do you have in a lifetime to get drooled on by a huge camel? The group got to peek a little further behind the scenes, spotting a red tree kangaroo, some food storage, and a nice big heap of Zoo poo. The Zoo produces four-and-a-half tons of manure each day, most of which is sold. The state highway department is a frequent customer, using the manure to fertilize the plants and flowers along the interstates.
Heading to Elephant Mesa, the group was able to witness the meerkats feeding before we all boarded the bus for the rest of the tour. The three elephant girls, Devi, Tembo, and Sumithi, were happily munching on branches. They are so strong that they can break branches up to eight inches in diameter! Contrary to common belief, female elephants can have tusks. Tembo has large tusks, but only a little bit of Devi's are visible, because she likes to break them off. It's hard to estimate how long an elephant can live. Over the course of their lives, elephants grow six sets of teeth, approximately every ten years. After the last set falls out, wild elephants most commonly die of starvation. In zoos, accommodations are made for the elephant's meals, usually just making them mushy, so that they can live much longer.
We passed the giant anteaters and saw that mom is still carrying the baby, though it looks like he may be getting a bit too big for it. They are patterned so that mom and baby's stripe aligns, making it tough or predators to be able to distinguish the young one. Giant anteaters can eat an average of thirty thousand ants or termites a day! Obviously it's not practical to come up with that many ants daily, besides the fact that they would crawl out of the bowl, so zoos feed them a special insectivore meal that's formulated specifically for them. The anteaters say that it's really long lip licking good!
We passed some of the Zoo's ficus, a portion of which is shipped daily to the Sumatran rhinos at the Cincinnati Zoo. Their rhinos were having some trouble previously, because they didn't have the ficus in their diet. Now they're getting a daily dose, and not only has their health improved, they've just had their fourth baby rhino! As they are critically endangered, this is terrific news.
Lopping down into Cat Canyon, the group learned many interesting tidbits about the various animals we passed. The bateleur eagle's name is French and means "tightrope walker". The Siberian lynx have been known to hunt possums climbing up the outside of the lynx's enclosure. This was discovered by some night observation, after Keeper's kept finding possum skulls stuck in the fence five to six feet in the air. The lynx would pounce and grab the possum's tail, pulling it through the fence. Only the head couldn't fit through. Wow and eww! The warthogs in this particular canyon were the basis for Pumbaa from Disney's "The Lion King". Disney's animators didn't feel the warthog's body was quite the big screen image they were looking for, so instead they used the body of a pot bellied pig in the Children's Zoo. It is believed that the light swath of puffy hair on the head and back of a baby cheetah causes it to resemble a ratel from a distance. As ratel are very fierce and aggressive little guys that even lions won't bother with, this provides the baby cheetah with an extra defensive camouflage until it gets older. Orson, the black jaguar, has a different hunting style than most big cats. Jaguars wait high in the trees until their prey walks by below. Dropping down on top of them, instead of going for the throat, they actually use their amazingly powerful jaws to crush their prey's skull! It's no wonder Orson makes such short work of the giant bones he's given.
We turned up Bear Canyon to find the grizzly brothers joyfully digging up their enclosure. They quickly overcame their shyness at first coming to the Zoo and are now crowd favorites, striking plenty of closeup poses. The lion sisters were snoozing together in a patch of sunshine as we made our way up the hill and across the front of the Zoo.
Down into Tiger River, the tigers were temporarily off exhibit. Due to unfortunate recent event at the San Francisco Zoo, most zoos have decided to take extra precautions in their tiger exhibits. (This picture is from before.) On a good note, the tigers have been witnessed mating, and we are all crossing our fingers for baby tigers in the near future. We did get an excellent view of the okapis wandering through the trees and the hippos, who were soaking in a little sun themselves. Rounding the corner, the guests got a great view of Su Lin the panda perched up in a main exhibit tree. Baby panda viewing had been extended by an hour, so most of the guests chose to disembark to get a peek at little Z. The tour was great, led by a terrific Educator, and the group was extremely pleased. Thanks to the wonderful Golbon group; it was great having you!
By:
Chris,
on 1/19/2008
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The morning was very chilly, and the Zoo bunnies were once again snuggled in their burrows. The red Zoo squirrels are always out, though, and each morning that I pass them, they seem to be questioning my audacity at doing so. :)
Once again, we headed down into the canyon, which can be a lovely ten to fifteen degrees cooler in the mornings and evenings. But everyone is generally too excited to mind, and no one was disappointed this morning! This time two Keepers were inside of the enclosure with the New Guinea singing dogs. There was certainly no lack of singing today, or in female Samber's case, begging. :) Singing dogs do not bark like domestic dogs. Their "singing" can sound a lot like whining, but unlike other dogs, they can widely vary the tone and pitch, and their "songs" can be very diverse. Choosing to ignore the Keeper's back as a sign that she wasn't going to be rewarded for begging, Samber squeezed behind the Keeper and begged at her back. At one point, she stood up and put her front paws on the Keeper's shoulders, which made everyone laugh. Keepers say that it's sometimes difficult to not just give the dogs all the treats they have, just because they're so adorable. After some more singing demonstrations, we moved down to the striped hyenas.
The two hyenas were very active again today and gave the guests some wonderful photo opportunities. A less desirable photo moment was Malia's up close and detailed demonstration of scent marking, also called pasting. Squatting down, the hyena will extend its scent gland and rub it across a rock, a blade of grass, or I've been told, even a Keeper's leg. The thick, light-colored (and extremely smelly) paste that is excreted lets other hyenas know whose territory they're in. Hyenas are actually more closely related to cats than dogs, and they're very curious and extremely strong. Male Jipenzi gave everyone a bright white closeup of his teeth when he began to chew on part of the fencing. Apparently another keeper had pushed some food through previously, and Jipenzi was getting those last tasty molecules. Building enclosures for hyenas is very challenging due to their combined strength and curiosity. Currently, there are spotted hyenas in quarantine at the Zoo hospital that will be on exhibit soon! Preparations are currently being made.
Now it was panda time, and the guests hurried down into the classroom exhibit. Baby Zhen Zhen had been outside in her tree for almost two days and had fortunately come down the night before, enabling this morning's guests to see her come out. The short two weeks had shown huge progress in little Z's climbing skills, and as soon as she came out, she made her way right up the tree. She had been going steadily higher, and today she went into a new part of the tree she had never been to before. It's amazing, and a little nerve-racking, to see her up so high. But pandas, like all arboreal creatures, are built to fall out of trees. Keepers say that Zhen Zhen is so padded on her bottom that she almost feels diapered. Mom Bai Yun came outside and resumed her place at the comfy bamboo eating spot. I've been told that Z is more rambunctious than Bai's previous three cubs, and that she "bugs" Bai quite a bit more. For example, when Bai Yun needs to move a cub, she will use her front paw to pick the cub up by the scruff of the neck. Instinctively, the cub will go limp, letting the mother transport them. Zhen Zhen apparently didn't read that part in the "How to Be a Panda Cub" manual, and she squirms and wriggles and tries to get Bai's paws off of her. One day Bai Yun was so tired of Z's wriggling that she set Z down and sat on her! Not that it has made much of a difference. :)
As thrilled as everyone was to see the pandas, we were all happy to get to our muffins and hot drinks. The Educator and I delivered muffins to all of the wonderful Keepers that had helped us for the morning, and we wrapped things up. As always, an awesome Stroll!
By:
Chris,
on 1/19/2008
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Tonight's topic was "Solving Disease Mysteries- Cases from the files of the Wildlife Disease Labs". There are four separate labs: pathology, Zoo clinical, Animal Park clinical, and molecular diagnostic. A spectacular and interesting doctor paid a return visit to tell us of a few cases. As a general rule, I don't post names in these blogs unless requested. This is one of the tough times; we love this doctor!
The Wildlife Disease Labs examine animal tissue cells to help diagnose those that are sick and prevent others from getting sick. First the disease is investigated, and the risk is assessed. Is it really a problem? A diagnosis and a diagnostic plan are made, and if necessary, animal management intervention is implemented. The cases can be fascinating, as are some of the things that are discovered.
The first cases involved six rainbow lorikeets that had died over a six day period. Obviously, something was going on, and keepers wanted to prevent further losses. The birds were all in great physical condition, which was even stranger. Histopathological examination, which looks at the cellular "footprints" of a disease, revealed that the birds had some lung damage. A closer look showed that this was caused by a disease carried only by possums. After some surveillance, they found that possums were sleeping on an overhanging branch. Going to the bathroom in their sleep, the droppings were getting into the lori's food. Where the disease was harmless to the possums, it was lethal to the birds. Keepers trimmed the branches hanging over the enclosure, and the problem was solved. Who would've thought?
The second case was unfortunately of a twenty-two-day-old California condor chick that passed away. The condor problem is both strong and crucial, so this situation was odd and disturbing. It was found to have a pox virus. Usually in the skin, this particular pox had gotten into the organs. Now there was a major scare. Not knowing the virus' origin or if it could be passed to other condors, the entire program was in danger of being shut down. The doctors checked case histories and a (safe) sampling of native birds. It turned out that the carrier was the California towhee, a little native bird. Apparently a mosquito had transferred the virus between two birds. The great news was that no two birds of any kind could pass it between them, so neither the native nor captive populations were in danger, and the condor program was safe. More good news: the governor has passed legislation banning lead ammunition in condor areas, which will effectively eliminate the birds' main issue in the wild. Yay!
The doctor told us about a baby lion tailed macaque that was getting hypothermic. The mother had two children previously, both without issue. Hypothermia is usually only found in the babies of inexperienced new mothers. Doctors asked keepers to try and locate some of the placenta in the enclosure for examination. Compared to normal placental tissue, the sample they looked at was awful. They shone a special light through the sample and noticed a crystalline structure spread throughout the cells. That particular structure is only found in one thing. The keeper had accidentally picked up a little piece of leftover sweet potato. =) The baby macaque ended up just needing a little extra care than most and turned out just fine.
The discussion was rounded out with two cases of large apes. A mandrill was showing some arm weakness for two days and was examined for possible causes, but then sadly passed away the next day. Doctors found free-living amoeba in the mandrill's brain, which can develop cysts. A special protozoologist at the CDC used a process called immunoflorescence to attempt to identify it. There are six different species of amoeba, and they can be identified by which particular lit antibody flourishes on it. However, this one eluded them all. Years later, a thirteen-year-old gorilla was experiencing weight loss and lethargy. Keepers assumed at first that she was grieving the recent loss of an older gorilla. When she did not improve, she was checked out and found to have abdominal masses and liver damage. Was it cancer? A biopsy revealed that is was amoeba! The doctor called the CDC and found that they had since identified the previous amoeba as a new species. An examination of the gorilla's water was officially reported to contain a "cornucopia of weirdness", including this new amoeba, and the water sources in her enclosure were replaced. The new amoeba was named
Balamuthia mandrillaris, in memory of the first mandrill. Research into thirty years of records revealed a total of five cases, including these two, where this amoeba was the culprit, always in old world primates. This research has helped doctors to identify this condition in some AIDS patients as well. The whole talk was fascinating, and the doctor presented the cases in an understandable, mesmerizing, and often humorous way. I can't wait for him to come back- thank you doctor!
By:
Chris,
on 1/8/2008
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The morning began with a slight drizzle, and I saw the first Zoo bunny I'd seen in over a month. The early mornings in December had been pretty chilly, and I imagine those bunnies had been sleeping in, all snuggled up. The drizzle was kind enough to leave before the guests arrived, and we began our stroll!
Heading down into Cat Canyon, our first stop was the New Guinea singing dogs. Male and female Marlin and Samber were waiting in their enclosure to see if all of the sudden attention might result in some snacks. Females are dominant in singing dog society, and Princess Samber is no exception. Just over two years old and a mere eighteen pounds, Samber does not hesitate to let the older and larger Marlin know who's boss! Singing dogs are pack animals, but unlike domestic dogs, they are not motivated to "please" the pack leader. Also, they do not exhibit the same tame qualities, so they are not recommended as pets. However, it is extremely difficult to find pure blood singing dogs in the wild today, as they have been interbred with domestic dogs. Neither Samber nor Marlin were in a singing mood this morning, so after a talk with the Keeper, we continued down the canyon.
Next door to the singing dogs are two gorgeous striped hyenas, male Jipenzi, which means "beloved" in Swahili, and female Malia, which means "striped". Around seventy pounds at full size, striped hyenas are significantly smaller than the more commonly known spotted hyenas, and they do not "laugh" like the spotteds. They love patrolling their territory, playing in the water, and their toy ball. One of my favorite animals, striped hyenas look like living pastel chalk drawings; they are truly beautiful. They have a mane of long hair down their back that they can erect when they are excited or agitated, making them look twice their size. They are extremely strong and can eat every part of an animal. However, they regurgitate the horns, hair, and hooves, as they have no nutritional value.
Tearing away from the hyenas, we continued to the canyon bottom into the panda classroom exhibit. Mother Bai Yun and new baby Zhen Zhen, now five months old, had gone onto exhibit just one week ago for two hours a day. As guests anxiously lined the walkways, keepers let little Z out, and everyone's hearts melted. Zhen Zhen is currently like a little round panda poof, and she was just beginning to learn to climb. Like any toddler with a new found skill, she went right to the exhibit's trees and slowly, teeteringly made her way up to the first good sitting spot. The "run" of a baby panda is really cute and funny- she looks a bit like a Weeble with legs. =) Bai Yun came out afterwards and lounged against a rock, breaking right into a large pile of bamboo. Z is Bai's fourth cub, and she is much more at ease with her. The group ooh-ed and aah-ed for a bit longer, then we headed over for muffins and hot drinks. Thank you as always to our Keepers and Educator for a great Stroll!
By:
Chris,
on 12/21/2007
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On the third Friday of the month, the Zoo hosts a free botanical bus tour accompanied and narrated by some of their very knowledgeable horticulturalists and gardeners. The Zoo is an accredited living museum and botanical garden, with over 6,000 different species of plants! They also house rescued rare and endangered plants. With so much at hand, you can see and experience almost any bioclimatic zone you can think of. The Zoo's plants are now being mapped with GPS for even more accuracy.
We began at a huge thorn acacia leaning on the rock kopje and headed down Dog and Cat Canyon. We got a good look at part of the new world collection, which includes succulents, agaves, and cacti. There are mulberry trees across from the arch cages that are used for animal browse. Hunte Amphitheater is surrounded by beautiful coastal redwoods and giant sequoias, and the huge fishtail palm on the right corner of the hornbill exhibit is the tallest on the entire west coast. Fishtails are the only palm with a bipinnate leaf. They have a thirty year life which ends with a seven year flowering cycle. Passing the macadamia nut trees by the porcupines in the canyon, we rounded the corner and started up Bear Canyon.
We passed the huge groupings of ginger that comes into full bloom in August and September and smells phenomenal. Ginger actually shares the same family as bananas. We passed Fern Canyon, newly reopened, in which some of the original plants are over ninety years old. Across from the grizzly cubs is the only true native palm of Hawaii. Most Hawaiian palms are each endemic to a single island. Nearby is a type of large Brachychiton, or bottle tree, which is in the chocolate family. It has really neat, big seed pods that are unmistakable from the ground.
Topping the hill, we passed the beautiful blooming tree aloe with its bright orange cones, which flowers in the winter. There are ten different groups of aloe, and the tree aloe can grow as high as fifty feet! The top of the hill has both banana and dragon fruit plants. Bananas are actually a berry, and there are twenty-two different kinds! The banana plant grows forty leaves before it begins its seven year fruiting stage. After fruiting is over, the plant dies, a new one sprouts, and the cycle begins again. The dragon fruit, also known as the strawberry pear or pitahaya, only blooms at night; the white flowers are huge and beautiful, and I've been fortunate to be able to view them during Zoo Sleepover programs.
We circled behind the meerkats to turn the bus around and were able to see the ice cream bean tree. The pulp has a cotton candy-like consistency and has a sweet, vanilla ice cream taste. The pods can grow up to three feet long! Pulling the pulp away from the seeds in one of the pods, we were able to sample a taste. Not quite ripe, it was a bit more moist than it would usually be, but it was delicious!
Beginning our trip back, we passed the camels who were lounging around a big ficus tree in the center of their enclosure. The camels like to eat all of the ficus leaves that they can reach, and their large hooves compact the soil around the tree. The gardeners have to occasionally add soil around the tree, enabling the camels to reach more leaves. Over time, it looks as if the tree is shrinking! Another bright bloomer is one of the cycads, the sago palm. More closely related to conifers than palms, the cycads' cone starts off bright red, and it's huge. Cycads were dinosaur food, and they make up much of today's coal. A lot of plants went into early bloom this year due to the county's recent wildfires. The ethylene gas in the smoke induces early ripening, increases disease and wounding resistance, and induces flowering in many plants. It has negative effects as well, but fortunately, the San Diego Zoo got just enough indirect smoke to make everything even prettier early. I can't wait for the next tour!
By:
Chris,
on 12/21/2007
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Bandar, the binturong, is a long-time Children's Zoo resident and very popular. Every morning, Bandar accompanies a keeper or educator on a walk through his favorite spot- the Otto Center! Today I was able to accompany Bandar and his Educator on a (somewhat drizzly) morning stroll.
Bandar knows to go up on one of his tree stumps to have his harness put on. He gets treats for being good, and then the walk begins. Our first stop, per Bandar, was the curators' offices. He proceeded directly into the head curator's room, where Bandar knows "his" toys are waiting. There used to be a wooden chair in the office; Bandar would climb into it to sit and just stare at the head curator for awhile. He has a small plastic box that when moved shouts, "Excuse me, excuse me, can you let me out of here!" over and over. Bandar batted it around awhile then positioned it until he could sit squarely on it. Normally, others in the office get tired of the shrill repeated phrase long before Bandar does! Someone brought out a Christmas pig that walks and oinks "Jingle Bells", and he really wasn't sure what to make of that.
We continued on to our next stop. There are a few things to watch for during Bandar's walks. First, he's extremely sensitive about having his tail touched!You have to be careful not to bump into it if he stops suddenly in front of you. Also, he likes to munch shoes for fun. Plus, Bandar is a huge fan of the dates that fall from the trees around the Zoo. Dates are very sugary, and too many of them aren't healthy. Everything in moderation! We went behind the Otto Center to sniff around a bit, then into the Zoo Corps/video conferencing trailer. We got to have quite a field day in there. There were boxes to try and pull off shelves and chairs to attempt to chew on. He kept the Educator very busy!
After wandering through the remaining office halls and making a short visit to Human Resources, we wrapped up in the Education trailer. Bandar sniffed around a bit before he discovered a red wagon in the corner.The plastic crate inside of it was immediately pulled out, and he climbed right up into the wagon. Facing the wall wasn't much fun, so he turned around and discovered the wagon's handle. He pulled it forward with one paw so that he could rub his head and neck on it, getting his itchy spots. Finally, Bandar got over the wagon, and we headed back to the Children's Zoo for special treats. See you next time, Bandar!
By:
Chris,
on 12/16/2007
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My Zoo morning continued after the Sunrise Stroll was over. After each Stroll, the day's educator and I deliver muffins to the keepers that helped us out that day. Muffins are great schmooze! We're very appreciative of all that everyone does to help make the program spectacular each time, and we love to show it, even in little ways. We drove a cart back up to the hospital to drop off some muffiny goodness. Speaking with a vet who accepted the muffins, I asked if we could possibly get a closer look at the pangolins- and he said yes!
We did our best to contain ourselves as we followed him to the pangolins' room, which was extremely warm to keep them comfortable. The pair of pangolins were curled around each other like a pine cone yin yang. He picked up the male and brought him out for us to see. So cute! The pangolin's facial fur makes him look like he has mutton chop sideburns. We could see the little bare patch on the underside of the end of his tail; not only does it help themm to grip, the sensory pad on it actually helps them to find the best place to grip. We were able to pet him awhile. He was calm and sweet the entire time, and his smooth scales had a neat soft feeling to them as well. We love pangolins!
Afterwards, I accompanied the educator to the Children's Zoo where she was going to put in some animal handling time. Several animals still needed their walking time for the day. First she harnessed up Hobbs and Butterscotch, a pair of European ferrets. Being their normal ferrety selves, they spent the walk winding their leashes and the educator through the trees and bushes, going in completely opposite directions the entire time. After awhile, they decided to be done walking and kept flopping to the ground in their silly way. They ended up being carried back. Naturally curious, hyper, and funny, they must be so great to see in the wild!
Then it was time to walk Priscilla, a North American porcupine. She isn't particularly harnessable, so she goes leash-less with the educators on her walks. Her teeth are yellow-orange in color, which is thought to be an extra layer of iron. They eat tubers and tree bark in the wild, wearing their teeth quite a bit. The iron layer may help to slow that process down. Their eyesight is not very acute; in Priscilla's case, that means she will walk up to whatever pair of legs she sees, hoping that they're the legs with the treats. =) Of course, porcupines cannot shoot out their quills, but the barbed ends enable the quills to really hook into any offending animal that comes too close. Interestingly, as the offending animal's heart beats, the quill works itself further into its body, causing more problems, especially if it hits an organ or major artery. As such, most animals give porcupines a wide berth. Great horned owls may sometimes go for a climbing porcupine, and a type of large weasel called a fisher has been known to run around them until the porcupine is worn out. Priscilla generally walks on all fours, but she gets along quite well on her back legs, too, in what could be called a "porcupine Frankenstein" walk. I couldn't let her come all the way to me, but I loved watching her walk upright. She looks like she's coming over to hug your legs! On our way back we passed Agra, an Indian crested porcupine, out for his walk. He and Priscilla couldn't look more different.
Our final walk was with Kala the meerkat. She and her brother Hari were raised in the nursery and now reside in the front of the Children's Zoo with another female, Tripod. Kala isn't all that patient while getting into her harness; she's anxious to get going! She loves digging for grubs under the logs on the back path and munching sneakers when she can get to them. We walked around awhile, getting in as much digging as we could before it was time for Kala to go back. On the way out, I met a nice grounds attendant who was feeding the koi and goldfish. We talked for a bit, and he showed me one of the fish that had a close encounter with the pond's giant snapping turtle. He got through just fine and watches where he swims now!
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Chris,
on 12/16/2007
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Our final tour to the Zoo's hospital brought a new group of guests and a bright, chilly, Zoo bunny-less morning. (The Zoo bunnies have been sleeping in while the mornings are cold.) The vet arrived and led the group the long pretty route to our final destination. After everyone had gathered in the exam room, the vets brought out a cute little Bufflehead duck, a diving bird whose name comes from a combination of "buffalo" and "head" due to its often bulbous quality. She was having a bit of an eye issue, so the vet took a peek in a way similar to how a doctor would check out a human patient's eyes. She'll receive a couple of eye drops that will fix her right up!
After yesterday's Stroll, the educator and I got to hear about today's main attraction, so today's educator and I were really excited to see something that none of us has ever before seen in person: a pangolin! This awesome little creature is actually a scaly anteater, though it looks like a walking artichoke. It's name comes from a Malay word meaning "something that rolls up". They live in both Asia and Africa, and there is both an arboreal and a terrestrial type. Most have only one baby at a time. It's scales are soft at birth, and the keratin hardens as they get older. Babies spend the first couple months of their lives clinging to their mother's tail. If she is alarmed, she will curl in a ball around the baby to protect it. The terrestrial pangolin lives in burrows; some central burrows are so large a man can stand upright in them! They are incredible problem solvers and have strong claws and prehensile tails. Using these long strong tails as balance, they can actually move up to five miles per hour on just their hind legs.
This pangolin girl was nice enough to pose for an example radiograph for us. Actually, she was a bit too curious about her surroundings to really stay still, but the vets managed to snap a quick shot. One interesting thing in the picture is that you can see her scales. Also, toward the bottom of her abdominal cavity, you can see the long curved bone that attaches the tongue. Pretty unique to this species, the tongue anchors far back in the body. Even so, it can still extend from their mouth up to sixteen inches!
The pangolin went back to her boyfriend, and we went upstairs to the medical library. We were treated once more to the hospital's camera system. We saw all of the building's different areas, then a fly river turtle. Finally, we were treated to three red river hogs currently in quarantine. They had been hiding during the first hospital visit! Our vet answered several great questions, then it was back into the Zoo for muffin time. Thank you to each of the vets, techs, and educators that made this month's Surprise possible!
By:
Chris,
on 12/16/2007
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This morning we took a new group of guests up to the Zoo's fascinating hospital. This time we were treated to a blue crowned imperial pigeon, also known as the Victoria crowned pigeon. It's an incredible bird, classified vulnerable, that is found in the lowland swamps of northern New Guinea. It generally lays a single white egg. This particular female was having some mobility issues, so she was being checked out. She had just been anesthetized before we arrived, and the vets were quickly taking radiograph images so as to keep her under for as little time as possible. Thank you to one of our great Zoo members for this pigeon picture!
The vets use anesthesia only when absolutely necessary. When the situation does arise, an oximeter is used to measure the animal's blood oxygen saturation level and heart rate the entire time. Also, intubation is used to ensure full and proper breathing throughout the process. The vets and techs gently maneuvered the beautiful bird taking images from the two angles they needed. They then switched her to straight oxygen, clearing her system of the anesthetics and allowing her to wake up. She woke slowly at first, opening her bright red eyes and looking around at all of the people that were now in the room. Moments later, she fully burst into life, ready to go back home! We learned that some animals wake up gently and go about their business as though nothing happened, where other animals practically explode off of the table, perturbed by the interruption in their day. She calmed back down immediately after seemingly getting her bearings and was taken back to her enclosure. The vets are then able to peruse her radiographs at leisure and discover the source of the issue.
All of the radiographs and CT scans are uploaded to a server, accessible by the vets and keepers from any computer, which comes very much in handy. In some instances, doctors and vets outside of the Zoo have been able to access the images and assist in diagnoses. Our vet showed us some of the radiographs additional capabilities and then demonstrated the darts. Both darts and needles vary greatly in size for use on a diverse range of animals. On rare occasion, a dart will hit but not inject the dosage. In this case, the animal has to be darted a second time. The concern would be the animal falling onto the first dart, resulting in a double dosage of anesthetic. Two precautions are taken to ensure that this is not a problem. First, the anesthetics used have a "white area", a margin of error, so that a little too much is a non-issue. Second, all anesthetics used are reversible; there is an antidote that reverses its effects so the animal remains unaffected. Before we left, one guest attempted to dart Emilio the practice deer, and she made a perfect shot! Way to go! Back through the foot bath and off to muffins, we wrapped up another awesome Zoo morning.
By:
Chris,
on 12/5/2007
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Tonight's special speaker was a woman from CRES, Conservation and Research for Endangered Species, at the Wild Animal Park in Escondido. She began her talk with science literacy in America and comical examples by college graduates of some common misconceptions. Science literacy is important in order for people to have a true understanding of issues like global warming, the loss of biodiversity, and the intrinsic value that biodiversity holds. She discussed the PISCES Project, the Partnerships Involving the Scientific Community in Elementary Schools, which is partnering over two hundred teachers in more than forty schools across San Diego county, Baja California Sur, Mexico, and the North Slope of Alaska. Among other things, distance learning has been hosted between the schools allowing children from widely varying climates and landscapes to learn about each other's local biodiversity. Other questions are answered as well, like if it's difficult to ride bikes in the snow. =)
CRES works diligently to keep the public informed and involved and also to help teachers and students as much as possible. They expose the public to important issues, help teachers in their educational goals, assist students with related career interests, and positively influence biodiversity. CRES has accessible education labs and is open to visits by schools and the public at their Beckman Center. They conduct summer institutes for teachers to share advances in the field of conservation; the teachers are able to interact with scientists at this time and gain much knowledge to pass on to their classes.
This year they hosted Furry Forensics- a DNA Mystery. The scenario was set: someone had been eating from the food bin at night, and the "culprit" had left a bit of hair behind on the corner of the bin. Students were given hair samples and mug shots of four "suspects", a horse, a goat, a pig, and a deer. The students were actually able to extract DNA from each of the samples and compare it to the DNA of the hair that had been left behind, which they enjoyed immensely. They determined that the guilty party in the imaginary scenario was Ed the horse, though they also decided that he could have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Next year they will continue with Feathered Forensics, where students will again extract actual DNA to determine which bird laid an egg in their enclosure! Other student programs include tracking California condors, special workshops, and a botanical program where students take plants from initial propagation through to the marketing of the grown fruits and vegetables, using the money they earn to benefit their school. If a student chooses a career in conservation, CRES will mentor them through high school and even into their career!
We learned that the county of San Diego has the highest number of endemic, or native, species, but also that many of them are threatened. CRES works hard to increase the public's pride in their native biodiversity. This natural plethora of species is one of the things that makes this area the beautiful and magical place that it is! I'm glad to know that so many people care for and love it so much.
By:
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on 12/5/2007
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The morning started off too chilly for Zoo bunnies to be out feeding, but there were plenty of squirrels on my way in. Before we began, I found out that the grizzly cub brothers, now out of quarantine, finally had names: Scout and Montana! The guests arrived, and we broke the morning's surprise, a first for the Education Department. We were going to the Zoo's hospital!
One of our favorite vet's met us at the Otto Center and led the way via a scenic route through Balboa Park. It's much quicker than going in through the Zoo, and this way the guests could avoid trekking up "cardiac hill". Stepping first through a mandatory foot bath, we entered the hospital and one of its main exam rooms. Though staff is not on the premises at all times, vets and techs are on call 24/7. Zoo security conducts routine checks after hours and notifies the appropriate people if an issue presents itself. However, vets and techs do staff the hospital in continual successive shifts if an animal is in a condition that requires constant monitoring. We were introduced to a Parsons chameleon named Big Daddy. Chameleon means "Earth lion", and this particular one was having some trouble with his feet. Allowing them to heal cleanly, he had a little red cast on each of his back feet. It was a shame that he had foot problems, but the little casts were so cute!
Next we met a female Fernands skink, a carnivorous member of the most diverse group of lizards. She had a radiograph taken to determine if she was gravid, or with eggs. This is done in many cases if a lizard's abdomen is enlarged. The vets and keepers are then able to determine if the lizard is going to lay soon so they can keep an eye out, or if the full clutch of eggs was laid which is important for the lizard's health. The digital radiograph is available immediately and provides much more versatility and detail than the older hand-developed x-rays. The skink was totally calm during the process; she just hung out while the radiograph was taken! In some cases, like this one, the eggs are not developed enough to be detected in this manner, so the vets used an ultrasound. The ultrasound can even pick up follicles, which are eggs that haven't ovulated yet. The results were inconclusive today; this skink may just have been putting on some winter weight. =)
Occasionally an animal needs to be darted. To many people, this brings anesthetics to mind, but darts are also sometimes used for vaccinations and pain medication on animals that would be more stressed by a trip into the hospital. The old darting system involved metal darts and a powder charged dart gun. Vets were unable to tell if the full dose had been administered through the metal sides of the dart, and the dart gun was so loud that often animals would run away from the sound before the dart would actually reach them. Today, darts are plastic, making it lighter and the dosage visible. The dart guns make use of pressurized air, much quieter and quicker to handle. The darts make use of a similar system. The back chamber holds pressurized air, and the front chamber holds the dosage to be administered. A pink, fuzzy flight is attached to the back end for aid in accuracy; darts can travel up to fifty yards! A normal hypodermic needle has a hole at the end. These darts have holes on the needles' sides, though the end is still pointed to start the injection. When the dart hits, the small plastic sleeve covering the holes is pushed back, releasing the pressure and the medication. The back doors were opened to reveal Emilio, the darting practice deer (artificial of course!). One guest had the opportunity to try his hand at darting, but didn't quite make the distance. Great try!
We wrapped up in the upstairs medical library which allows full view of the exam room and the surgery suite below. It also houses one of the monitors hooked to the hospitals camera system. Highly maneuverable cameras sit in each room, giving the vets and keepers the ability to monitor the animals without altering their behavior. We looked in on a new female raccoon that's being introduced to the male in the Children's Zoo. We also saw two Sunda parrot finches and an old world comb duck, comfortably socializing in their enclosures. After a few questions, it was back through the foot bath and off to enjoy muffins and hot drinks, much appreciated on a cold day. Thanks to the wonderful vets and our great educator!
By:
Chris,
on 11/26/2007
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Today marked the 100th day since the new baby panda was born at the San Diego Zoo. As such, it was the traditional time for her to receive a name. Over 2,400 names were submitted for consideration, and the final four were voted upon online by people from all over the globe.
An excited crowd gathered inside of the Zoo's Hunte Amphitheater, keepers, members, news crews, and visitors from near and very far together in a sea of panda shirts and hats. The stage was set with three ornately covered easels, a panda podium, and the program's speakers: Zoo President, Zoo CEO, Deputy Consul General of China, Curator of Mammals, and Co-Head of the Giant Panda Conservation Unit.
The Zoo's giant panda program was implemented in 1996, and it received its first two pandas from China, Shi Shi, a wild caught male, and Bai Yun, a female that was the first successful birth at the China Conservation and Research Center for Pandas. Shi Shi wasn't really interested in Bai Yun, however, and the first cub, Hua Mei, was born in August 1999 after artificial insemination. Hua Mei was the first panda born outside of China to go to China, where she went on to birth three sets of twins to date. In 2003, Shi Shi returned to China in exchange for Gao Gao, another male. Gao Gao took right to Bai Yun, and the newest baby marks their third cub together, following Mei Sheng and Su Lin.
An amazing team has developed at the Zoo, where keepers, vets, horticulturalists, researchers, educators, and even operational staff collaborate to care for the pandas and promote conservation. They have learned and advanced husbandry techniques, management, veterinary skills, and research technology that can now be taken and applied anywhere. Panda pregnancies can be detected earlier than ever and it's now possible to chart the growth progress of baby pandas in utero. Much more is understood about panda biology, nutritional and psychological needs, communication, how they care for their young, and the behavior and physiology that supports reproduction. The panda population is currently around 1,600 animals, and where the population wasn't self-sustainable previously, it has now improved dramatically! A network of habitat protection stations has been established to help this along.
Nearing the moment everyone was waiting for, the speakers were followed by traditional dancing by the Lucky Lion Dancers, dressed as two ornate, sparkly, magical Chinese dragons. Finally, the name was revealed as the three easels were unveiled. The new panda's name was displayed in traditional Chinese, contemporary Chinese, and English. Zhen Zhen! Pronounced like "juhn juhn", it is from a Mandarin dialect and means "precious". It is expected that her mother Bai Yun will be ready to bring her out in about a month for all to see. The ceremony was rounded off with a small buffet of delicious traditional Chinese dishes and fortune cookies for everyone. We can't wait to meet you Zhen Zhen!
By:
Chris,
on 11/18/2007
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On the way to the Sunrise Surprise Stroll, I begin my mornings by seeing how many Zoo bunnies I pass going in. "Zoo bunnies" are wild California brush rabbits that live around, and even in, the Zoo. As I arrive in the very early dawn, I always see them in the Zoo's mini train yard and along the path to the Otto Center. This morning I saw four Zoo bunnies! I stopped a moment to look at a red squirrel on the path, stooping down so as to not disturb him. He approached me after a moment, stood up straight on his hind legs, and flashed me! I'd never seen that behavior before, and after he did it a second time, I decided it was best to wait in the trailer. =) I'm sure that's not was he was actually doing, but it was both funny and bizarre.
Once our guests arrived, the cool morning began at the nursery in the Children's Zoo. There we were introduced to bonobo siblings Mali and Tutapenda. Mali was born September 24, 2007 to mom Ikela and dad Yenge. It was a hard birth, and Mali's arm was injured- one of the complications that brought her to the nursery. She has been thriving there and a big hit with all of the Zoo's guests. Shortly thereafter, on October 29, 2007, a baby was born to mom Lolita and same dad Yenge. His name, Tutapenda, means "we will love" in Swahili. He was rejected by his mother at birth. Keepers use nursery rearing as a last resort, preferring each animal to be raised naturally whenever possible. However, one of Lolita's older offspring, Machumba, repeatedly brought baby Tutapenda to the keepers. She remembered the keepers caring for other babies and wanted them to take him as well!
Baby bonobos develop much like baby humans. Unlike many monkies, these apes are not able to get around shortly after birth. They are currently on their backs in their crib, and their abilities are pretty much limited to waving around their arms and legs, sucking on their fingers and toes. They drink milk, whether from bottle or mom, for about two years. Right now, both Mali and Tutapenda have been getting much more expressive facially. Nursery keepers say that Tutapenda puts on a really funny "serious" pouty face when he wants something now. The babies are being introduced back into the bonobo society slowly and incrementally. They are takento the bonobo enclosure frequently. At first, they are placed in a protected chute. The other apes can reach in to hold, touch, and kiss the babies. After awhile, adults that are known to be good tempered and kind are allowed in with them. The chute is small and well padded to help prevent any incidents. Little by little, the exposure is increased until the group has accepted the babies, and they are released into the enclosure to spend the rest of their days with their group. It's an anxious time for keepers, but they have had great success. The babies do initially bond with the nursery keepers as "moms", but they quickly come to realize the difference between a uniform and fur, and they transistion into their natural environment smoothly.
Leaving the Children's Zoo, we went down into the heart of Monkey Trails. There amongst the guenons reside three mandrills. There are two females, Angie and Dora, born in 1990 and 1992 respectively. And there is one unmistakable, unmissable male, PJ, born November 17, 1991. As the dominant male, PJ has a bright vividly rainbowed behind. He's also huge. The multi-colored rump is dual purpose. It is thought that it provides enhanced visibility to aide in group movement through dense rainforests. It is also a sign of dominance. The higher up the social structure a male is, the more colorful he is. If an individual "moves up" to alpha male, he will actually become more colorul. With most primates, a "smile" is actually a threat; if a monkey or ape is smiling at you, it's not good news! However, mandrills are one of the only primates that actually grin as a greeting. PJ gave us a few grins with keeper prompting, and it was awesome and hysterical. Threats are made by "yawning", which shows off his enormous canines, and head bobbing. That was interesting to learn, as later on in the day when a keeper was walking the miniature horse through Monkey Trails, I knew then by the head bobbing that PJ was not too thrilled by the visit!
The mandrills have been trained to perform a variety of behaviors that help the keepers do quick and stress-free medical checks. They use a combinaion of verbal and visual cues, though they've found that the monkies are mainly reacting to the visual requests. We were able to see each of these behaviors; though very useful, they are also cute. They will touch each of their feet or their chest to the fencing, allowing keepers to check foot health and hear their heartbeat. They will stick out their tongue and open their mouths to confirm dental and general health. They turn their bottoms to the keepers and also stand up tall, touching a finger to the keeprs finger, allowing them to see their entire body, making sure everything is alright there. And they will grin, which keepers admit is the one request that has no real medical necessity. =) All of the behaviors, both important and great to see, are memorable and help to educate the public about this incredible and intelligent species.
A great example of the mandrill social hierarchy, we heard a story from our educator's time at the Moorpark College Teaching Zoo. Several women students were working and learning with the zoo's mandrills. The dominant male there ranked the women according to his liking, just as he did with the female mandrills. The higher up the social structure, the better he treated these students. The unlucky women on the bottom of the alpha male's "list" received the worst treatment, getting the most hard pinches and smacks when they were with him! Even there in Monkey Trails, when Angie was exhibiting the training behaviors, she looked around each time first to make sure PJ was nowhere near. The behaviors require submissive posturing, and she did not want to appear vulnerable in front of him.
By:
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on 11/17/2007
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The topic for the evening was “Training Animal Stars”, presented by a long-time Zoo animal trainer who “lives” at Hunte Amphitheater. She and the keepers brought several animals up to the Otto Center, which is a rare treat for the Special Speakers program.
Some of the guests included: Jabari and Chuma, the African servals; Desarai, a twenty year-old red tailed hawk; Jirra, the red kangaroo; two hedgehogs; Karoo and Sven, the cheetah/dog duo; and a large kookaburra-looking bird that I unfortunately didn’t get to hear anything about. (I was still taking care of a few things outside.)
The talk focused a bit on the importance of training certain behaviors and a lot on silly stories from keeper and animal experiences. For example, an emu can jump 7-10 feet up in the air. One day, a large tree crashed, startling an emu. It jumped in fright and went over a fence into a neighboring enclosure, landing on a gray kangaroo. Neither were hurt, but the kangaroo wouldn’t go near the fence after that!
Jirra wasn’t able to come out on stage, as time ran out. She was outside in her crate, and I got to talk to her for awhile. I’m not sure if what I was saying was interesting or if she was waiting to see if I’d give her a yam slice, but either way, it was cool to see her paying attention. Karoo and Sven were on stage for awhile, and Karoo was obviously very comfortable. She flopped over on her side and proceeded to try to catch her tail in her mouth for awhile, which was cracking everyone up. Sven was outside after the talk was over, getting plenty of attention. He rode happily away squeezed between two keepers in the front seat of the animal truck. It was a great night.
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on 11/17/2007
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The Zoo holds an annual event for teachers and educators to promote conservation in the classroom and provide educational resources. The night also gives teachers a much deserved evening of fun and appreciation. It includes a bus tour, education booths with giveaways and great resources, a special show at Hunte Amphitheater, and a giant dinner at the Zoo’s party area with games and door prizes. And it’s all for only $6.50! Tonight I got to be a guest.
This year, keepers got on the bus with us at different points, telling us stories about the animals they work with. The first told us that Jabba and his girlfriend, the hippos, were back together. They're kept separate after she gives birth, as males can be aggressive toward the young. The young hippo has since gone to another zoo, and she is currently on Depo Provera and PVP. Her previous birth control resulted in a baby hippo, which is tough to find a home for. The new baby okapi, Sukari, or “sugar” in Swahili, is on solids and browse now in addition to nursing. The keepers are desensitizing her to having her hooves lifted in preparation for trims later on. A male tiger brought in recently from a zoo in Omaha has just been released from quarantine and can be seen on exhibit! Finally, we passed the spot-nosed otters and swamp guenons. The Zoo strives for multi-species habitats as much as possible; things aren’t compartmentalized in the wild!
We were joined by a second keeper, who works mainly with the pandas. Mei Sheng, who left on 11/5 for China, had arrived safely and was preparing for the second, much shorter leg of his trip. The new baby is starting to teethe now. Following tradition, she'll have a naming ceremony at the Hunte Amphitheater November 26, the day she turns 100 days old.
Further up, we were joined by a third keeper. The lion-tailed macaques were born in another zoo that had concrete exhibits. When they first arrived, they were afraid of the grass, having never seen any. For awhile, they stayed at the top of the exhibit. They soon discovered the water misters, used for irrigation. With their nimble fingers they unscrewed the tops and happily squirted guests until the keepers found out. The misters are now macaque-proof! Up Bear Canyon, we saw Ralph, a Bornean sun bear. His favorite activity is rubbing things all over his head. The keepers placed a burlap sack over a high tree branch, and he was having a ball with it. Herman and Sweet Otter, cape otters, are giving everyone hopes of baby otters in the near future. Next door are Mweezi and Tengo, fifteen-year-old lion sisters. They have a toy like half of a huge plastic ball, which they drag into the cave every night to sleep with. They also have a few small logs that they drag around and lick and cuddle like cubs. Then there was Tommy and Houdini, the spectacled bears. Houdini is recognizable by her mostly-bare bear behind. She has allergies that caused her to lose a lot of fur, but she’s on helpful antibiotics. Houdini got her name from escaping as a cub. She ended up a few “doors” down in a sea lion enclosure. Both animals were so shocked to see each other that keepers were able to retrieve her fairly easily. Each night, she gathers up most, if not all, of the bedding to make a giant bed for herself, leaving none for Tommy. On chilly nights, she has been known to begrudgingly let him snuggle up with her.
On Elephant Mesa, we were joined by one last keeper. All three elephant girls were out and about; they have new hay feeders which have been occupying them for hours on end. Devi, the Asian with the crooked tail, is 31 years old. Tembo, the African with tusks, is 37, and Sumithi, the second Asian, is 41! Currently on about a third of an acre, they will have two-and-a-half acres in the new Elephant Odyssey, now being built. Some Indian and Asian elephants will be joining them from the Wild Animal Park, and Tembo will probably go there to live with the other Africans. Keepers have been crate training them in preparation. Gram the rhino’s old enclosure and the previous guanaco exhibit will be merged to form the new giraffe enclosure, which will give them more space as well.
We continued with our driver, a member of the education department. She told us Disney animators spent a lot of time at the Zoo doing sketches for “The Lion King”. I learned that clipspringers, small deer-like animals, are able to leap and land with all four feet at once on an area about three inches wide. I also learned that the Zoo and Wild Animal Park go through 45 tons of bananas and 10 tons of meat in a year! Just in animal care alone, it takes $125 million annually to run both parks. We passed several awesome animals, including the striped hyenas (which I am in love with), and Skyy, Stoli, and Naya, the Siberian lynxes. We saw the caracals, which are excellent bird hunters; they can jump ten feet straight up to catch a bird in flight.
We disembarked at Canyon Café; we snacked and had hot drinks as we visited displays setup by the Zoo and some of its partners, showcasing a wide variety of fun educational resources. I learned that balsa wood is a terrific sustainable resource; it can grow 90 feet in a five year period! Some Zoo educators were there with a few animal ambassadors, including Ligarto, the American alligator, and a sugar glider, which is actually a type of possum. Then we headed to Hunte Amphitheater for a special night show.
Sven Olof, Karoo the cheetah’s golden retriever buddy, opened the show by coming out and putting some bottles and cans in a recycle bin set on stage. He was followed up by Keenai, the three-year-old Arctic white wolf. The audience howled, and he howled in response, which is always a big hit. I’ve included a video of him on my “Amazing Animals” page. Next came Murphy, the eighteen-month-old African red river hog. When the music started, he broke into a choreographed dance with one of the trainers, which was funny. As a smart pig, the extra activities give him additional enrichment. Long ago, Germans believed that rubbing the nose of a pig was good luck; this eventually gave rise to the piggy bank. Then came Karoo, the cheetah. When Sven came out to join her, he was dressed in a cheetah-print cape and cheetah ears, which was cute and silly. Cheetahs are of course the fastest land mammal and can get up to 45mph within two seconds!
We saw two more of the 36 species of cats before show’s end. First, Jabari and Chuma, African servals, came out and demonstrated their amazing jumping abilities. They have extremely sensitive hearing, which helps them to hunt. To them, the wing beat of a bird makes a sound equivalent to a drum roll to us. They were followed by Kalot and Kaya, two gorgeous clouded leopard sisters. Not used to being on stage at night, they both made the most of being able to sniff around as much as possible. One of the sisters kept returning to what must have been a particularly interesting fern, after which she was carried back each time by one of the trainers. They’re both in season at the moment, so they’re extremely friendly and amorous. We were told that the trainers are treated like furniture by the cats, who climb all over them to rub and scent mark. A piece of browse was placed on the stage, and the second sister rolled in it and rubbed against it as if it was telling her sweet things. They were definitely the stars of the show.
Finally, we all got back onto the buses and were taken to the Zoo’s big party area for a giant buffet dinner. We sat in a huge, heated pavilion tent and ate yummy dinner and dessert. Soon someone came to the front and hosted a trivia game show for door prizes, which everyone got caught up in. The highlight was the drawing for the $900 gift basket which included one of Janey the orangutan’s original paintings. Several people took advantage of some special gift shop discount shopping, and then the night was over. It was another great year!
By:
Chris,
on 11/17/2007
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I was lucky enough to be able to spend part of the morning with a new friend, a horticulturist at the Zoo. I followed him as he worked, and he taught me about several of the plants we passed and some of the challenges they faced “keeping green” in the animal exhibits. We began in the enclosure that will soon house the two ten-month-old grizzly cub brothers, found orphaned and wandering alone in Alaska. They’ve been working very hard on making the exhibit as comfortable, natural, and entertaining for the bears as possible, and it really shows! The picture shows only about half of the exterior enclosure.
I found out that the soil in the exhibit, and many others along Bear Canyon, is really only about six inches deep; it sits in a large indentation in the exhibit’s concrete base. That’s a challenge in itself when trying to grow large, healthy, nice looking plants. Throw in big, heavy animals that completely compact the soil, and you get roots that can’t get air or water. They solved that problem by mixing in bark chips, which prevent the soil from compacting. I also learned that the enclosures there, even the pools, are actually suspended. Behind each is a doorway that opens underneath, allowing easy access to plumbing.
Giant timber bamboo grows in abundance throughout the area, some so thick it takes both hands to encompass it. I learned that it incorporates silica into its cell structure, making it extra hard. It can leech the soil fairly quickly, so it’s important not to rake up the dropped leaves, as they decompose and replenish the silica in the ground. The younger bamboo stems are coated in a white chalk-like substance, which acts as a water-proof layer. This keeps the young stems from rotting until they have incorporated enough silica into their cells to make them tough and water resistant on their own.
We spent the rest of the time nearby in Sun Bear Forest. One of the really bright vivid plants there is the pink powder puff, which is in the pea family. Its multi-stamen bloom reminds me of a mimosa, and it’s about as pink as pink can be. There’s a red version as well called the Brazilian fire bush. We went up into a back area to confirm the plant’s family in the Sunset Western Garden Book, which is an awesome reference. There was a binturong half-snoozing in his enclosure next to us, but apparently we weren’t doing anything very interesting.
Back down in the main area, I started to learn a bit about the many, many types of palms living in the Zoo. The shaving brush palm looks like exactly that: an inverted shaving brush. The leaves are not widely spread as with other palms. It’s one of the “self-cleaning” palms. As bottom leaves die off, they fall to the ground, leaving a smooth visible trunk. Some other varieties of palms don’t lose their dead leaves; dead leaves cling to the bottom layers as new leaves grow from the top.
The lady palm looks more like a big potted plant than a tree. The leaves are fan-like rather than feather-like, and it has long stems as opposed to a trunk. The bamboo palm is a new favorite of mine. It has feather-like leaves, and the skinny trunk is sectioned somewhat like bamboo. The trunk feels really cool, and it’s a beautiful, rich green. It has a short, squiggly, green inflorescence.
The inflorescence, my word of the week, is the flowering-fruiting part of many palms, and it can vary widely between species. It is a flower of sorts in itself, but more accurately it is a group of stems that holds clusters of flowers, which can look like a bunch of bumps. All of these palms’ flowers and fruit are contained on the inflorescence. We saw a king palm with a large conspicuous red cluster of fruit and a fishtail palm with a beige-green inflorescence hanging down that had to be about six feet long. Fishtail palms are one of the faster of the slow-growing palms. Once it begins to flower, it means the tree itself is beginning to die.
As we were wrapping up our learning session, a flower was pointed out to me that I believe is secretly the best smelling thing in the Zoo. Hidden behind a giant, gorgeous clump of two different gingers in front of the lion-tailed macaques is a tiny white flower called the Honolulu rose. It also goes by glorybower and stickbush, but I like the rose name best. It is so incredible that I’ve since made it a point to walk by just to smell them! No offense to the ginger, which smells great, but the Honolulu rose has my vote. That ended my first horticultural lesson. Super special thanks to my incredible teacher!
By:
Chris,
on 11/15/2007
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Lilly and I went to CRES for a seminar on the endangered Tonkin snub-nosed monkies of northern Vietnam, presented by Burt Covert. It was our first time in the CRES building in Escondido, and we were both impressed! The talk was interesting, and it’s great to know there’s caring people doing such wonderful work with endangered species. I’ve never seen this particular monkey before; it’s forever in my head now as the makeup monkey.
We spent the rest of the day at the Wild Animal Park. We met Bayou, a ten year-old American alligator. If an alligator breaks or loses a tooth, they can completely regrow it in two days! I was surprised that he was not only soft on his belly but on his sides as well. They only need bony plating on their backs to protect them from falling debris. A close-up view will reveal small black dots all around the "lip" area. They actually help them to detect vibrations, which helps them hunt. Crocodiles have them as well, but over a much larger portion of their bodies.
There are several different kinds of hoof stock in the Petting Kraal. We pet a little Blackbuck antelope who was soaking in the sun. Everyone else was in the shade, including Bonnie, a 330-pound Barasingha deer. We spent a lot of time with her and her giant fuzzy ears, and I've since learned that she's a great calming influence on the rest of the residents there. She's also the only one that doesn't feel the need to take breaks from the hundreds of little hands petting her throughout the day. We love Bonnie!
We visited Lion Camp, where two of the young male lions were out, each about a year-and-a-half-old. Previously, they had been given a carved out pumpkin containing a beef heart as enrichment. The beef heart was long gone, but the pumpkin remained, barely scathed. The two boys were taking turns playing with it. They'd flop on their sides and roll it around, pull it toward them and curl up with it, and lick it carefully. It was amazing to see their giant paws and claws being so gentle with the pumpkin! While one was playing with the pumpkin, the other was rolling a big log back and forth, though his face made it clear it wasn't nearly as satisfying. I got a bit of video of them, which is on my site, but it's a little wobbly.
Before having the yummy picnic lunch that Lilly had packed for us, we decided to go on the Journey into Africa tour, which replaced the Wgasa Bush Line. We saw Ivan, the Park's tallest giraffe. He's missing the end of his tail. It was bitten off by a mother Grevy's zebra that he was "harassing". Ivan has five ossicones on his head, which act as a helmet when necking with other giraffes. Necking is how they fight, and ossicones are the horn-like things on giraffes and okapis. They're actually ossified (hardened/bony) cartilage. A lot of the hoof stock in Africa have reddish colored coats. We learned that this is a protective measure. Lions are, in a manner of speaking, red-green color blind, and the red coats blend in with the grass. As extra protection, some animals such as the eland are born without a scent.
We also learned that crowned cranes bond with a mate for life by the age of three. To eat, they stomp their feet on the ground, which brings up insects to feed on. Plus, we got some awesome closeup looks at a group (called a crash) of white rhinos! They were taking advantage of a nice shady spot. Finally, we found a terrific secluded spot to eat lunch- on a balcony overlooking a large pond near Okayango Outpost. We sat in the setting sun and talked and ate and laughed, rounding out our super afternoon.
By:
Chris,
on 11/1/2007
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I went to the Zoo this morning and sat in Cat Canyon for awhile. It was overcast and cool, and most everyone was pretty active. Tayma, the Persian leopard, was giving her morning "I'm awake and this is my spot" call, which kind of sounds like a loud hruff hruff hruff hruff. She was checking things out around the enclosure to see if anything was new and maybe if there were any treats around. At a zoo she used to live at, a sliding metal gate was accidentally left up just a little bit. Tayma reached underneath of it, and the door fell shut, crushing her toes on one front foot. She had surgery, which was able to save her foot but not her toes. She doesn't really put any weight on that foot, but she gets around great.
There is another enclosure behind Tayma, and for the first time, I noticed that it houses another cat, a northern Chinese leopard- so beautiful! A couple minutes later, an educator and a keeper came by with a couple on a VIP tour. They went up to the back corner of Tayma's enclosure to see her up close. She saw the keeper coming from a distance and immediately went up there. The kitty came out in her as she began to rub her shoulders and sides against the door and then flipped on her back with her legs sticking up, rolling around. (That's called "happy bellies". It's one of my favorite things, especially when my dog does it.)
Next I went to watch the mountain lions. I was thrilled to see they were both right up front; the boy tends to be shy at times. The girl's name is Koya, short for Koyama, which means "cougar" in a North American Indian language. The keeper didn't remember at the time which one, but I'd like to find out. She was an orphan found by a hiker in Oregon. The boy's name is Kima, short for Yakima. The keeper I asked today didn't know where his name came from. However, I looked online, and there is a Shahaptian tribe of Indians called the Yakima that live in Washington, so I would imagine his name comes from them. Also, Yakima means "runaway", and Kima was also found as an orphan, shortly after Koya. They ended up becoming great companions and a perfect match. Recently, Koya wasn't feeling well and had to go to the Zoo hospital for some tests; Kima was sad and lethargic the whole time she was gone. Incidentally, she was found to have a small urinary tract infection, and is now back to her perky self after some antibiotics.
Orson, the black jaguar, got a super treat this morning- a giant leg bone, which I'm guessing was from a cow. He was in his front cave happily gnawing away on it, taking his time and great care in choosing exactly where he would chew next. Sadly, a black jaguar in a cave on an overcast day is too much for my camera phone, and all I could capture was an occasional very satisfied tongue poking out. However, I was able to get this shot on a later trip.
Finally, I went to see the ratels for a bit. They are one of my favorites to watch, but I honestly can't tell who's who for anything. My best guess is that the mom and an older juvenile were in there today. Ratels are related to (and are shaped like) badgers and have markings very similar to skunks. They remind me of ferrets sometimes in their single-mindedness once they're fixed on something. Once I saw one try for 45 minutes to pull a tiny outside plant into the enclosure, only reaching it with claw tips. Another time, I saw one determined to get a Kong ball up the wall, balancing it on her nose while climbing up the fence. Halfway up, it would inevitably roll off her nose to the ground, she'd make a bunch of fussy noises, and then go try again. Today, the mom was set on burrowing a hole through the side enclosure floor, making what sounded like frustrated pig grunts all the while. Giving up on getting attention, the juvenile came out and tried to pull a burlap sack off of their big tree for a minute before just hanging over top of it awhile. I had a nice view of draped ratel behind, legs splayed in a cartoonish upside-down V shape for balance.
I talked to a few guests then met and talked to a really nice VAO (visitor assistance officer) for awhile. Since he was a boy, all he wanted was to work at the Zoo, and now he's been there for ten years making a difference. I could tell he's so happy to be there every day and is really committed to his job and the Zoo. I think that's awesome!
I wrapped it up and headed home, freezing by this point from leaning my behind on a metal pole for way too long. I accidentally managed to delete the mountain lion pictures I took today, so more next time!
By:
Chris,
on 10/27/2007
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The "Sunrise Surprise Stroll" is a behind-the-scenes tour at the Zoo. Each month is a new surprise, but we actually have the same tour three times per month. However, guests may only come once a month.
We took care of a few little things before the members arrived and dropped off a note in the children's zoo. I got to see the baby fossa, Isa, in his enclosure for the first time since he was teeny in the nursery and barely big enough to move on his own. He's getting so big!
Isa's mother rejected him as a baby, so the keepers are raising him to be an animal ambassador- an animal that connects with people to educate about conservation. He was on a platform level with my shoulders. I leaned in a little and told him I heard he was doing so good learning to walk on a leash, and I was proud of him. He didn't know me, so he kept coming over to sniff then backing away repeatedly, not sure about this new girl talking to him. He finally came over and sniffed my nose! It seemed like a big step for him, so I stepped back. I could tell he's really inquisitive and probably a happy handful. The picture shows Isa as a baby.
We began at the lemurs and Colubus monkeys in Bear Canyon and continued down to the gibbons. Everyone was out and very active, which is always cool. We walked up Cat Canyon and had three great viewings. The Persian leopard was right in the front of her enclosure in full view, which I've rarely seen. The female cougar was lounging close to the front of her enclosure as well, and Orson the jaguar was putting on his usual awesome display, walking right up front so everyone could really check him out. They're all incredible. I always love that no matter how big or what kind of cat, when they get playing, they all act like kitties.
We wrapped up in Hunte Amphitheater where the keepers brought out Jirra the kangaroo. It was only just this month that I even learned there were kangaroos at the Zoo. There are quite a few wallabies, and several tree kangaroos, but "regular" kangaroos are very challenging to keep on public exhibit. They can leap up to twelve feet high and up to twenty feet long in a single hop when they really get going, which can be thirty miles an hour. Jirra is a red kangaroo, though the red is only somewhat evident in her underfur. The males are much more red, called "red rovers" due to the distances they will travel. The females are more of a beautiful blue gray color, called "blue fliers" due to their speed.
Kangaroos have two different motions, hopping (saltation) and the five-legged walk, both involving their tail. They can't back up; the tail, which is pretty inflexible at the end, acts as a kickstand. When a baby kangaroo is born (joey), only the mouth and front legs are really developed. The mother licks a trail up to her pouch so the joey can follow the scent. It only takes between one and two minutes to make its' way into the pouch after it's born. It latches onto a teat, and there it stays while it continues to develop. A really incredible thing about kangaroos is that they can produce two entirely different formulas of milk from two different teats, one formulated for a newborn and one formulated for a still nursing older joey.
Cartoons always show the pouch as visible and going straight across a kangaroo's belly. Actually, you can't even tell where it is from even a couple feet away, because the muscles holding it closed are so elastic and keep it pulled tight. One of the keepers opened it a little so that we could see; it was more like the top of a drawstring bag and really interesting. Jirra came over during the talk and sniffed my shoe and pant leg, then she sniffed at my face. I breathed out just a little, and she checked it out, but she wasn't interested. I've been told (and have seen) that Jirra really loves coffee breath! I noticed today that her smell was a bit reminiscent of a koala but without the stinky part. She actually smells kind of nice. I could see that she's really soft, and it was a bit of a challenge to not try to pet her. =)
The word "kangaroo" has a kind of funny origin. When the English first arrived in Australia, they saw these odd hopping creatures unlike anything they'd ever encountered. They asked some people from an Aboriginal tribe, "What do you call these creatures?" The Aborigines replied, "Kangaroo." Later, it was discovered that "kangaroo" meant "I don't understand you." =) By that time, everyone was already using "kangaroo". "Jirra" is actually "kangaroo" in one Aboriginal dialect, hence her name.
The New Guinea singing dogs, Samber and Marlin, were outside, and they seemed just as interested in the guests as the guests were in them. The Keepers were on the outside of the enclosure this time; both dogs were keeping a close watch on them just in case random treats should happen to appear. Both got some Keeper attention, though Samber managed to get more than Marlin. Though smaller, she's very much the dominant of the two. Many times, Keepers have to give Marlin attention separately so that Samber doesn't get aggressive with him. It's not wise to take attention from the princess! The two of them get many different toys, which are switched out often. They love to play with their toys, but their interest fades fast, and switching the toys out keeps them "new" and interesting. Samber gave everyone a nice singing demonstration, and after falling in love with both dogs, we all moved down to the next exhibit.
Our gorgeous striped hyena girl, Malia, was waiting for us outside. Earlier, catching up with the group after waiting for the last guests, I passes Malia and Jipenzi who watched me walk by them. I was so entranced by their deep, soft, moving eyes, that I nearly walked full speed through a huge trash can! Now the whole group was in front of their enclosure, and Jipenzi came back out to join Malia and impress the guests. Striped hyenas are smaller than their spotted relatives, and they don't make the "laughing" sound that the other hyenas are known for. They are more beautiful than photos can really depict. Striped hyenas look as though they're pastel chalk drawings that came to life! One of the Keepers had a new toy for the pair, and Malia came over as she was about to toss it into the enclosure. She raised up the long fur down her back, showing how excited she was. The Keeper threw in the toy, and Malia sniffed and poked at it for a moment before Jipenzi came and snatched it, running off in triumph.
As we pulled away, the Educator led our final January group to the bottom of the canyon and into the panda's classroom exhibit. An early observer, who records the panda's activities, had come in that morning, so both mom and baby were already out when we arrived. Zhen Zhen, self-proclaimed master tree climber now, had gone straight up the big tree and was snuggly curled into a panda ball near the end of a high branch. Mom Bai Yun was munching away at her bamboo pile. We were able to get a terrific view of her, as she walked around to give everyone ample photo opportunities. Bai has been described by many as the "perfect panda". Her markings are so perfect, crisp, and beautiful that she looks like she was manufactured. Stuffed animal makers aspire to make their creations look like Bai Yun! We were all pretty cold by this point, but the pandas were paying no attention to the temperature; they're built for the cold and have even been known to play in the snow in the wild, repeatedly sliding down snowy hills. We finally moved on to "Muffin Land" and wrapped up our morning. It was an awesome Stroll month as usual. I can't wait to see what we'll be doing next month!
The group started off on a short walking tour. We made our way to the Bactrian camels, where everyone was able to meet and feed Mongo, Amu, and Heidi. Mongo was having a surprisingly unslobbery morning. WE knew it couldn't last, and the dry streak came to an end when a big slobber blob fell right down the inside of a woman's shirt as she was feeding him. Eww! She was very good natured about it; I mean, how many opportunities do you have in a lifetime to get drooled on by a huge camel? The group got to peek a little further behind the scenes, spotting a red tree kangaroo, some food storage, and a nice big heap of Zoo poo. The Zoo produces four-and-a-half tons of manure each day, most of which is sold. The state highway department is a frequent customer, using the manure to fertilize the plants and flowers along the interstates.
Heading to Elephant Mesa, the group was able to witness the meerkats feeding before we all boarded the bus for the rest of the tour. The three elephant girls, Devi, Tembo, and Sumithi, were happily munching on branches. They are so strong that they can break branches up to eight inches in diameter! Contrary to common belief, female elephants can have tusks. Tembo has large tusks, but only a little bit of Devi's are visible, because she likes to break them off. It's hard to estimate how long an elephant can live. Over the course of their lives, elephants grow six sets of teeth, approximately every ten years. After the last set falls out, wild elephants most commonly die of starvation. In zoos, accommodations are made for the elephant's meals, usually just making them mushy, so that they can live much longer.
Lopping down into Cat Canyon, the group learned many interesting tidbits about the various animals we passed. The bateleur eagle's name is French and means "tightrope walker". The Siberian lynx have been known to hunt possums climbing up the outside of the lynx's enclosure. This was discovered by some night observation, after Keeper's kept finding possum skulls stuck in the fence five to six feet in the air. The lynx would pounce and grab the possum's tail, pulling it through the fence. Only the head couldn't fit through. Wow and eww! The warthogs in this particular canyon were the basis for Pumbaa from Disney's "The Lion King". Disney's animators didn't feel the warthog's body was quite the big screen image they were looking for, so instead they used the body of a pot bellied pig in the Children's Zoo. It is believed that the light swath of puffy hair on the head and back of a baby cheetah causes it to resemble a ratel from a distance. As ratel are very fierce and aggressive little guys that even lions won't bother with, this provides the baby cheetah with an extra defensive camouflage until it gets older. Orson, the black jaguar, has a different hunting style than most big cats. Jaguars wait high in the trees until their prey walks by below. Dropping down on top of them, instead of going for the throat, they actually use their amazingly powerful jaws to crush their prey's skull! It's no wonder Orson makes such short work of the giant bones he's given.
We turned up Bear Canyon to find the grizzly brothers joyfully digging up their enclosure. They quickly overcame their shyness at first coming to the Zoo and are now crowd favorites, striking plenty of closeup poses. The lion sisters were snoozing together in a patch of sunshine as we made our way up the hill and across the front of the Zoo.
Down into Tiger River, the tigers were temporarily off exhibit. Due to unfortunate recent event at the San Francisco Zoo, most zoos have decided to take extra precautions in their tiger exhibits. (This picture is from before.) On a good note, the tigers have been witnessed mating, and we are all crossing our fingers for baby tigers in the near future. We did get an excellent view of the okapis wandering through the trees and the hippos, who were soaking in a little sun themselves. Rounding the corner, the guests got a great view of Su Lin the panda perched up in a main exhibit tree. Baby panda viewing had been extended by an hour, so most of the guests chose to disembark to get a peek at little Z. The tour was great, led by a terrific Educator, and the group was extremely pleased. Thanks to the wonderful Golbon group; it was great having you!
Once again, we headed down into the canyon, which can be a lovely ten to fifteen degrees cooler in the mornings and evenings. But everyone is generally too excited to mind, and no one was disappointed this morning! This time two Keepers were inside of the enclosure with the New Guinea singing dogs. There was certainly no lack of singing today, or in female Samber's case, begging. :) Singing dogs do not bark like domestic dogs. Their "singing" can sound a lot like whining, but unlike other dogs, they can widely vary the tone and pitch, and their "songs" can be very diverse. Choosing to ignore the Keeper's back as a sign that she wasn't going to be rewarded for begging, Samber squeezed behind the Keeper and begged at her back. At one point, she stood up and put her front paws on the Keeper's shoulders, which made everyone laugh. Keepers say that it's sometimes difficult to not just give the dogs all the treats they have, just because they're so adorable. After some more singing demonstrations, we moved down to the striped hyenas.
The two hyenas were very active again today and gave the guests some wonderful photo opportunities. A less desirable photo moment was Malia's up close and detailed demonstration of scent marking, also called pasting. Squatting down, the hyena will extend its scent gland and rub it across a rock, a blade of grass, or I've been told, even a Keeper's leg. The thick, light-colored (and extremely smelly) paste that is excreted lets other hyenas know whose territory they're in. Hyenas are actually more closely related to cats than dogs, and they're very curious and extremely strong. Male Jipenzi gave everyone a bright white closeup of his teeth when he began to chew on part of the fencing. Apparently another keeper had pushed some food through previously, and Jipenzi was getting those last tasty molecules. Building enclosures for hyenas is very challenging due to their combined strength and curiosity. Currently, there are spotted hyenas in quarantine at the Zoo hospital that will be on exhibit soon! Preparations are currently being made.
Now it was panda time, and the guests hurried down into the classroom exhibit. Baby Zhen Zhen had been outside in her tree for almost two days and had fortunately come down the night before, enabling this morning's guests to see her come out. The short two weeks had shown huge progress in little Z's climbing skills, and as soon as she came out, she made her way right up the tree. She had been going steadily higher, and today she went into a new part of the tree she had never been to before. It's amazing, and a little nerve-racking, to see her up so high. But pandas, like all arboreal creatures, are built to fall out of trees. Keepers say that Zhen Zhen is so padded on her bottom that she almost feels diapered. Mom Bai Yun came outside and resumed her place at the comfy bamboo eating spot. I've been told that Z is more rambunctious than Bai's previous three cubs, and that she "bugs" Bai quite a bit more. For example, when Bai Yun needs to move a cub, she will use her front paw to pick the cub up by the scruff of the neck. Instinctively, the cub will go limp, letting the mother transport them. Zhen Zhen apparently didn't read that part in the "How to Be a Panda Cub" manual, and she squirms and wriggles and tries to get Bai's paws off of her. One day Bai Yun was so tired of Z's wriggling that she set Z down and sat on her! Not that it has made much of a difference. :)
The first cases involved six rainbow lorikeets that had died over a six day period. Obviously, something was going on, and keepers wanted to prevent further losses. The birds were all in great physical condition, which was even stranger. Histopathological examination, which looks at the cellular "footprints" of a disease, revealed that the birds had some lung damage. A closer look showed that this was caused by a disease carried only by possums. After some surveillance, they found that possums were sleeping on an overhanging branch. Going to the bathroom in their sleep, the droppings were getting into the lori's food. Where the disease was harmless to the possums, it was lethal to the birds. Keepers trimmed the branches hanging over the enclosure, and the problem was solved. Who would've thought?
The second case was unfortunately of a twenty-two-day-old California condor chick that passed away. The condor problem is both strong and crucial, so this situation was odd and disturbing. It was found to have a pox virus. Usually in the skin, this particular pox had gotten into the organs. Now there was a major scare. Not knowing the virus' origin or if it could be passed to other condors, the entire program was in danger of being shut down. The doctors checked case histories and a (safe) sampling of native birds. It turned out that the carrier was the California towhee, a little native bird. Apparently a mosquito had transferred the virus between two birds. The great news was that no two birds of any kind could pass it between them, so neither the native nor captive populations were in danger, and the condor program was safe. More good news: the governor has passed legislation banning lead ammunition in condor areas, which will effectively eliminate the birds' main issue in the wild. Yay!
The doctor told us about a baby lion tailed macaque that was getting hypothermic. The mother had two children previously, both without issue. Hypothermia is usually only found in the babies of inexperienced new mothers. Doctors asked keepers to try and locate some of the placenta in the enclosure for examination. Compared to normal placental tissue, the sample they looked at was awful. They shone a special light through the sample and noticed a crystalline structure spread throughout the cells. That particular structure is only found in one thing. The keeper had accidentally picked up a little piece of leftover sweet potato. =) The baby macaque ended up just needing a little extra care than most and turned out just fine.
The discussion was rounded out with two cases of large apes. A mandrill was showing some arm weakness for two days and was examined for possible causes, but then sadly passed away the next day. Doctors found free-living amoeba in the mandrill's brain, which can develop cysts. A special protozoologist at the CDC used a process called immunoflorescence to attempt to identify it. There are six different species of amoeba, and they can be identified by which particular lit antibody flourishes on it. However, this one eluded them all. Years later, a thirteen-year-old gorilla was experiencing weight loss and lethargy. Keepers assumed at first that she was grieving the recent loss of an older gorilla. When she did not improve, she was checked out and found to have abdominal masses and liver damage. Was it cancer? A biopsy revealed that is was amoeba! The doctor called the CDC and found that they had since identified the previous amoeba as a new species. An examination of the gorilla's water was officially reported to contain a "cornucopia of weirdness", including this new amoeba, and the water sources in her enclosure were replaced. The new amoeba was named Balamuthia mandrillaris, in memory of the first mandrill. Research into thirty years of records revealed a total of five cases, including these two, where this amoeba was the culprit, always in old world primates. This research has helped doctors to identify this condition in some AIDS patients as well. The whole talk was fascinating, and the doctor presented the cases in an understandable, mesmerizing, and often humorous way. I can't wait for him to come back- thank you doctor!
Heading down into Cat Canyon, our first stop was the New Guinea singing dogs. Male and female Marlin and Samber were waiting in their enclosure to see if all of the sudden attention might result in some snacks. Females are dominant in singing dog society, and Princess Samber is no exception. Just over two years old and a mere eighteen pounds, Samber does not hesitate to let the older and larger Marlin know who's boss! Singing dogs are pack animals, but unlike domestic dogs, they are not motivated to "please" the pack leader. Also, they do not exhibit the same tame qualities, so they are not recommended as pets. However, it is extremely difficult to find pure blood singing dogs in the wild today, as they have been interbred with domestic dogs. Neither Samber nor Marlin were in a singing mood this morning, so after a talk with the Keeper, we continued down the canyon.
Next door to the singing dogs are two gorgeous striped hyenas, male Jipenzi, which means "beloved" in Swahili, and female Malia, which means "striped". Around seventy pounds at full size, striped hyenas are significantly smaller than the more commonly known spotted hyenas, and they do not "laugh" like the spotteds. They love patrolling their territory, playing in the water, and their toy ball. One of my favorite animals, striped hyenas look like living pastel chalk drawings; they are truly beautiful. They have a mane of long hair down their back that they can erect when they are excited or agitated, making them look twice their size. They are extremely strong and can eat every part of an animal. However, they regurgitate the horns, hair, and hooves, as they have no nutritional value.
Tearing away from the hyenas, we continued to the canyon bottom into the panda classroom exhibit. Mother Bai Yun and new baby Zhen Zhen, now five months old, had gone onto exhibit just one week ago for two hours a day. As guests anxiously lined the walkways, keepers let little Z out, and everyone's hearts melted. Zhen Zhen is currently like a little round panda poof, and she was just beginning to learn to climb. Like any toddler with a new found skill, she went right to the exhibit's trees and slowly, teeteringly made her way up to the first good sitting spot. The "run" of a baby panda is really cute and funny- she looks a bit like a Weeble with legs. =) Bai Yun came out afterwards and lounged against a rock, breaking right into a large pile of bamboo. Z is Bai's fourth cub, and she is much more at ease with her. The group ooh-ed and aah-ed for a bit longer, then we headed over for muffins and hot drinks. Thank you as always to our Keepers and Educator for a great Stroll!
We began at a huge thorn acacia leaning on the rock kopje and headed down Dog and Cat Canyon. We got a good look at part of the new world collection, which includes succulents, agaves, and cacti. There are mulberry trees across from the arch cages that are used for animal browse. Hunte Amphitheater is surrounded by beautiful coastal redwoods and giant sequoias, and the huge fishtail palm on the right corner of the hornbill exhibit is the tallest on the entire west coast. Fishtails are the only palm with a bipinnate leaf. They have a thirty year life which ends with a seven year flowering cycle. Passing the macadamia nut trees by the porcupines in the canyon, we rounded the corner and started up Bear Canyon.
We passed the huge groupings of ginger that comes into full bloom in August and September and smells phenomenal. Ginger actually shares the same family as bananas. We passed Fern Canyon, newly reopened, in which some of the original plants are over ninety years old. Across from the grizzly cubs is the only true native palm of Hawaii. Most Hawaiian palms are each endemic to a single island. Nearby is a type of large Brachychiton, or bottle tree, which is in the chocolate family. It has really neat, big seed pods that are unmistakable from the ground.
Topping the hill, we passed the beautiful blooming tree aloe with its bright orange cones, which flowers in the winter. There are ten different groups of aloe, and the tree aloe can grow as high as fifty feet! The top of the hill has both banana and dragon fruit plants. Bananas are actually a berry, and there are twenty-two different kinds! The banana plant grows forty leaves before it begins its seven year fruiting stage. After fruiting is over, the plant dies, a new one sprouts, and the cycle begins again. The dragon fruit, also known as the strawberry pear or pitahaya, only blooms at night; the white flowers are huge and beautiful, and I've been fortunate to be able to view them during Zoo Sleepover programs.
We circled behind the meerkats to turn the bus around and were able to see the ice cream bean tree. The pulp has a cotton candy-like consistency and has a sweet, vanilla ice cream taste. The pods can grow up to three feet long! Pulling the pulp away from the seeds in one of the pods, we were able to sample a taste. Not quite ripe, it was a bit more moist than it would usually be, but it was delicious!
Beginning our trip back, we passed the camels who were lounging around a big ficus tree in the center of their enclosure. The camels like to eat all of the ficus leaves that they can reach, and their large hooves compact the soil around the tree. The gardeners have to occasionally add soil around the tree, enabling the camels to reach more leaves. Over time, it looks as if the tree is shrinking! Another bright bloomer is one of the cycads, the sago palm. More closely related to conifers than palms, the cycads' cone starts off bright red, and it's huge. Cycads were dinosaur food, and they make up much of today's coal. A lot of plants went into early bloom this year due to the county's recent wildfires. The ethylene gas in the smoke induces early ripening, increases disease and wounding resistance, and induces flowering in many plants. It has negative effects as well, but fortunately, the San Diego Zoo got just enough indirect smoke to make everything even prettier early. I can't wait for the next tour!
Bandar knows to go up on one of his tree stumps to have his harness put on. He gets treats for being good, and then the walk begins. Our first stop, per Bandar, was the curators' offices. He proceeded directly into the head curator's room, where Bandar knows "his" toys are waiting. There used to be a wooden chair in the office; Bandar would climb into it to sit and just stare at the head curator for awhile. He has a small plastic box that when moved shouts, "Excuse me, excuse me, can you let me out of here!" over and over. Bandar batted it around awhile then positioned it until he could sit squarely on it. Normally, others in the office get tired of the shrill repeated phrase long before Bandar does! Someone brought out a Christmas pig that walks and oinks "Jingle Bells", and he really wasn't sure what to make of that.
We continued on to our next stop. There are a few things to watch for during Bandar's walks. First, he's extremely sensitive about having his tail touched!You have to be careful not to bump into it if he stops suddenly in front of you. Also, he likes to munch shoes for fun. Plus, Bandar is a huge fan of the dates that fall from the trees around the Zoo. Dates are very sugary, and too many of them aren't healthy. Everything in moderation! We went behind the Otto Center to sniff around a bit, then into the Zoo Corps/video conferencing trailer. We got to have quite a field day in there. There were boxes to try and pull off shelves and chairs to attempt to chew on. He kept the Educator very busy!
After wandering through the remaining office halls and making a short visit to Human Resources, we wrapped up in the Education trailer. Bandar sniffed around a bit before he discovered a red wagon in the corner.The plastic crate inside of it was immediately pulled out, and he climbed right up into the wagon. Facing the wall wasn't much fun, so he turned around and discovered the wagon's handle. He pulled it forward with one paw so that he could rub his head and neck on it, getting his itchy spots. Finally, Bandar got over the wagon, and we headed back to the Children's Zoo for special treats. See you next time, Bandar!
We did our best to contain ourselves as we followed him to the pangolins' room, which was extremely warm to keep them comfortable. The pair of pangolins were curled around each other like a pine cone yin yang. He picked up the male and brought him out for us to see. So cute! The pangolin's facial fur makes him look like he has mutton chop sideburns. We could see the little bare patch on the underside of the end of his tail; not only does it help themm to grip, the sensory pad on it actually helps them to find the best place to grip. We were able to pet him awhile. He was calm and sweet the entire time, and his smooth scales had a neat soft feeling to them as well. We love pangolins!
Afterwards, I accompanied the educator to the Children's Zoo where she was going to put in some animal handling time. Several animals still needed their walking time for the day. First she harnessed up Hobbs and Butterscotch, a pair of European ferrets. Being their normal ferrety selves, they spent the walk winding their leashes and the educator through the trees and bushes, going in completely opposite directions the entire time. After awhile, they decided to be done walking and kept flopping to the ground in their silly way. They ended up being carried back. Naturally curious, hyper, and funny, they must be so great to see in the wild!
Then it was time to walk Priscilla, a North American porcupine. She isn't particularly harnessable, so she goes leash-less with the educators on her walks. Her teeth are yellow-orange in color, which is thought to be an extra layer of iron. They eat tubers and tree bark in the wild, wearing their teeth quite a bit. The iron layer may help to slow that process down. Their eyesight is not very acute; in Priscilla's case, that means she will walk up to whatever pair of legs she sees, hoping that they're the legs with the treats. =) Of course, porcupines cannot shoot out their quills, but the barbed ends enable the quills to really hook into any offending animal that comes too close. Interestingly, as the offending animal's heart beats, the quill works itself further into its body, causing more problems, especially if it hits an organ or major artery. As such, most animals give porcupines a wide berth. Great horned owls may sometimes go for a climbing porcupine, and a type of large weasel called a fisher has been known to run around them until the porcupine is worn out. Priscilla generally walks on all fours, but she gets along quite well on her back legs, too, in what could be called a "porcupine Frankenstein" walk. I couldn't let her come all the way to me, but I loved watching her walk upright. She looks like she's coming over to hug your legs! On our way back we passed Agra, an Indian crested porcupine, out for his walk. He and Priscilla couldn't look more different.
Our final walk was with Kala the meerkat. She and her brother Hari were raised in the nursery and now reside in the front of the Children's Zoo with another female, Tripod. Kala isn't all that patient while getting into her harness; she's anxious to get going! She loves digging for grubs under the logs on the back path and munching sneakers when she can get to them. We walked around awhile, getting in as much digging as we could before it was time for Kala to go back. On the way out, I met a nice grounds attendant who was feeding the koi and goldfish. We talked for a bit, and he showed me one of the fish that had a close encounter with the pond's giant snapping turtle. He got through just fine and watches where he swims now!
Our final tour to the Zoo's hospital brought a new group of guests and a bright, chilly, Zoo bunny-less morning. (The Zoo bunnies have been sleeping in while the mornings are cold.) The vet arrived and led the group the long pretty route to our final destination. After everyone had gathered in the exam room, the vets brought out a cute little Bufflehead duck, a diving bird whose name comes from a combination of "buffalo" and "head" due to its often bulbous quality. She was having a bit of an eye issue, so the vet took a peek in a way similar to how a doctor would check out a human patient's eyes. She'll receive a couple of eye drops that will fix her right up!
After yesterday's Stroll, the educator and I got to hear about today's main attraction, so today's educator and I were really excited to see something that none of us has ever before seen in person: a pangolin! This awesome little creature is actually a scaly anteater, though it looks like a walking artichoke. It's name comes from a Malay word meaning "something that rolls up". They live in both Asia and Africa, and there is both an arboreal and a terrestrial type. Most have only one baby at a time. It's scales are soft at birth, and the keratin hardens as they get older. Babies spend the first couple months of their lives clinging to their mother's tail. If she is alarmed, she will curl in a ball around the baby to protect it. The terrestrial pangolin lives in burrows; some central burrows are so large a man can stand upright in them! They are incredible problem solvers and have strong claws and prehensile tails. Using these long strong tails as balance, they can actually move up to five miles per hour on just their hind legs.
This pangolin girl was nice enough to pose for an example radiograph for us. Actually, she was a bit too curious about her surroundings to really stay still, but the vets managed to snap a quick shot. One interesting thing in the picture is that you can see her scales. Also, toward the bottom of her abdominal cavity, you can see the long curved bone that attaches the tongue. Pretty unique to this species, the tongue anchors far back in the body. Even so, it can still extend from their mouth up to sixteen inches!
The pangolin went back to her boyfriend, and we went upstairs to the medical library. We were treated once more to the hospital's camera system. We saw all of the building's different areas, then a fly river turtle. Finally, we were treated to three red river hogs currently in quarantine. They had been hiding during the first hospital visit! Our vet answered several great questions, then it was back into the Zoo for muffin time. Thank you to each of the vets, techs, and educators that made this month's Surprise possible!
This morning we took a new group of guests up to the Zoo's fascinating hospital. This time we were treated to a blue crowned imperial pigeon, also known as the Victoria crowned pigeon. It's an incredible bird, classified vulnerable, that is found in the lowland swamps of northern New Guinea. It generally lays a single white egg. This particular female was having some mobility issues, so she was being checked out. She had just been anesthetized before we arrived, and the vets were quickly taking radiograph images so as to keep her under for as little time as possible. Thank you to one of our great Zoo members for this pigeon picture!
The vets use anesthesia only when absolutely necessary. When the situation does arise, an oximeter is used to measure the animal's blood oxygen saturation level and heart rate the entire time. Also, intubation is used to ensure full and proper breathing throughout the process. The vets and techs gently maneuvered the beautiful bird taking images from the two angles they needed. They then switched her to straight oxygen, clearing her system of the anesthetics and allowing her to wake up. She woke slowly at first, opening her bright red eyes and looking around at all of the people that were now in the room. Moments later, she fully burst into life, ready to go back home! We learned that some animals wake up gently and go about their business as though nothing happened, where other animals practically explode off of the table, perturbed by the interruption in their day. She calmed back down immediately after seemingly getting her bearings and was taken back to her enclosure. The vets are then able to peruse her radiographs at leisure and discover the source of the issue.
All of the radiographs and CT scans are uploaded to a server, accessible by the vets and keepers from any computer, which comes very much in handy. In some instances, doctors and vets outside of the Zoo have been able to access the images and assist in diagnoses. Our vet showed us some of the radiographs additional capabilities and then demonstrated the darts. Both darts and needles vary greatly in size for use on a diverse range of animals. On rare occasion, a dart will hit but not inject the dosage. In this case, the animal has to be darted a second time. The concern would be the animal falling onto the first dart, resulting in a double dosage of anesthetic. Two precautions are taken to ensure that this is not a problem. First, the anesthetics used have a "white area", a margin of error, so that a little too much is a non-issue. Second, all anesthetics used are reversible; there is an antidote that reverses its effects so the animal remains unaffected. Before we left, one guest attempted to dart Emilio the practice deer, and she made a perfect shot! Way to go! Back through the foot bath and off to muffins, we wrapped up another awesome Zoo morning.
Tonight's special speaker was a woman from CRES, Conservation and Research for Endangered Species, at the Wild Animal Park in Escondido. She began her talk with science literacy in America and comical examples by college graduates of some common misconceptions. Science literacy is important in order for people to have a true understanding of issues like global warming, the loss of biodiversity, and the intrinsic value that biodiversity holds. She discussed the PISCES Project, the Partnerships Involving the Scientific Community in Elementary Schools, which is partnering over two hundred teachers in more than forty schools across San Diego county, Baja California Sur, Mexico, and the North Slope of Alaska. Among other things, distance learning has been hosted between the schools allowing children from widely varying climates and landscapes to learn about each other's local biodiversity. Other questions are answered as well, like if it's difficult to ride bikes in the snow. =)
One of our favorite vet's met us at the Otto Center and led the way via a scenic route through Balboa Park. It's much quicker than going in through the Zoo, and this way the guests could avoid trekking up "cardiac hill". Stepping first through a mandatory foot bath, we entered the hospital and one of its main exam rooms. Though staff is not on the premises at all times, vets and techs are on call 24/7. Zoo security conducts routine checks after hours and notifies the appropriate people if an issue presents itself. However, vets and techs do staff the hospital in continual successive shifts if an animal is in a condition that requires constant monitoring. We were introduced to a Parsons chameleon named Big Daddy. Chameleon means "Earth lion", and this particular one was having some trouble with his feet. Allowing them to heal cleanly, he had a little red cast on each of his back feet. It was a shame that he had foot problems, but the little casts were so cute!
Next we met a female Fernands skink, a carnivorous member of the most diverse group of lizards. She had a radiograph taken to determine if she was gravid, or with eggs. This is done in many cases if a lizard's abdomen is enlarged. The vets and keepers are then able to determine if the lizard is going to lay soon so they can keep an eye out, or if the full clutch of eggs was laid which is important for the lizard's health. The digital radiograph is available immediately and provides much more versatility and detail than the older hand-developed x-rays. The skink was totally calm during the process; she just hung out while the radiograph was taken! In some cases, like this one, the eggs are not developed enough to be detected in this manner, so the vets used an ultrasound. The ultrasound can even pick up follicles, which are eggs that haven't ovulated yet. The results were inconclusive today; this skink may just have been putting on some winter weight. =)
Occasionally an animal needs to be darted. To many people, this brings anesthetics to mind, but darts are also sometimes used for vaccinations and pain medication on animals that would be more stressed by a trip into the hospital. The old darting system involved metal darts and a powder charged dart gun. Vets were unable to tell if the full dose had been administered through the metal sides of the dart, and the dart gun was so loud that often animals would run away from the sound before the dart would actually reach them. Today, darts are plastic, making it lighter and the dosage visible. The dart guns make use of pressurized air, much quieter and quicker to handle. The darts make use of a similar system. The back chamber holds pressurized air, and the front chamber holds the dosage to be administered. A pink, fuzzy flight is attached to the back end for aid in accuracy; darts can travel up to fifty yards! A normal hypodermic needle has a hole at the end. These darts have holes on the needles' sides, though the end is still pointed to start the injection. When the dart hits, the small plastic sleeve covering the holes is pushed back, releasing the pressure and the medication. The back doors were opened to reveal Emilio, the darting practice deer (artificial of course!). One guest had the opportunity to try his hand at darting, but didn't quite make the distance. Great try!
We wrapped up in the upstairs medical library which allows full view of the exam room and the surgery suite below. It also houses one of the monitors hooked to the hospitals camera system. Highly maneuverable cameras sit in each room, giving the vets and keepers the ability to monitor the animals without altering their behavior. We looked in on a new female raccoon that's being introduced to the male in the Children's Zoo. We also saw two Sunda parrot finches and an old world comb duck, comfortably socializing in their enclosures. After a few questions, it was back through the foot bath and off to enjoy muffins and hot drinks, much appreciated on a cold day. Thanks to the wonderful vets and our great educator!
Today marked the 100th day since the new baby panda was born at the San Diego Zoo. As such, it was the traditional time for her to receive a name. Over 2,400 names were submitted for consideration, and the final four were voted upon online by people from all over the globe.
The Zoo's giant panda program was implemented in 1996, and it received its first two pandas from China, Shi Shi, a wild caught male, and Bai Yun, a female that was the first successful birth at the China Conservation and Research Center for Pandas. Shi Shi wasn't really interested in Bai Yun, however, and the first cub, Hua Mei, was born in August 1999 after artificial insemination. Hua Mei was the first panda born outside of China to go to China, where she went on to birth three sets of twins to date. In 2003, Shi Shi returned to China in exchange for Gao Gao, another male. Gao Gao took right to Bai Yun, and the newest baby marks their third cub together, following Mei Sheng and Su Lin.
Nearing the moment everyone was waiting for, the speakers were followed by traditional dancing by the Lucky Lion Dancers, dressed as two ornate, sparkly, magical Chinese dragons. Finally, the name was revealed as the three easels were unveiled. The new panda's name was displayed in traditional Chinese, contemporary Chinese, and English. Zhen Zhen! Pronounced like "juhn juhn", it is from a Mandarin dialect and means "precious". It is expected that her mother Bai Yun will be ready to bring her out in about a month for all to see. The ceremony was rounded off with a small buffet of delicious traditional Chinese dishes and fortune cookies for everyone. We can't wait to meet you Zhen Zhen!
On the way to the Sunrise Surprise Stroll, I begin my mornings by seeing how many Zoo bunnies I pass going in. "Zoo bunnies" are wild California brush rabbits that live around, and even in, the Zoo. As I arrive in the very early dawn, I always see them in the Zoo's mini train yard and along the path to the Otto Center. This morning I saw four Zoo bunnies! I stopped a moment to look at a red squirrel on the path, stooping down so as to not disturb him. He approached me after a moment, stood up straight on his hind legs, and flashed me! I'd never seen that behavior before, and after he did it a second time, I decided it was best to wait in the trailer. =) I'm sure that's not was he was actually doing, but it was both funny and bizarre.
Once our guests arrived, the cool morning began at the nursery in the Children's Zoo. There we were introduced to bonobo siblings Mali and Tutapenda. Mali was born September 24, 2007 to mom Ikela and dad Yenge. It was a hard birth, and Mali's arm was injured- one of the complications that brought her to the nursery. She has been thriving there and a big hit with all of the Zoo's guests. Shortly thereafter, on October 29, 2007, a baby was born to mom Lolita and same dad Yenge. His name, Tutapenda, means "we will love" in Swahili. He was rejected by his mother at birth. Keepers use nursery rearing as a last resort, preferring each animal to be raised naturally whenever possible. However, one of Lolita's older offspring, Machumba, repeatedly brought baby Tutapenda to the keepers. She remembered the keepers caring for other babies and wanted them to take him as well!
Baby bonobos develop much like baby humans. Unlike many monkies, these apes are not able to get around shortly after birth. They are currently on their backs in their crib, and their abilities are pretty much limited to waving around their arms and legs, sucking on their fingers and toes. They drink milk, whether from bottle or mom, for about two years. Right now, both Mali and Tutapenda have been getting much more expressive facially. Nursery keepers say that Tutapenda puts on a really funny "serious" pouty face when he wants something now. The babies are being introduced back into the bonobo society slowly and incrementally. They are takento the bonobo enclosure frequently. At first, they are placed in a protected chute. The other apes can reach in to hold, touch, and kiss the babies. After awhile, adults that are known to be good tempered and kind are allowed in with them. The chute is small and well padded to help prevent any incidents. Little by little, the exposure is increased until the group has accepted the babies, and they are released into the enclosure to spend the rest of their days with their group. It's an anxious time for keepers, but they have had great success. The babies do initially bond with the nursery keepers as "moms", but they quickly come to realize the difference between a uniform and fur, and they transistion into their natural environment smoothly.
Leaving the Children's Zoo, we went down into the heart of Monkey Trails. There amongst the guenons reside three mandrills. There are two females, Angie and Dora, born in 1990 and 1992 respectively. And there is one unmistakable, unmissable male, PJ, born November 17, 1991. As the dominant male, PJ has a bright vividly rainbowed behind. He's also huge. The multi-colored rump is dual purpose. It is thought that it provides enhanced visibility to aide in group movement through dense rainforests. It is also a sign of dominance. The higher up the social structure a male is, the more colorful he is. If an individual "moves up" to alpha male, he will actually become more colorul. With most primates, a "smile" is actually a threat; if a monkey or ape is smiling at you, it's not good news! However, mandrills are one of the only primates that actually grin as a greeting. PJ gave us a few grins with keeper prompting, and it was awesome and hysterical. Threats are made by "yawning", which shows off his enormous canines, and head bobbing. That was interesting to learn, as later on in the day when a keeper was walking the miniature horse through Monkey Trails, I knew then by the head bobbing that PJ was not too thrilled by the visit!
The mandrills have been trained to perform a variety of behaviors that help the keepers do quick and stress-free medical checks. They use a combinaion of verbal and visual cues, though they've found that the monkies are mainly reacting to the visual requests. We were able to see each of these behaviors; though very useful, they are also cute. They will touch each of their feet or their chest to the fencing, allowing keepers to check foot health and hear their heartbeat. They will stick out their tongue and open their mouths to confirm dental and general health. They turn their bottoms to the keepers and also stand up tall, touching a finger to the keeprs finger, allowing them to see their entire body, making sure everything is alright there. And they will grin, which keepers admit is the one request that has no real medical necessity. =) All of the behaviors, both important and great to see, are memorable and help to educate the public about this incredible and intelligent species.
The talk focused a bit on the importance of training certain behaviors and a lot on silly stories from keeper and animal experiences. For example, an emu can jump 7-10 feet up in the air. One day, a large tree crashed, startling an emu. It jumped in fright and went over a fence into a neighboring enclosure, landing on a gray kangaroo. Neither were hurt, but the kangaroo wouldn’t go near the fence after that!
Jirra wasn’t able to come out on stage, as time ran out. She was outside in her crate, and I got to talk to her for awhile. I’m not sure if what I was saying was interesting or if she was waiting to see if I’d give her a yam slice, but either way, it was cool to see her paying attention. Karoo and Sven were on stage for awhile, and Karoo was obviously very comfortable. She flopped over on her side and proceeded to try to catch her tail in her mouth for awhile, which was cracking everyone up. Sven was outside after the talk was over, getting plenty of attention. He rode happily away squeezed between two keepers in the front seat of the animal truck. It was a great night.
The Zoo holds an annual event for teachers and educators to promote conservation in the classroom and provide educational resources. The night also gives teachers a much deserved evening of fun and appreciation. It includes a bus tour, education booths with giveaways and great resources, a special show at Hunte Amphitheater, and a giant dinner at the Zoo’s party area with games and door prizes. And it’s all for only $6.50! Tonight I got to be a guest.
Sven Olof, Karoo the cheetah’s golden retriever buddy, opened the show by coming out and putting some bottles and cans in a recycle bin set on stage. He was followed up by Keenai, the three-year-old Arctic white wolf. The audience howled, and he howled in response, which is always a big hit. I’ve included a video of him on my “Amazing Animals” page. Next came Murphy, the eighteen-month-old African red river hog. When the music started, he broke into a choreographed dance with one of the trainers, which was funny. As a smart pig, the extra activities give him additional enrichment. Long ago, Germans believed that rubbing the nose of a pig was good luck; this eventually gave rise to the piggy bank. Then came Karoo, the cheetah. When Sven came out to join her, he was dressed in a cheetah-print cape and cheetah ears, which was cute and silly. Cheetahs are of course the fastest land mammal and can get up to 45mph within two seconds!
We saw two more of the 36 species of cats before show’s end. First, Jabari and Chuma, African servals, came out and demonstrated their amazing jumping abilities. They have extremely sensitive hearing, which helps them to hunt. To them, the wing beat of a bird makes a sound equivalent to a drum roll to us. They were followed by Kalot and Kaya, two gorgeous clouded leopard sisters. Not used to being on stage at night, they both made the most of being able to sniff around as much as possible. One of the sisters kept returning to what must have been a particularly interesting fern, after which she was carried back each time by one of the trainers. They’re both in season at the moment, so they’re extremely friendly and amorous. We were told that the trainers are treated like furniture by the cats, who climb all over them to rub and scent mark. A piece of browse was placed on the stage, and the second sister rolled in it and rubbed against it as if it was telling her sweet things. They were definitely the stars of the show.
I was lucky enough to be able to spend part of the morning with a new friend, a horticulturist at the Zoo. I followed him as he worked, and he taught me about several of the plants we passed and some of the challenges they faced “keeping green” in the animal exhibits. We began in the enclosure that will soon house the two ten-month-old grizzly cub brothers, found orphaned and wandering alone in Alaska. They’ve been working very hard on making the exhibit as comfortable, natural, and entertaining for the bears as possible, and it really shows! The picture shows only about half of the exterior enclosure.
Giant timber bamboo grows in abundance throughout the area, some so thick it takes both hands to encompass it. I learned that it incorporates silica into its cell structure, making it extra hard. It can leech the soil fairly quickly, so it’s important not to rake up the dropped leaves, as they decompose and replenish the silica in the ground. The younger bamboo stems are coated in a white chalk-like substance, which acts as a water-proof layer. This keeps the young stems from rotting until they have incorporated enough silica into their cells to make them tough and water resistant on their own.
We spent the rest of the time nearby in Sun Bear Forest. One of the really bright vivid plants there is the pink powder puff, which is in the pea family. Its multi-stamen bloom reminds me of a mimosa, and it’s about as pink as pink can be. There’s a red version as well called the Brazilian fire bush. We went up into a back area to confirm the plant’s family in the Sunset Western Garden Book, which is an awesome reference. There was a binturong half-snoozing in his enclosure next to us, but apparently we weren’t doing anything very interesting.
Back down in the main area, I started to learn a bit about the many, many types of palms living in the Zoo. The shaving brush palm looks like exactly that: an inverted shaving brush. The leaves are not widely spread as with other palms. It’s one of the “self-cleaning” palms. As bottom leaves die off, they fall to the ground, leaving a smooth visible trunk. Some other varieties of palms don’t lose their dead leaves; dead leaves cling to the bottom layers as new leaves grow from the top.
The lady palm looks more like a big potted plant than a tree. The leaves are fan-like rather than feather-like, and it has long stems as opposed to a trunk. The bamboo palm is a new favorite of mine. It has feather-like leaves, and the skinny trunk is sectioned somewhat like bamboo. The trunk feels really cool, and it’s a beautiful, rich green. It has a short, squiggly, green inflorescence.
The inflorescence, my word of the week, is the flowering-fruiting part of many palms, and it can vary widely between species. It is a flower of sorts in itself, but more accurately it is a group of stems that holds clusters of flowers, which can look like a bunch of bumps. All of these palms’ flowers and fruit are contained on the inflorescence. We saw a king palm with a large conspicuous red cluster of fruit and a fishtail palm with a beige-green inflorescence hanging down that had to be about six feet long. Fishtail palms are one of the faster of the slow-growing palms. Once it begins to flower, it means the tree itself is beginning to die.
As we were wrapping up our learning session, a flower was pointed out to me that I believe is secretly the best smelling thing in the Zoo. Hidden behind a giant, gorgeous clump of two different gingers in front of the lion-tailed macaques is a tiny white flower called the Honolulu rose. It also goes by glorybower and stickbush, but I like the rose name best. It is so incredible that I’ve since made it a point to walk by just to smell them! No offense to the ginger, which smells great, but the Honolulu rose has my vote. That ended my first horticultural lesson. Super special thanks to my incredible teacher!
Lilly and I went to CRES for a seminar on the endangered Tonkin snub-nosed monkies of northern Vietnam, presented by Burt Covert. It was our first time in the CRES building in Escondido, and we were both impressed! The talk was interesting, and it’s great to know there’s caring people doing such wonderful work with endangered species. I’ve never seen this particular monkey before; it’s forever in my head now as the makeup monkey.
We spent the rest of the day at the Wild Animal Park. We met Bayou, a ten year-old American alligator. If an alligator breaks or loses a tooth, they can completely regrow it in two days! I was surprised that he was not only soft on his belly but on his sides as well. They only need bony plating on their backs to protect them from falling debris. A close-up view will reveal small black dots all around the "lip" area. They actually help them to detect vibrations, which helps them hunt. Crocodiles have them as well, but over a much larger portion of their bodies.
There are several different kinds of hoof stock in the Petting Kraal. We pet a little Blackbuck antelope who was soaking in the sun. Everyone else was in the shade, including Bonnie, a 330-pound Barasingha deer. We spent a lot of time with her and her giant fuzzy ears, and I've since learned that she's a great calming influence on the rest of the residents there. She's also the only one that doesn't feel the need to take breaks from the hundreds of little hands petting her throughout the day. We love Bonnie!
Before having the yummy picnic lunch that Lilly had packed for us, we decided to go on the Journey into Africa tour, which replaced the Wgasa Bush Line. We saw Ivan, the Park's tallest giraffe. He's missing the end of his tail. It was bitten off by a mother Grevy's zebra that he was "harassing". Ivan has five ossicones on his head, which act as a helmet when necking with other giraffes. Necking is how they fight, and ossicones are the horn-like things on giraffes and okapis. They're actually ossified (hardened/bony) cartilage. A lot of the hoof stock in Africa have reddish colored coats. We learned that this is a protective measure. Lions are, in a manner of speaking, red-green color blind, and the red coats blend in with the grass. As extra protection, some animals such as the eland are born without a scent.
We also learned that crowned cranes bond with a mate for life by the age of three. To eat, they stomp their feet on the ground, which brings up insects to feed on. Plus, we got some awesome closeup looks at a group (called a crash) of white rhinos! They were taking advantage of a nice shady spot. Finally, we found a terrific secluded spot to eat lunch- on a balcony overlooking a large pond near Okayango Outpost. We sat in the setting sun and talked and ate and laughed, rounding out our super afternoon.
Isa's mother rejected him as a baby, so the keepers are raising him to be an animal ambassador- an animal that connects with people to educate about conservation. He was on a platform level with my shoulders. I leaned in a little and told him I heard he was doing so good learning to walk on a leash, and I was proud of him. He didn't know me, so he kept coming over to sniff then backing away repeatedly, not sure about this new girl talking to him. He finally came over and sniffed my nose! It seemed like a big step for him, so I stepped back. I could tell he's really inquisitive and probably a happy handful. The picture shows Isa as a baby.
Kangaroos have two different motions, hopping (saltation) and the five-legged walk, both involving their tail. They can't back up; the tail, which is pretty inflexible at the end, acts as a kickstand. When a baby kangaroo is born (joey), only the mouth and front legs are really developed. The mother licks a trail up to her pouch so the joey can follow the scent. It only takes between one and two minutes to make its' way into the pouch after it's born. It latches onto a teat, and there it stays while it continues to develop. A really incredible thing about kangaroos is that they can produce two entirely different formulas of milk from two different teats, one formulated for a newborn and one formulated for a still nursing older joey. 
