Return of the Rails

Today, I figured that we would end 2019 on a sweet note, and no news that I've heard this year has been sweeter than this.  At the beginning of this year, the IUCN had a single species on its list of birds which had gone Extinct in the Wild and then restored to their natural habitat in sufficient numbers to be downgraded.  Now, there are two.

The Guam rail was extinct in the wild for nearly 40 years.  Now it's back.

The Guam rail story has been a decades-long saga of government officials, biologists, nonprofits, and zoo professionals working together to restore a very special bird to the forests from which it was extirpated (learn more here).  It's not out of danger yet, but it does provide a beacon of hope, both for its own future and for that of other endangered species.  With any luck, we'll be growing that list some more in the future.  In the meantime, it's a great reminder of what zoos and aquariums matter, and why we do what we do.


Happy New Year!

The Other Baby in the Manger

Credit: Potter Park Zoo

The staff at Michigan's Potter Park Zoo got a slightly early Christmas present on the 24th with the birth of an endangered black rhino.  The baby was expected, but the timing could have perhaps left a little to be desired.  That being said, I feel like at every zoo I've ever worked at, there is usually either a) a baby born or b) a suddenly ill animal on Christmas or Christmas Eve.  One is a happy occasion, obviously, while the other is most definitely not, but what both have in common is that they take a lot of keeper time and energy to resolve. 


It's one of the stressors of the holidays, which can already be quite a stressful time for keepers, especially those who are financially strapped and far from home.  It can also be a magical moment, being alone at the zoo on Christmas morning, no visitors and just a skeletal staff, and being the one to find the most amazing of presents taking its first steps before your eyes.

Species Fact Profile: Southern Hairy-Nosed Wombat (Lasiorhinus latifroms)

Southern Hairy-Nosed Wombat

Lasiorhinus latifroms (Owen, 1845)

Range: Southern Australia
Habitat: Arid and Semi-Arid Grasslands, Open Woodlands.  Primary habitat requirement is sturdy soil to support the burrows
Diet: Grasses, herbs, roots, shrubs, bark, and tubers
Social Grouping: Generally solitary, but will congregate in groups of up to 5-10 in shared tunnel complexes, though not all individuals may be present at the same time
Reproduction: Mating season is from September through December (affected by rainfall – do not breed during drought).   During the breeding season, males will form dominance hierarchies.  Females will emit a coughing sound and be pursued by males.  Mating occurs in the burrows. Single offspring , born after a gestation period of 21-30 days.  Joey is hairless at birth, weighs about 2 grams.  Remains in pouch for 8-9 months (begins to eat solid foods when it ventures outside).   Independent at two years old, sexually mature at three years old
Lifespan: 10-12 (Wild), up to 30 Years
Conservation Status: IUCN Least Concern

• Body length 100-120 centimeters.  Weight 19-32 kilograms .  Legs are short and powerful, with five digits on each foot, each equipped with flattened claws.  On the hind feet, the second and third toes are fused, forming a digit with two claws, which is used for grooming.  The large head is flattened with narrow, pointed ears.  The incisors are rodent-like and grow throughout the life of the animal. The very short (2-6 centimeter) tail is usually hidden in the fur.
• Fur color ranges from gray to tan, with some soft, white fur covering the nose, resulting in the common name for the animal.  Often has a somewhat reddish hue         
• The pouch of the female wombat opens backwards, instead of forward as in more marsupials, to prevent it from filling up with dirt as the animal digs
• Spend the days in the burrows where it is cooler, more humid, coming out to feed at night.  Allow their body temperature to drop while they are underground.  During the winter, may be more active during warmer parts of day, may bask in the sun for warmth
• Predation is not a significant cause of mortality for adults, though potential threats include dingoes and feral dogs.  The burrows are the main defense mechanism for wombats.  If a predator tries to grab a wombat while it is burrowing, the wombat will crunch the leg or nose of the predator against the roof of the burrow using a bony plate by its tail.  It may also defend itself with its claws or by kicking.  Capable of running up to 40 kilometers per hour
• Hunted occasionally for meat, even today (but not too often, as they were very labor-intensive prey).  Most aborigines hunted wombats in the territories of other tribes in order to try to protect their own local wombat populations
• Sometimes viewed as an agricultural pest, both for depredation on crops as well as for the risk that their burrows may pose to livestock, which could step into an entrance and break their legs.  Sometimes accused (falsely) of damaging fences.
• Major threat is mange, spread by a mite, which causes skin problems and eventual death.  Other threats include habitat loss, introduced predators and competitors, and collisions with cars
• State Animal of South Australia

Reindeer on the Way

USDA Grants Mr. Claus Movement Permit in U.S.

(Washington, D.C., December 23, 2019) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today issued a movement permit to Mr. S. Nicholas Claus of the North Pole, a broker with Worldwide Gifts, Unlimited. The permit will allow reindeer to enter and exit the United States between the hours of 7 p.m. December 24, 2019 and 7 a.m. December 25, 2019, through or over any U.S. border port. "With a growing world population, Mr. Claus will have his busiest Christmas yet. At USDA, we want to ensure we are not hindering Mr. Claus' important work of spreading Christmas Cheer for all to hear," said Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. "Ease of access into the United States for Mr. Claus and his nine reindeer will ensure that children all over the country – including my own fourteen grandchildren – will wake up on Christmas morning with joy and filled with the spirit of the season. USDA issued this permit in advance and waived all applicable fees to help ensure a smooth trip on Christmas Eve night." In addition to the normal disease testing requirements, flying reindeer must undergo additional tests to ensure they will be able to safely handle significant changes in altitude and temperature throughout their journey, and are fit for landing on rooftops. On this year's health certificate, the accredited veterinarian noted that one of the reindeer named Rudolph was positive for "red nose syndrome," however, it was also explained that this is normal for him and not an animal health concern. The veterinarian also verified the reindeer have been vaccinated against any diseases they could encounter on their trip around the world. At the request of Mr. and Mrs. Claus, APHIS also completed a courtesy welfare and humane treatment check of the reindeer facility. Mr. Claus and his staff passed with flying colors. They will arrive pulling a wooden sleigh with jingling bells attached, filled with brightly wrapped gifts. Port personnel will clean and disinfect the runners and underside of the sleigh at the time of entry, and will also conduct a short visual inspection of the reindeer. Mr. Claus will also have his boots disinfected and will thoroughly wash his hands. These measures are intended to prevent the entry of any livestock diseases the team may encounter during deliveries to farms around the world prior to entering the United States. "It would be a disaster for Worldwide Gifts, Unlimited, if my reindeer were to unintentionally bring in foot and mouth disease along with all the gifts," explained Mr. Claus. "Why, something like that could put me out of business. That's why we work all year to keep the reindeer healthy and take all possible precautions before and during our trip." Mr. Claus has also provided an advance list of what port personnel should expect upon their arrival. This includes a variety of food items, all of which come from approved locations and none of which pose a threat to U.S. animal or plant health.

O Christmas Tree

Few zoo holiday traditions are more enduring than the Halloween pumpkin smash.  In the build up to Halloween, many of the orange gourds are sacrificed to bears, hippos, elephants, and a host of other animals to demolish, either in search of tasty treats stuffed inside or just for the joy of smashing.  In the aftermath of the holiday, when the local demand for pumpkins is diminished, there are usually plenty of them to be had as donations, either from the public or from local stores. 

Perhaps you have donated one yourself.

If so, you might be interested in the Yuletide version of the pumpkin smash.

Many zoos will happily accept your offer of donated (real, cut) Christmas trees after the holiday.  They will need to be clear of hooks, ornaments, and chemicals, of course, but if they are, they can be a source of great pleasure for many animals.  Some, such as elephants, may actually eat them.  For others, they can be a place to hide treats in, shelters to crawl though, and olfactory wonderlands.  They also have great potential for nesting and bedding.  The favorite bear that I ever worked with was actually born in the ruins of what had once been a perfectly respectable tree.

It may surprise you, but a cut, real tree is far better for the environment than a fake one.  An artificial tree (made of oil and plastic) is only used for a few years on average, before it goes to languish in a landfill, virtually forever.  A cut one may only be used once, but it is a renewable resource, and when it is used up, it can be composted... or upcycled, getting a second (albeit also brief) reincarnation as some lucky zoo animal's favorite seasonal toy.


Asian elephants at the Berlin Zoo eating leftover Christmas trees (Washington Post)

Zoo Review Updates

It's December, and so time to look back at another year of growth and change for zoos across the country... and what a year it has been for some! 

In no particular order...

The desert may seem like an unlikely place for penguins, but the gentoo, macaroni, and king penguins at the Albuquerque BioPark Zoo’s new habitat seem perfectly at home, Penguin Chill.  The sub-Antarctic birds occupy a new indoor exhibit with a 75,000 gallon tank for swimming and diving, rock shores, and artificial snow.

The Audubon Zoo “brought back the roar” with the return of lions in a new African savannah habitat (previously lions had been exhibited in the Asian Domain, but had been off-display for years).

The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is unveiling a new shark and ray touch pool.

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo opened a new indoor/outdoor habitat for black-handed spider monkeys.  The zoo is currently raising funds for a large new habitat for Amur tigers.

The Brandywine Zoo takes the first steps towards its ambitious new masterplan with the construction of a new goat petting yard on the site of the old otter pool.  The former goat habitat is now a habitat for red-necked wallabies.

The Brevard Zoo opened its new Rainforest Revealed habitat, a renovation of its South American loop that introduces visitors to giant otters.  Also new on the trail is a reptile house featuring boas and venomous snakes, along with a new 5,300 gallon tank of stingrays, pacu, and arapaima, giant fish of the Amazon.  The zoo has also opened a new American black bear exhibit in its Florida area, with lions being the next slated project.  The zoo also continues to pursue plans to develop an aquarium.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is continuing work on its Water’s Edge: Africa building, which will return two of the most iconic species to the zoo – Nile hippos and African penguins.  Joining these animals will be warthogs and ring-tailed lemurs.

Denver Zoo renovated its former polar bear exhibit into Harmony Hill, a more naturalistic habitat for grizzly bears.  In sadder news, the zoo shuttered its beloved – but aging – Bird World, with some of the birds slated for new homes elsewhere on zoo grounds (such as the African penguins) and others going on to other zoos.

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo completed its Asian Highlands, the first phase of which opened last year.  The completed trail displays tigers and snow leopards (both formerly housed in the now-shutted Cat Complex), as well as Indian rhino, red panda, takins, and other Asian hoofstock.  The new sea lion exhibit is slated to open next year. 

Detroit Zoo opened a new, expanded habitat for Amur tigers.

Elmwood Park Zoo is raising funds for a new habitat for tigers.

The Lincoln Park Zoo is preparing to renovate its historic Kovler Lion House into a larger, more naturalistic habitat for lions.  To make this possible, tigers have been phased out of the collection, with that exhibit space being turned over to the lions, which will soon be visible through windows instead of across moats.

A big year for the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore – renovations were completed for the habitats of three of Africa’s most iconic mammals.  The lions are now visible through massive windows in a new viewing area that includes a training wall.  The giraffe exhibit has been leveled, giving the animals more usable space.  The African elephant habitat has been significantly expanded, with the addition of a flex-yard that the giraffes may have access to in the future.  Also, the zoo opened Colobus Crossing, which will allow lemurs and colobus monkeys to rotate back and forth between outdoor enclosures and the indoor habitats of Chimpanzee Forest.

Mill Mountain Zoo opened new habitats for bald eagles and snow leopards.

The Milwaukee County Zoo opened its new, much larger African elephant habitat.  It also welcomed Riverbanks Zoo’s last African elephant, as that species is being phased out there.  The next exhibit on the renovation plan – hippos.  Riverbanks will convert the former elephant habitat into an exhibit for white rhinos.

Newport Aquarium has announced plans for Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels, which will feature marine life in a stimulated shipwreck.

Phoenix Zoo has completed the renovation and expansion of its Asian elephant habitat.

The San Diego Zoo bid adieu to its giant pandas.  Now, the zoo is home to another endangered Asian ursid – sloth bears.

The Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend, Indiana opened a new habitat for white rhino.

The former polar bear habitat at the Bronx Zoo is now home to a pack of dholes, or Asian wild dogs.  These canines are very rarely exhibited in US zoos, with less than a half-dozen facilities housing them as of now.

After years of amazing growth, New Jersey’s Turtle Back Zoo is facing pushback from some members of its community, who are voicing concerns that it is growing too big for the area.  The zoo’s plans for ambitious expansion include a massive new parking structure (completed) as well as a big new amphitheater for educational programs.

St. Louis Zoo has announced its next major project – Primate Canopy Trails, a series of outdoor enclosures and overhead passageways that will provide outdoor living opportunities to the lemurs and monkeys currently living in the Primate House.  Visitors will find themselves surrounded by endangered primates on all sides. Scheduled for completion in 2021, this expansion will feature eight habitats and cover nearly an acre. 

Artist rendering of Primate Canopy Trails at the St. Louis Zoo, Copyright St. Louis Zoo

Finally, in some of the biggest zoo news of the year, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park welcomed a pair of duck-billed platypus, the first to be exhibited outside of their native Australia in decades!

I’m certain that there are several other features and new exhibits and other changes which I’ve missed – the best way to find out what’s new at your local zoo and aquarium?  Visit!

One Keeper's Farm Animal...

Years ago, an alpaca at a zoo where I worked died.  It was pretty unexpected, as she had appeared to be in decent health, and we were all rather shaken up about it.  Of course, a keeper is seldom allowed to grieve in peace.  Sprinkled among the condolences that we received - a tiny but bitterly unpleasant speckling, like arsenic flakes sprinkled over a sympathy sundae - were a few snide comments and attacks.  One of which claimed that this was perfect proof that alpacas were better off in the wild.


Even in our sorrow, we all had a collective head-spin.  "Wild... an alpaca?  There's no such thing!"  She might as well have waxed philosophically about wild Chihuahuas (now there's an image).


There are a handful of domestic animals in our zoos that many visitors mistake of wild animals.  These are the llamas and alpacas, as well as their cousins the dromedary and Bactrian camels, the yak and reindeer and water buffalo.  A few of these do exist in wild forms (as in, there are wild yaks and water buffalo and reindeer in the world), but the ones seen in zoos are almost certainly domesticated, countless generations removed from the wild.  There are no "wild" dromedaries anywhere, nor have there been any for centuries.  The closest we have are feral ones, let loose in Australia, of all places.


These are farm animals, as sure as pigs and cows and sheep are.  The difference (besides the fact that they aren't intensively factory-farmed, like our livestock in the US tends to be) is that they are someone else's farm animals.  They are not familiar to us and so, when seen on TV, or in a book, maybe the zoo, we misunderstand their relationship to us.  A visitor who sees a dromedary alongside zebras and antelope and giraffes may conclude that they are wild, roaming free in unmanaged herds just like the other animals.


Perhaps a more realistic set up would be to incorporate these animals into farmyard exhibits, painting a more detailed picture of our relationship with domestic animals - how reindeer help nomadic people survive in the subarctic, or how the domestication of the camel facilitated the exploration of the world's deserts.  It might also be fun to explore why these animals were domesticated and not others?  When Europeans first entered the Serengeti, why were they not greeted by cavalry of Maasai warriors mounted on zebras?  Why are there so few domesticated animals from the Americas?  What made the wild boar a better candidate for domestication than the warthog or peccary?  Why are reindeer, a single species, domesticated in the Old World, but not in the New)

Book Review: Emerald Labyrinth - A Scientist's Adventures in the Jungles of the Congo

Towards the dawn of the last century, the scientific community was rocked by the introduction to western science of a variety of strange, beautiful, and surprisingly large mammals from Central Africa’s Congo Rainforest.  These included the mountain gorilla, the giant forest hog, and the poster-species for cryptozoology, the giraffe-like okapi.    Even now, over one hundred years later, the great forest at the heart of Africa contains biological wonders that are still unknown to science (albeit mostly on a smaller scale).  American herpetologist Eli Greenbaum’s travelogue Emerald Labyrinth takes the reader on a journey into those forests to see what is still out there to be discovered.

Greenbaum is primarily interested in reptiles and amphibians and his book is largely a recount of his search for small, elusive specimens, especially of frogs and small lizards.  The reader gets an intimate view of what life is like for a field herpetologist.  While biologists who study mammals in the wild spend much of their time hoping that their research subjects will just allow them to observe them, field herping is much more of a contact sport, perhaps more akin to the animal collecting expeditions of old.  Greenbaum’s readers are treated to a world of flipping rocks, rolling logs, and looking in every nook and cranny, trying to get hands on potentially unknown species.  Sometimes, those specimens get their metaphorical hands on the scientists instead… as one of Greenbaum’s unlucky colleagues found out after receiving an eyeful of venom, courtesy of a spitting cobra.

If there is danger here in the Congo, however, relatively little of it comes from the animals… or at least, not of the scaly or slimy persuasion.  As an outsider in Africa, Greenbaum is repeatedly laid low by devastating diseases, which have a tendency to strike at the least convenient times.  Even more dangerous – and certainly less predictable – are the armed gangs that stalk the forests, from bandit chiefs to rebel militias to genocidal warlords driven out of neighboring Rwanda.  There are times when we read about the author cautiously negotiating his way through yet another confrontation with tense gunmen when you have to ask yourself, is that frog really worth it?

Perhaps what I love the most of all of Emerald Labyrinth is that is takes such careful pains to paint a full picture of the Congo – not only its wildlife, but its landscape, its people, and its history.  You’ll learn a lot about field research and collecting reptiles and amphibians.  You’ll also learn about the corrupt occupation of the Congo by Belgium’s Leopold II, who turned it into his private empire, as well as the Congolese struggle for independence, Dian Fossey’s struggle to save mountain gorillas, the Rwanda genocide, and what the author dub’s “Africa’s World War,” which embroiled much of the continent in a violent battle for the resources of the Congo, seemingly ignored by much of the world.

It struck me as I read the book that the Congo is a part of the world that virtually everyone has heard of, but relatively few people actually discuss.  To me, it has largely been an amorphous green blob in the center of Africa.  It was fascinating to get an insight into its complicated, often tragic history.

What also made this book enjoyable was the narrator himself.  Too often in these scientist/conservationist abroad novels, the writer portrays themselves either as some sort of western savior, or seems to view local people as at best a distraction, at worst an obstacle to conservation or as a direct danger, either to the animals or to the researchers.  Reading Emerald Labyrinth, you really get the sense of much Greenbaum likes, values, and respects his Congolese peers (and he does treat them as peers and colleagues, not as assistants or bearers).  All too often conservation in the developing world has a sort of colonial undertone.  It’s refreshing to read a more egalitarian version… though it would be even more unique to read about an expedition such as this through Congolese eyes and perspectives.

If that wasn’t enough to make me enjoy the book, towards the end the author breaks off for a moment to voice his strong approval for zoos and the work that they do for conservation, as well as reminiscing about his early visits to the Buffalo Zoo helped shape his love of wildlife.

Conservation, adventure, history, and a plug for zoos, combined with being a fun, easy read that still manages to take on weighty topics make Emerald Labyrinth: A Scientist’s Adventures in the Jungle of the Congo an enjoyable addition to any naturalist’s library.

Emerald Labyrinth: A Scientist's Adventures in the Jungles of Congo on Amazon.com

Kris and Remus

Of all of the domestic animals in zoos across the country, probably none is as famous right now as Remus, the rescue dog at the Cincinnati Zoo who has been paired with Kris, a young cheetah whose mother was unable to care for her (she is the sole survivor of her litter).     

Here are some cute videos of the pair.  A lot of smug folks on the internet swear that Kris will eventually eat Remus, but there's little risk of that. Cheetahs in zoos that are slated for a career as an ambassador animal are often paired with dogs, who will serve as companions and help keep the cats calm and comfortable, but this pair is especially lovable.  In fact, the only thing that worries me is the pair having an "accident" arranged by Cincinnati's other star animal, the Plump Princess herself, Fiona.  

She's just not the sort of animal I see sharing the limelight graciously...

A Very Different Farmyard

As a new keeper, I used to spend a lot of my leisure time (of which I had very little, ever), dreaming of having my own zoo.  Money, of course, would be no issue since I would somehow acquire the support of some endlessly wealthy philanthropist who would unquestioningly sign the checks.  This, alas, is a species that, in its rarity, is somewhere between a Sumatran rhinoceros and a passenger pigeon.

My zoo would be like no other, of course, with all sorts of revolutionary new exhibits, the likes of which would never have been seen elsewhere.  Among my proudest achievements (if we are defining scribbles in a notebook as "achievements") was the farmyard.

Taking care of domestic animals in my early days, I frequently found myself bored by the limited scope of my work space and already dreaming about working with the more exciting animals elsewhere in the zoo.  I would sometimes pretend that the animals I was taking care of were wilder versions of themselves, that I was slopping up after warthogs instead of domestic pigs, of tending ibexes and markhors instead of goats.

That got me thinking - every domestic animal is, really, just a version of a wild ancestor.  What if there was a farmyard exhibit that featured the wild ancestors (or their approximate equivalents) of domestic animals?  That would be a neat spin on things, to say nothing of a fascinating lesson in artificial selection and how humans impact the natural world.  It wouldn't be a petting zoo, for sure.

• Domestic Cow - the wild ancestor, the Aurochs, has been extinct for hundreds of years  Perhaps it could be substituted by the banteng or gaur, wild cattle of Asia?  Or perhaps with the Heck Cattle, artificial "bred-back" wild cattle developed in Europe in the last century?
• Domestic Horse - again, the Hecks tried to breed-back the ancestor of the wild horse, the Tarpan.  The only true wild horse remaining is the Przewalski's wild horse of Mongolia
• Domestic Donkey - the African wild ass, or possibly the onager
• Domestic Sheep - the mouflon
• Domestic Goat - the wild goat, or one of the ibex species as a substitute
• Llama - the guanaco
• Domestic Pig - the wild boar
• Domestic Dog - the gray wolf
• Domestic Cat - the African wild cat, possibly represented by one of its more endangered affiliates, such as the sand cat or the black-footed cat
• Domestic Chicken - the red jungle fowl
• Domestic Duck - the mallard
• Domestic Goose - the graylag goose and the swan goose
• Domestic Turkey - the wild turkey

Domestic Bliss

With their highly recognizable (and often touchable animals), Farmyard Exhibits are some of the most popular features of many zoos.  It’s a rare zoo that I’ve been to that doesn’t have one.  Some zoos are 95% farm. 

Sometimes I wonder if that’s a good thing.  I guess it depends on your opinion of what is the biggest priority of the zoo.

From a conservation perspective, I’d say farmyards aren’t that great.  They eat up land, resources, and staff that could go to species that are in need of greater conservation attention.  Think of gazelles instead of goats, pheasants instead of chickens, wild pigs and ducks instead of their domesticated relatives.  When there are millions upon millions of domesticated animals already in the country, does it make sense to devote space to them in a facility that could otherwise devote those resources to other species? 

From an education perspective, farmyards can be very beneficial.  Zoos exist in part to teach people about animals, and animal agriculture is one of the biggest, most importance aspects of our relationship with animals.  At the most basic level, zoo exhibits of domestic animals can serve as educational displays about the process of domestication and how we utilize animals in our day to day lives.  At a higher level, I could argue that seeing domestic animals not as beef-and-bacon machines but as living creatures could help promote compassion for these animals, at the very least resulting in a stronger drive for better farm animal welfare.  It’s a lot harder to be comfortable with the idea of hens in a battery cage if you already have a mental image of seeing a flock in an enclosure at a zoo, where they can forage, dust bathe, and interact with one another is spacious, comfortable settings.

Of course, to refrain from being hypocritical, zooconcessions should be mindful of where they are sourcing their meat, dairy, and egg options from, as well as offering some vegetarian or vegan options.

If I was in charge of planning my own zoo (and some day hopefully I will be… one of these lotto tickets is bound to pay off), I can’t say for certain as to whether or not I would have a farm exhibit.  There aren’t right or wrong answers to most questions, and this is one of those.  It’s just a matter of priorities and balance.

Old McDonald Had a Zoo

I was several years into my career as a zookeeper before I first made the acquaintance of a guanaco, but it was very early on when I first met its domestic relatives, the llama and the alpaca.   They, along with goats and sheep, pigs and ponies, and a few small cattle, gave me some of my first hands-on experience working with large animals.   I am certainly not the only zookeeper to have had this experience.  For many of us, the road to working with big cats, bears, giraffes, and a whole host of other species begins in the zoo’s farmyard.

Almost every zoo I’ve ever been to, the large and the small, has a farmyard.  In the case of some of the smaller facilities, it practically takes up the whole zoo, to the extent that the zoo is typically thought of as a petting zoo.  These can be some of the most popular parts of the zoo for many visitors, especially for children.  Compared to the late 1800's, when many American zoos were first being established, very few Americans (especially younger ones) grew up on or around farms, so a goat is as exotic as a gazelle to many children – and far more approachable.  At the same time, visitors know what the animals are, even if they’ve never seen them before.  It can be a lot more pleasurable for a small child to see an animal that they recognize from their picture book or cartoon than a very rare, obscure creature that they have never heard of.

Being domesticated, farm animals have little fear of humans and are comfortable in close proximity to us.  They are easy for guests to see up close, and are often active and engaging.  Farmyards provide one of the few opportunities for zoo visitors to interact with zoo animals, whether it be feeding grain to a llama or brushing a goat’s coat.   A tiger is apt to be sleeping in the shade when you approach its habitat.  A goat will be all up in your business, ready to inspect your pockets for edibles.

Domestic animals are where many keepers cut their teeth as trainees in the field.  Domestics were seen as “easier” on many levels.  Compared to the mysteries of many zoo animals, we already know a lot about the care and welfare of farm animals.  They are safer to work with than many species – a mischievous Billy goat can be a pain in the butt, but nowhere near as lethal as a bull sable antelope.  Their comfort with humans makes medical management much easier; they are less inclined to hide symptoms and are much easier to get in hand for vet exams.  Their enclosures – usually simple corrals, pens, and coops – are easy to clean and maintain, without complicated life support or water features. 

The downside of all of this, of course, has been a tendency to treat farm animals (and their keepers) sometimes as… lesser.   So much focus on improving welfare and standards for exotic and native wildlife species under human care has sometimes resulted in overlooking the farmyard.   Pens in this section of the zoo, while certainly more spacious and comfortable that what might be encountered in a factory farm, tend to be small and stark compared to what the wild animals get elsewhere in the zoo.  The same could be said about enrichment and training (until fairly recently).  If efforts elsewhere in the park were being made to recreate “the wild,” as zoo staff understood it, then the farmyard was an effort to recreate a idyllic “Old McDonald’s,” without, perhaps, much understanding of what that actually looked like.

It’s not surprising, then, that farmyard keepers were often looked down upon.  They were seen as second-class keepers, who would either a) wash out and be replaced by the next crop of seasonal help or b) prove themselves and graduate into “real” zookeepers.

I’ve been happy to see that in recent years, the trend has changed.  The understanding seems to have dawned on many zoo professionals that farmyard animals benefit as much from modern care practices as wild animals do.  In fact, in some ways farm animals are easier to give higher quality care to – they respond readily to training and enrichment, having less inherent fear of their caretakers than many wild animals – you can often see a llama or a goat being taken for a walk around the zoo, which you can’t do with, say, an addax (at least, not more than once).  Their enclosures aren’t “natural,” so they don’t have to deal with the stigma of unnatural looking enrichment.  In many ways, they make ideal animal ambassadors.

As standards for farm animal care have risen, so has the importance of the farmyard keeper, to make sure that those standards are being upheld, ideally exceeded.  They’re being recognized more as “real” keepers… which they always really were.  Some people just didn’t notice.

The thing is, a goat doesn’t really know or understand that it’s a goat, not some fancy exotic ungulate – and even to the extent that it does know and understand that, it doesn’t care.  Being a common domestic animal in no way diminishes its need for quality care, a comfortable habitat, an appropriate social grouping, and a good relationship with its caretakers.

Being a common, “boring” animal should never justify receiving common care.

From the News: Horse Meat Meant for Zoo Sold For Human Consumption

Horse meat meant for a Spanish zoo was sold for human consumption

Zoos are only tangentially related to this story, but I still thought it was a neat read.  It seriously feels like it is the sort of scam you would see in Goodfellas or a movie along those lines. 


When it comes to zoo diets, I've always heard that if it isn't good enough for me, it's not good enough for the animals... but then again, how exactly do you determine in a rat is "good enough" for human consumption. 


Horse might be a little different, seeing as attitudes about eating it vary from country to country, but I'm still sure that a lot of people affected by this scheme would have been disconcerted to find out that some of the beef they've eaten wasn't exactly beef.  I wonder if Spain is about to see a bump in vegetarianism.

It's Not a Phobia If It's For a Good Reason...

I heard this story from someone who, to be completely honest, I've often found to be full of manure.  I have no way of verifying its veracity, but I only say that, knowing the temperament of some of the animals involved (if only as species, not individuals), I found it believable.  Take it as you will.

There once was a man, this former coworker of mine told me, who was afraid of animals.  Not just snakes or spiders or bats or rats, but virtually all of them.  The fear was so bad that it required him to see a therapist.  It was the therapist who had a novel idea for getting over this pan-zoophobia.  Work at the zoo.

(I should mention that this was a few decades ago, and in a very small town, where the job applicant pool was a lot smaller.  Even so, I still find it hard to believe that any hiring manager would listen to this applicant's rationale for working there and then say, "Sure, you're hired, when can you start?")

The new keeper worked with a wide variety of animals, some of which he learned weren't so scary.  He also worked with some that were.  Among them was an aggressive male guanaco.

While the females could easily be worked with, free contact, the male had to be locked up securely before the keepers could service the exhibit every day.  This was largely done by baiting him into a corral in the side of the pen (either with food or by offering the possibility of biting one of the staff), then shutting the door behind him so the staff could clean while he was trapped.  It's the same concept, more or less, that zoos use with big cats, bears, great apes, and other large, dangerous animals... which this male guanaco most definitely was.

One day, the hapless new hire made a mistake.  Perhaps he didn't close the gate properly behind the male.  Perhaps he accidentally locked up one of the females instead of the male.  Perhaps he forgot the whole process and walked in with the whole herd.  Either way, he soon found out how bad the mistake was.

The male was on him like a fly on poop.  He barreled into him at full speed.  He kicked at him with his padded hoofed feet, and spat at him with his foul spit.  All of which was forgotten as soon as the teeth came into play.  By the time other keepers, responding to the screams, got to the scene, the poor man's arm was bitten to shreds.  His bicep, my informant told me, looked like it had gone through a meat grinder.

I don't believe that keeper stayed working as a keeper for much longer.  And I certainly doubt that he ever got over his fear of animals.

Species Fact Profile: Guanaco (Lama guanicoe)

Guanaco

Lama guanicoe (Müller, 1776)

Range: Southern South America, from Peru to Tierra del Fuego
Habitat: Dry Grassland, Desert, Scrub Forest, up to 5000 Meters Elevation
Diet: Shrubs, Grasses, Lichens, Fungi, Fruit
Social Grouping: Territorial males and fluid herds of females and their young.  Males without females may be solitary, or form bachelor herds.  Larger herds form in more productive habitats
Reproduction: Breed during the southern summer.  Ovulation is stimulated by mating; females ovulate 1-2 days after being bred.  Single offspring born after gestation period of 11.5 months (twins very rare, with only one surviving).  Young (called chulengos) are able to stand and follow their mother shortly after birth.  Weaned by 8 months old, both sexes independent, driven away at about 1 year old; sexually mature at 2-4 years
Lifespan: 20 Years
Conservation Status: IUCN Least Concern, CITES Appendix II

• Stand 90 to 130 centimeters tall at the shoulder and weigh 90-140 kilograms.  Individuals from the northern end of the range tend to be the smallest, those from the south are the largest.  Legs and neck are long and slender
• Coat color varies from tan to reddish-brown (northern populations tend to be lighter in color), fading to white on the underside and legs.  Some have dark markings on the face
• Temperatures in their native range vary wildly.  Guanaco can adapt to rapid changes in temperature by opening or closing "vents" in the fleece on their flanks, allowing air in to cool them off or blocking them shut to keep warm
• To help survive at high altitudes, they have roughly rough times as much hemoglobin (which holds oxygen in the blood) per unit as do humans
• Males compete for females by displaying to one another, chasing, ramming each other, wrestling with their necks, and biting, sometimes leaving serious wounds.  They will also spit on one another, accurate within 2 meters
• Only significant predator of adults are pumas.  Juveniles may be preyed upon by culpeos (coyote-like canines).  They typically flee predators (running up to 55 kilometers per hour), especially pumas, but if confronted, will stand their ground and fight, sometimes cooperatively
• May migrate during periods of food shortage or extreme weather, sometimes gathering in herds of hundreds,  They may also migrate up and down mountainsides in response to weather
• Historically they have been hunted for meat and hides(especially of the young) and have been utilized for their wool.  Farming and shearing for wool is being promoted as a sustainable trade for this species
• Sometimes viewed as competitors for domestic livestock and treated as pests by ranchers.  Much of their original habitat has been lost to agriculture and has been heavily overgrazed, especially by sheep.  Guanaco may get entangled in barbed wire fences.  Domestic animals may also transmit diseases.
• There numbers are holding steady in Argentina and Chile, but they are likely to become extinct in the northern portion of their range (Bolivia, Paraguay, and Peru)
• Usually two subspecies (but up to four) recognized - the northern (L. g. cacsilensis) and southern (L. g. guanicoe)
• An introduced population has been established in the Falkland Islands since the 1930's
• The llama is the domesticated form of the guanaco, the largest domestic animal in the pre-Columbian Americas, utilized for meat, wool, and as a beast of burden.  South America's other domesticated camelid, the alpaca, is sometimes considered to be descended from the guanaco, and other times to be descended from its relative, the vicuña

Have Yourself a Shockingly Good Christmas

The Tennessee Aquarium is wasting no time in getting into the holiday spirit with the help of one of its star animals.  Miguel Watson, the electric eel, is powering the lights of a full-sized Christmas tree located just outside of his tank.  Miguel, who also has his own Twitter account (@EelectricMiguel) which sends out messages whenever he zaps, is providing a great visual demonstration of his species power and uniqueness, all while helping the Aquarium spark (heh heh heh) some holiday joy.

Gifting Wisely

The Tuesday after Thanksgiving is designated as "Giving Tuesday," when people are asked to consider making charitable donations, perhaps as a partial atonement for the mass consumerism that is Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday.  Of course, Giving Tuesday can easily become a part of your holiday shopping, if you choose to donate to charity in someone's name as a gift for the season.


 This is always tricky, of course - there are a LOT of charities out there, all claiming to be doing the good work of saving animals.  Some do.  Others, less so.


If your gift-giving is going to take a more conventional form (i.e., actual presents), please make sure that you are first following the Hippocratic Oath - Do No Harm.  Just because a product can be bought or sold legally does not mean that it does not have a negative impact on wildlife.  The internet makes it increasingly easy for products that are legal (or at least poorly enforced) in one jurisdiction to be sold in another. 


The following is a list of products (by no means comprehensive) that the Wildlfie Trafficking Alliance strongly suggests that you avoid: Ivory, Tiger Product, Rhino Product, Sea Turtle Product, Medicinal Products derived from animals.  You could easily add several other items to the list, from unethically obtained wild animal pets to all sorts of knickknacks, such as dried seahorses.


It may seem silly to focus on these - we generally think of wildlife products being in demand in other cultures in other countries, "It's an Asian problem, not an American one."  That attitude is false.  The United States is one of the world's largest markets for endangered animals and their products. It's our responsibility to make sure that we do not inadvertently fuel the demand that imperils so many rare and wonderful plants and animals around the globe.

The Big Feed

Like many Americans, I suspect, tonight I will be sitting down to a reheated version of what I sat down to yesterday, Friday, and the day before... with not nearly as much on my plate, of course.  I didn't truly realize what a gorge-fest Thanksgiving could be until I was visited by some friends from abroad, who joined my family for Thanksgiving one year.  I had to convince them that Americans did not eat like that all the time.

Imagine if we did.  Imagine if every dinner was a full Thanksgiving dinner.  Forget the expense and the time that would go into it.  Imagine the health implications.

Then, apply that to an animal under human care.

Obesity and over-feeding is a major challenge with many animals.  Ironically, it can be especially problematic for the animals that naturally eat the least - the predatory reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates.  These animals don't naturally eat often - a large snake may go over a year between meals.  And when they do eat, they can eat big - think of yourself swallowing an entire Thanksgiving turkey, doing so with the knowledge that you didn't know when your next meal would be coming.

Now, imagine a few days later, your were presented with another whole turkey.  Again, not knowing when you might see food again, you seize the opportunity and eat it.  And so on...

A lot of predatory ectotherms may naturally eat one large meal and then not feed again for a while.  A python may eat a deer.  A tarantula or centipede may eat a mouse.  An African bullfrog may eat a bird.  Just as likely, however, these predators may consume several smaller meals, again based purely on opportunity.  The goliath bird-eating spider of South America, for example - it's likely that most of these giant arachnids go their entire life without eating birds - they are more commonly feeders of earthworms and other invertebrates.  It can happen, however, which is remarkable in and of itself, as is the thought of a giant centipede eating a rodent.  That doesn't mean that these feeding behaviors need to be replicated under human care, and certainly not on a regular basis.

Some keepers and hobbyists may feed massive meals to their animals for their own amusement - these animals tend not to do much, and feeding is often one of the only ways to get any action out of them.  Others may do it to impress friends or colleagues.  Especially with snakes, some private keepers do what is called "super-feeding," feeding the animal a lot of big items to encourage massive growth.  It can work - but at the expense of the animal's health and welfare.

A splurge of a Thanksgiving dinner every year doesn't hurt us humans, and animals can benefit from a big windfall of a meal now and then, both nutritionally and behaviorally.  Doing it all the time for no reason other than amusement... well, I know my arteries couldn't stand it.  I doubt that snake's could either.

Species Fact Profile: Vietnamese Giant Centipede

Vietnamese Giant Centipede

Scolopendra subspinipes (Leach, 1815)

Range: Southeast Asia, Philippines, Indonesia.  Has been observed in many other locations in the tropics and subtropics around the world (including Hawaii), possibly part of its natural range, possibly due to introduction by humans
Habitat: Tropical and Subtropical Forest
Diet: Primarily insects and other arthropods, but occasionally small vertebrates, such as mice and small lizards.  Will attempt to kill and eat any animal smaller than itself
Social Grouping: Solitary
Reproduction: Males deposit packets of mature sperm cells which are picked up by the female, who will use it to fertilize her eggs.  The 50-80 eggs are laid in a dark, protected area.  Incubation is about one month.  The female will protect the eggs and the hatchlings until their first molt
Lifespan: 10 Years
Conservation Status: Not Listed

• One of the largest centipedes in the world, growing up to 20 centimeters long or more
• Red-brown body is comprised of 21 flattened segments, each with a single pair of yellow legs (contrary to their name, no species of centipede has one-hundred legs).  The head segment is covered with a shield plate and a pair of antennae.  A specialized pair of modified legs called the forcipules are located on the head.  These are the primary weapons, connected to the centipede's venom glands
• Primarily nocturnal, spend the day in dark, enclosed areas, such as crevices or under logs
• Molt once a year, growing each time.  They achieve adult size by 3-4 years old
• One of the most common centipedes in the pet trade, popular due to their size and striking appearance.  They have a reputation of being nervous and aggressive which, combined with their toxicity (their bite can cause extreme pain and swelling), means that handling is not recommended
• This is the only centipede species which has been implicated in the death of a human - a young girl from the Philippines who was bitten on her head.  Some individuals can have allergic reactions to the venom of this and other centipedes
• Multiple subspecies have been described over the vast range, but the taxonomy is still uncertain, and some of these may be separate species, or represent centipedes transported outside of their natural range

From the News: Giraffes among 10 animals killed in 'tragic' Ohio safari wildlife park fire

Giraffes among 10 animals killed in 'tragic' Ohio safari wildlife park fire

Yesterday evening, while many of us were sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner, the staff of African Safari Wildlife Park in northern Ohio were facing their worst nightmare.  A barn fire claimed the lives of ten of their animals - three giraffes, three bongos, three red river hogs, and a springbok.  While it is very fortunate that no human lives were lost, the staff, I'm sure, are devastated by the loss of the animals that they care for.  The cause of the fire is as of yet unknown. 

My deepest condolences to the staff.  I hope they are getting the comfort and support they need is this unimaginable time.

Thankful For...

"The world today can be a scary place,

Hard to keep your faith in the human race.

We're running out of trees and we're running out of space,

But we'll never run out of good people."

- Great Big Sea, Good People

If you care about animals... or the environment... or humanity in general, the world can indeed be a scary place as of late.  Reading the news, it's easy to get the vibe that we are one bad day away from starring in our own post-apocalyptic movie, with the world always on the edge of disaster.


There's enough bad news out there that's real - it doesn't help that despair (and a desire for social media traffic) often leads to exaggerated stories of doom and gloom.  For example, this week a story went viral declaring the koalas are essentially extinct.  This is not only not true, it's downright counterproductive, as it could lead well-meaning people to conclude that it's simply too late to save koalas, and write them off as a lost cause.





The thing is, if you read between the angry, tragic headlines, you'll see plenty of silver linings of hope.  There are an amazing number of people out there who are working - sometimes alone, sometimes as part of an organization or partnership - to try and turn this ship around.  Some of them are working on environmental issues, be it trying to combat global climate change, leading reforestation efforts, or breeding endangered amphibians for release back into the wild.  Some are working on human rights, or health care, or promoting democracy and freedom.  None of them are perfect.  All of them are important.


So, this year for Thanksgiving, I'm going to choose to be thankful for those people.  The ones who are trying to make a better world, and who are probably constantly beating themselves up because they feel like they aren't doing enough.  These are the people who, in a myriad of different ways, are helping to save the planet.  Perhaps most importantly, they are doing us the service of leading by example, and showing how much difference an individual can make.

Don't Bang the Glass

Well, this photo, shared by the Oakland Zoo, is an extreme example, but still... don't bang the glass.





This isn't just your ordinary window pane - otherwise it would never hold adult grizzly bears (plus the weight of that water) behind it.  It's six-inches worth of bulletproof glass, designed to spider-web instead of shattering when damaged.  So this looks scary, but is actually nothing to be too concerned about from a safety point of view.  I saw something similar during a visit I paid to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo last year, where the glass on some of their exhibits (including, ironically, the grizzly bears) was similarly damaged.


Of course, that damage was caused by hail, and so was a natural, unavoidable accident.  This highly expensive cluster was the work of the most dangerous of zoo animals, an unsupervised child, this one apparently armed with a rock or something along those lines.


It blows my mind sometimes how some visitors just cannot leave glass alone.  Don't bang it.  Don't tap it.  Don't press your nose up against it.  And for the love of all that is holy, don't lick it (seriously people?).  Just look through it and admire the animal.  It's a window - not a portal to another dimension.


Glass-banging is especially annoying in reptile and small mammal houses, where the environment is smaller and it is more difficult to get away from the source, unlike these bears, who could easily meander away.   The enclosed spaces make the sounds reverberate.  Also keep in mind, many small animals, such as snakes and arthropods, are very sensitive to vibration, so glass tapping is especially irritating to them.


Cobras and rattlesnakes seem to be the species which inadvertently invite the most glass-tapping, presumably from visitors who want to see their characteristic defensive postures.  Which reminds me of a fantastic sign that I saw in front of a cobra exhibit at one zoo:

"DON'T BANG THE GLASS - WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF IT BROKE?"

Zoo History: The Wall Between the Berlin Zoos

In the aftermath of the Second World War, the zoos of continental Europe were devastated.  Firstly, many had been plundered by the Nazis as they marched across the continent; along with artistic and historical treasures, prized zoological specimens were packed off to Germany.  Then, many of those German zoos were almost completely obliterated by the Allied bombing campaigns.  With the end of the war, the zookeepers of Europe - along with those of virtually every profession - were faced with the mammoth task of rebuilding.

Rebuild they did.  With the advantage of a blank slate, many European zoos completely reinvented themselves, starting fresh with newer, more modern habitats that better suited the needs of their animals.  Soon, as it was before the war, the finest zoo in postwar Europe was that of Berlin.

The German capital was different from virtually every other city in Europe in one very important way - here, the line of division between the former-Allies of World War II, the democratic West and the communist Soviets, ran right through the heart of the city.  In 1961, that division became concrete - literally, with the erection of the Berlin Wall.  Even before that, however, travel between the western and eastern segments of the city was being tightened up, with residents of one half finding themselves cut off from family, friends, and institutions in the other.  Among those amenities that was increasingly isolated was the Berlin Zoo.

The Tierpark in East Berlin in 1965.  Getty Images

Even before the rise of the wall, the East German authorities were conscious of the prestige of the Berlin Zoo and what an asset it was to their West German rivals.  The only solution, then, was to build their own.  In 1955, the Tierpark Berlin opened on the grounds of the Friedrichsfelde Palace.  Even more so than the western facility (which at the very least had to clear up the rubble of its former buildings), the Tierpark had a chance to start fresh.  Like its neighbor and one-time rival, it took advantage of its youth to open with many modern features.  Coupled with its sprawling campus of 400 acres (almost five times the size of the Berlin Zoo), it was able to feature large herds of ungulates, one of the few zoos at the time to do so.  The massive big cat house was designed to accommodate up to 70 lions, tigers, and other carnivores.  The reptile house - featuring a demonstration area for venomous snakes - was likewise massive.  The West Germans tried to secure apes in an effort to outdo the East Germans, who had no access to those animals.

 Originally, the two directors, Heinz-Georg Klos in the West, Heinrih Dathe in the East, went out of their way to downplay any sort of rivalry between the two, claiming that their facilities would be complementary and collaborators.  This façade of friendliness broke down over the years, in part due to pressure from political forces on both sides of the divide.  The zoos became a chance for one Germany to highlight its superiority over the other.  The directors and staff competed to secure animals and attractions to outshine the other, and it was a source of pride for the zoos (and mild irritation for the locals) when visitors could be induced to cross the divide to visit the others' zoo.

Though forced to frequently interact professionally, Klos and Dathe grew to loathe each other, eventually coming to blows in the West Berlin elephant house after Dathe implied that he thought the West German elephants looked a bit runty.  Zoo professionals visiting their rivals for conferences were encouraged to do a little spying while they were on their trip.  There was no doubt that this was no mere local rivalries between two nearby zoos competing for visitors, as San Diego Zoo and Los Angeles Zoo might do, for instance.   

Much as the Nazis had robbed the other zoos and museums of Europe to demonstrate the superiority of their government, so did the Democratic and Socialist governments hold up their respective zoos as signs of their superiority over each other.  Anyone who was inclined to overlook the role of politics in every aspect of the zoo had only to visit the Tierpark's brutalist polar bear exhibit... and read the plaque that proudly announced that it had been donated by the Statsi, the feared secret police.

Today, the Berlin Wall is a mass of monuments, museums, and rubble.  The city was reunited and the Cold War ended.  Berliners now have the choice of visiting two very fine zoos, which view each other more as cooperative partners towards wildlife conservation than they do rivals.  In the first edition of his guide to America's Best Zoos, Allen Nyhuis devoted a little space towards the back to ranking the finest zoos in the world.  The top two listed were the zoos of Berlin.   So maybe there is still just a tiny bit of rivalry...

An American Platypus

I have been nerding out for the last 24-hours since I first heard the news that it was official.  There are so many species that I never thought I'd be able to see, either in a zoo or in the field, and these beautiful little beasties have long been at the top of the list.  San Diego, here I come - and a lot of other zookeepers are coming too!