The Starter Snake

 As is so often the case when I'm researching a species fact profile on a reptile, some of the best sources of information that I find are those from reptile hobbyists and pet keepers.  That was certainly the case for Boelen's python, an incredibly gorgeous, sought-after snake that I've always wanted to work with, but have never gotten the chance to.  I come across the species occasionally in zoos, but never at reptile stores or expos - I get the impression that one has to really seek them out.  All of the sites and blogs that I looked at while writing this profile agreed on one thing - this species requires advanced care.

It's not a starter snake.  And that got me thinking.

When people talk about "starter snakes," they mean the most commonly kept, "easiest" pet snakes, like the corn snake, king snakes, and ball python.  The lizard equivalents would include the bearded dragon and the leopard gecko.  I've always been a little uncomfortable with this designation.  Sure, these guys are a lot more tolerant of keeper mistakes and variances than the more delicate species, with very strict, narrow requirements for temperature, humidity, and diet.  It's possible for even a somewhat inept keeper to keep one of these guys alive for many years; I know, because I have.  Which isn't to say that countless hordes of them don't die every year at the hands of even more inept keepers.

There's an unspoken belief among some hobbyists that such animals are disposable; you use them as practice to build your skills for working with "better," "cooler" pets down the road.  This opinion is trash.

We need to reframe how we think of "starter species" as meaning, pets which have environmental, veterinary, and behavioral needs which are much more easily satisfied than those of other, more "advanced" species.  That doesn't make them lesser, or their needs less important.  To the extent that they have self-awareness, I doubt that a ball python thinks any less of itself than a Boelen's python does.  All animals under human care require a nutritious diet, an appropriate social group (which, for many species, can mean being solitary), an enclosure of adequate size, and the opportunity to express natural behaviors.

I recently saw images of a zoo in the UK with a ball python exhibit that measured 6 meters long.  6 meters - that's almost 20 feet.  Forget that I've seen reticulated python exhibits smaller than that... I've had apartments smaller than that.  It might have been a little overkill for a snake that size, but I liked the idea.  Just because an animal's needs are "simpler" than a more complicated animal doesn't mean that they aren't deserving of being met to the best of our ability.  Especially in zoos and aquariums, where animal welfare is our mission, every animal deserves our very best.

Species Fact Profile: Boelen's Python (Simalia boeleni)

                                                            Boelen's Python                                                                                                                    Simalia (Morelia) boeleni (Brongersma, 1953)

Range: New Guinea (both Indonesian New Guinea and Papua New Guinea)

Habitat:  Montane Rainforests, up to 2000 meters

Diet: Small Mammals, Ground-Nesting Birds, Lizards

Social Grouping: Solitary

Reproduction: Females lay up to 14 eggs per clutch, which hatch after 70 days.  Little known about reproduction in wild.  Successful captive breeding has involved brumation (lowered temperatures) for a few months to stimulate winter conditions, slowly increasing temperature, and then introducing the pair.  No parental care from either parent

Lifespan: 15-20 Years

      Conservation Status: IUCN Data Deficient, CITES Appendix II

•       Total length up to 3 meters (unconfirmed up to 4.2 meters), with a stocky body and large head and a blunt snout
•       Dorsal color is a dark blue or purple, almost black, very iridescent.  Underside is a pale yellow or white, extending into the darker upper portion in a series of streaks.  The lips are likewise patterned with the lighter color.  Juveniles are more reddish, darkening with age (adult coloration coming in at about 2 years of age)
•       Primarily ground-dwelling and found on forest floor, but can climb trees
•       Very poorly studied in the wild, and not often encountered in the pet trade.  Can be very delicate, recommended only for most advanced keepers.  Not generally aggressive, but have a reputation for being highly inquisitive
•       Native legend tells that the Boelen's python was originally a feathered war god, who fled from a battle and lost his feathers in the process, until only the snake underneath remained
•       Named to honor Dr. K.W.J. Boelen, who collected the first specimen for science

Poking the Porcupine

 As the kids on the internet like to say these days, "F--- around and find out..."

Shut Up and Shovel?

I remember a few years back, basketball giant LeBron James was interviewed about his position on a political controversy.  Disparaging him as an athlete who wasn't qualified to speak on the subject, a talking head in the media responded to the interview by saying that James should just "shut up and dribble."

With Pride Month, Juneteenth, Black Lives Matter, etc, an increasing number of zoos and aquariums, as well as AZA itself and various wildlife conservation organizations, put out statements in support of the highlighted communities.  Inevitably, there is a backlash (thankfully small) from some people saying that the zoo has no business speaking about non-animal matters and that doing so will cost them support.  My personal favorite example of stupidity came when AZA made a post a few months back saying that they were hoping to boost racial diversity among zoo and aquarium staffs.  Some philosopher posted, "Are we supposed to believe the animals care what color the people cleaning up after them are?" or something like that.

Here's the thing that's always infuriated me about comments like that.  Zoos and aquariums aren't just animals.  They're people, too.  They can't do anything - least of all care for animals - without people.  And those people deserve to be treated with respect and made to feel welcome, included, and safe.  Not because we need them to do a good job, even though we do - but because that's what everyone deserves.  

Laws or political norms that threaten, exclude, or harm them also harm the zoo.  For example, before same-sex marriage was legalized in all fifty states, gay or lesbian keepers might have decided not to work in states where their marriages wouldn't be recognized and protected, even if that state had their dream zoo in it.  Similarly, a state or community that s perceived to be hostile to African Americans is likely to turn off black applicants from wanting to work there.  I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing some people changing states in the aftermath of yesterday's announcement from the Supreme Court.

There is a limit to what zoos and aquariums can do to skip the scale on social issues which have proven bitterly divisive for years.  But that's not an excuse to not do what our organizations can - singly and together - to try and build a better, more just world for the people we serve and those who work as part of our mission.

Zoos, Parks, Progress

I'll admit that I knew very little about the broad-nosed sevengill shark before visiting the Aquarium of the Bay.  As it happens, I still don't know much.  What I do know came mostly from a brief but enthusiastic chat I had with an aquarist that I bumped into there, trying to figure out which of the circling sharks it was.  They talked at length about the research work that the aquarium was doing with this vulnerable species, which could be found in the waters immediately outside.  They are currently working to access the levels and health of populations of this species in San Francisco Bay.

As much as we tend to tout our work supporting conservation and research in the far-flung corners of the globe, there is a tremendous amount of difference that we can make it our own backyards, working with native species in need of protection.  Zoos tend to have a wide variety of skills - wild animal veterinary medicine, animal capture/transport/restraint, rehabilitation and rearing of wild animals, egg incubation - which can make significant contributions to conservation in the field.  Some of the most logical partners for zoos and aquariums to work with are the National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and National Marine Sanctuaries.

Wildlife Restoration Alliance

Seeking to develop, facilitate, and promote such cooperation is the Wildlife Restoration Foundation, which describes itself as being "in the business of bringing healthy wildlife back to America's land and seascapes."  A key component of WRF's work is the concept of the Zoo-Park Partnership, in which specific zoos and aquariums team up with specific federal wildlife sites for specific projects.  Some of the examples include, but are not limited to:

• Dallas Zoo and Aransas National Wildlife Refuge - Whooping cranes
• Detroit Zoo and Isle Royale National Park - Gray wolves
• Northeastern Wisconsin Zoo and Badlands National Park - Black-tailed prairie dogs
• Oakland Zoo and Glacier National Park - Grizzly bears
• Texas State Aquarium and Padre Island National Seashore - Sea turtles

In each project, zoos and aquariums use their specific skills to assist the federal government in the mission of wildlife conservation.  In Aransas, for example, Dallas Zoo staff provide vet support when cranes are caught up for telemetry.  In Isle Royale, staff from Detroit perform genetic analysis of blood samples to monitor the wolf population for inbreeding, taking advantage of the extensive experience that zoos have in managing the genetics of small populations of wildlife.

There is no set-in-stone rule that the zoo or aquarium and the federal wildlife site have to be close neighbors - Oakland is states away from Glacier, for example - but there are clear advantages to working with a local site.  Not only does it make it easier for zoo and park staff to get back and forth, sharing personnel and resources, but it also makes it easy for the zoo to support the park in another way - public support.  Zoos that are involved in these partnerships can make exhibits themed after their partner protected areas, use those exhibits to tell the story of those landscapes and the threats that they face, and then perhaps encourage their own visitors to go to those sites and develop connections there.  National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, and Marine Sanctuaries are in constant need of political support, and political support comes from public support.

Right now, the list of zoo-park partnerships is still fairly short.  I feel that there is almost limitless potential for this project to grow.  I could happily envision a future in which every AZA member facility, as a requirement for accreditation, forms a meaningful alliance with a park or refuge.

Zoo Review: Aquarium of the Bay

With its hundreds of miles of beautiful coastline, covering a wide variety of ecosystems, it’s not surprising that California is one of America’s hotspots.  Some metropolitan areas boast multiple aquariums, which is not something you see much in other parts of the country.  Among those is San Francisco.  The California Academy of Sciences has its beautiful Steinhart Aquarium.  And right on the boardwalk of the famous Fisherman’s Wharf, tucked in discretely among restaurants, shops, and tourist sites, is the Aquarium of the Bay. 

As its name implies, Aquarium of the Bay focuses on the wildlife of San Francisco Bay.  It is not an especially large facility, especially compared to some of the behemoths of the state – Monterey Bay Aquarium, Aquarium of the Pacific.  In size, it more closely resembles one of the SeaLife aquariums that you see in malls across the country, a similarity which is heightened by its touristy-location, tucked into a shopping and dining district.  Also like SeaLife aquariums, there is a heavy emphasis on large aquariums with tunnels. (Note: This aquarium is an affiliate of the Smithsonian – however, it does charge admission, just so no one goes into this surprised and annoyed).

The waters of San Francisco Bay are home to many species of shark, the sharks remain the specialty of the house at Aquarium of the Bay.  It was the first aquarium in the United States to breed the Pacific angel shark, for example, and is currently known for its research on the broadnose sevengill shark, one of the rarities on display here.  Leopard and swell sharks are also found in the large tanks, along with a variety of other native fish, such as garibaldi, moray, sheephead, and rockfish.  There are small galleries of other California fish and invertebrates, such as jellies, giant Pacific octopus, and the sardines which fueled the economy in many parts of the coast.

Apart from the sharks, most visitors will be most drawn to the river otter exhibit, with above and underwater viewing.  The exhibit is especially popular on the “snow days,” when bushels of snow are brought into the exhibit for the otters to play in.  I generally dislike all-indoor exhibits for otters, but this is one of the larger and better furnished ones I’ve seen.  Nearby is a small nature lab with a few small displays of local herps, as well as a tidal touch pool.  There are no marine mammals on display here, but visitors are within a stone’s throw (please do not throw stones) of the famous California sea lions which congregate at Pier 39, which were a brand new species for me to see in the wild.

Again, this is NOT a big aquarium – I was in a hurry, powered through in an hour, and considered myself satisfied, though I could have stayed longer (and I did spend much of that time trying to get a decent few of the sevengills, which I’d never seen before).  Some visitors may be less than dazzled by the collection; there are few species that many guests will recognize, and the habitats, while decent, lack the grandeur of those seen in many larger aquariums.  For an aquarium enthusiast, however, visiting facilities that specialize in local ecosystems is always fun, as it offers the chance to see species that you might not encounter at institutions outside of their native range.  This aquarium won’t make a full day activity for anyone.  Still, it can provide an enjoyable excursion as part of a day that includes Fisherman’s Wharf (and its sea lions!), Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio, and other must-see sights of San Francisco.

Aquarium of the Bay

A Juneteenth Legacy

Though the day was actually yesterday, today is the day on which Juneteenth is being recognized in the United States.  It actually marks the second year in which it has been recognized as a federal holiday, though last year the announcement was made immediately before the day itself, so not many people had time to even process it.  Juneteenth, of course, commemorates the date on which enslaved people in Texas were notified by victorious Union soldiers of the Emancipation Proclamation, which had gone into effect more than two years earlier, and celebrates the end of slavery in the US.

Over 150 years later, slavery's influence in American history continues to be felt, permeating many aspects of life - including some which, at first glance, have little to do with it.  Consider zoos, for instance.  The first US zoos opened their gates over a decade after the end of slavery, so there are no zoos in this country that were built by slaves or served by slaves, something that you can't say about, say, the White House.  Many zoos were built in city parks, however, which may have begun their lives as plantations.  Consider the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, which originally was the Dunn Plantation.  When the Zoo was being built in its new location, it was determined that a slave burial ground was on site.  The Zoo tip-toed around it for years, until it became clear that some planned construction would disturb it.  At this point, the Zoo worked with the Tennessee state archaeologist to exhume and properly reinter the bodies elsewhere on grounds. 

Science uncovers story of slaves at Nashville Zoo

Many zoos were segregated during the era of Jim Crow, with blacks either banned from grounds as visitors, or limited to specific days.  Which is to say that they weren't still taxed with monies going towards the upkeep of many facilities (zoos being just one) that they were not given access to.

When people talk about racism in zoos, the go-to story is of Ota Benga, the Congolese man who was (very briefly) displayed at the Bronx Zoo.  This incident has, in recent years, cast a shadow over the legacy of the Zoo's Director, William T. Hornaday, threatening to overshadow his many more laudable accomplishments, such as saving the American bison from extinction.  Popular accounts tend to misrepresent the event (a recent Wikipedia edit, for example, claims that the Zoo captured Ota Benga from the Congo and brought him to the US for exhibition, which is not accurate).  The truth is that, as problematic as we now recognize them as being, such "ethnographic exhibitions" of putting people on display - both inside and outside of zoos - weren't that unusual in that era.  The Bronx Zoo was just one brief stop that Ota Benga made in his career traveling the US as a human curio.  You could argue if that makes the whole spectacle better... or worse.

(I realize the irony of spending a chunk of this post that is meant to address the history of racism within the zoo community defending a man that many would consider a racist.  By today's standards, he certainly was.  By the turn of the last century?  Harder to say.  I acknowledge fully that putting a person on display alongside an ape to promote the views of science of an era was bad, and was not a good thing to have done.  Hornaday just happens to have been a long time hero of mine, and I hate seeing his legacy reduced to this.  People - most of them, anyway - are more than just one thing.)

Also unrelated: Whenever I see animal rights organizations referring to animals, whether in zoos (such as the recent case of Happy) or in agricultural settings, as "slaves," I really find myself wondering exactly how that plays in the black community.  Does it foster a sense of connection and empathy?  Or does it seem like a cheapening of their history and generational trauma?  From the conversations that I have had, and from the low levels of black membership in those organizations, I'm guessing the later.

Today, there is underrepresentation of black staffers at all levels of the zoo hierarchy outside of customer service and grounds-keeping, though there is a dedicated movement of recruitment and mentorship working to even out the imbalance.  

Juneteeth, which has been observed in parts of the country (especially Texas) for generations before becoming a federal holiday, is celebrated by many as the end of slavery.  It could also be said to serve as a reminder that there is still much more that needs to be done not to end slavery, but to thoroughly undo its legacy of segregation, discrimination, and reduced opportunities for communities of color.

A Quiet Place

Space remains at an all-time premium at most zoos and aquariums.  It's needed for fitting in additional animals to help sustain breeding programs, off-exhibit holding space, and for expanding the habitats of animals already in the collection.  It remains one of the most valuable commodities and is seldom allowed to go to waste (and when it is, that's usually the result of their being a lack of funds to do anything with it yet).

It's something I've always been very conscientious of... which is why it feels slightly wrong to say this.

I hope that every zoo that can leaves aside a little corner somewhere - undeveloped - just for staff.  Even though most will never use it.

This job can be stressful and fast-paced... some of the time.  Other times, a day can crawl by like molasses in December.   There's stress from coworkers, from the animals, from visitors, and from the facility itself, sometimes seeping out like sap from a tree. 

There's usually a lot to do on a given day, and that means taking a break off-grounds isn't often possible.  Likewise, it can be very hard to unwind in the public spaces, walking among the animals, especially during a busy part of the year.  It's hard not to be hypervigilant with watching visitors, making sure everyone is behaving and being safe, and fielding questions.

A few years back, I stumbled across a few isolated corners of our zoo's campus which have been largely left alone for decades.  No one goes there with any regularity.  Not visitors, not staff.  The deer that I stumbled across bedding down there bolted wildly when I approached, as if they hadn't seen a human for generations.  It's definitely an exaggeration, but it felt like a lost world.  It only took a few minutes to get there from the heart of the zoo, and I was only a radio call away in the case I was needed.  Still, I was alone, and it was quiet, and peaceful.

No, this isn't it... I wish, though

Perhaps against my better judgement, I've told a few other coworkers about it, but none seem to show much interest in it.  My supervisor knows I go there sometimes, and I was given the sole instruction not to get myself hurt out there on the unmaintained grounds, lest the zoo be liable.  I doubt that there's any plans to develop these areas.  So, for the foreseeable future, I've got a little sanctuary in the (sort of) woods to retreat for some peace and quiet, if only for ten minutes a day.

From the News: Happy the elephant is NOT a person

Happy the elephant at Bronx Zoo is not a person, New York's top court rules

For a bit, I was tempted to call this the Zombie Elephant in the Courtroom.  You see, this lawsuit, initiated by the animal rights group the Nonhuman Rights Project, just would not die.  The case had been dismissed over and over again, and yet it kept bouncing back up into the courtroom.  This couldn't help but make me a little nervous, as it is a well known fact that if you ask enough people the same question for long enough, someone is eventually going to give you the answer that you want to hear (evidence: any child who has ever gone back and forth between mom and dad until getting what they want).

There is legal precedent in other countries - an orangutan in Argentina was deemed to be a "person" by the courts there.  But if we decide that animals (even of the most intelligent species) are people, that does more than cut out the legs from zoos and aquariums working to save species.  It poses an enormous challenge to every aspect of our interactions with animals.  Obvious ones that pop up are food, medicine, and research, areas from which I know many people would happily see animals removed.  But what about conservation, land use, and the relationship between different species of animals?  Is it just to remove an invasive species from an environment - lethally - in order to protect an imperiled native species?  What about managing a common native species that is overpopulating, such as white-tailed deer?  When wild animals need our help, such as in the case of needing rehab, they can't offer consent - so is it unjust to offer it?

The court split the vote 5-2, which is still 2 more than I would have liked, but I'll take it if it means the end to this ongoing drama.  One thing that they all agreed upon was that elephants and other animals, if not people, are certainly beings deserving of higher consideration than property.  "All can agree than an elephant is not a member of the Homo sapiens species," argued Judge Rowan Wilson, one of the dissenters.  "At the same time, an elephant is not a desk chair."

Schools or Scams

I was at a family function not too long ago, the one where the definition of "family" is extended to people beyond one-word descriptors (aunt, uncle, cousin, etc).  I was approached by an in-law of some sort who I've never actually had a conversation with, but who knew the only really important thing about me, which is that I work at a zoo.  It turns out that she has her own tangentially-related contact (so, 2x tangential for me) who is hoping to break into the field.  She wanted my advice of some school and program options, mostly to see if I'd at least heard of them and if I knew of anyone who'd successfully graduated from them and landed a job at a zoo.

I was able to satisfy her with a "yes" on both scores, which seemed to satisfy her.  Off she went without further questioning.

If she'd asked more questions, I might have said more, but I wasn't sure how much of my place it was.

Education is one of the more controversial aspects of job-seeking from those already within the profession.  There's a pretty vocal contingent that feels that the four-year degree is an unnecessary, elitist, and (most importantly) expensive requirement that traps many keepers in crushing debt, excludes folks who aren't able to afford college, and doesn't really contribute much to your ability to do the job.  

I won't deny that yes, a lot of the stuff that I learned in school didn't directly apply to my keeper work - even the stuff that was in the animal-related classes themselves.  I did learn a lot about research, critical thinking, project management, teamwork, and other skills which I think are beneficial, but I can certainly understand not wanting to go into debt for those if you don't have to.  Besides, organic chemistry?  Ick.

Another option that exists are specialized zookeeping programs or schools.  There are a handful of them scattered across the country, from the Zoo Sciences program at Delaware Valley College (in partnership with the Elmwood Park Zoo) to the famous Exotic Animal Training and Management (the unfortunately acronymed EAT'M) in California, billing itself as "America's Teaching Zoo."  (Serious question, there are plenty of teaching hospitals - why not more teaching zoos?).  Santa Fe Community College (confusingly located in Florida, not New Mexico), has an AZA accredited zoo on its campus for the education of students.  There is even a zoo in a high school campus in Millbrook, New York - the Trevor Zoo - for those who want to get off on the right professional foot even earlier.

These programs that I've named are all good schools that have placed folks I know in the field.  My distant relation-by-marriage was mostly worried that her friend-of-a-friend was going to be signing up for the zoo-equivalent of Trump University, paying a lot of money and getting zilch in return.  Which, to be far, can happen with legitimate universities as well, though hopefully not deliberately. 

I wish I could give a better answer to the question of "is the degree worth it?"  An unfortunate truth is that there are so many qualified candidates for most zookeeping and aquarist jobs that, even if it isn't really essential, employers can afford to be picky.  So, if there's anything you can do to get that leg up, and this is your dream job, might be worth it.  Or at least, it might be necessary.  At what some of these schools are charging, "worth it" might be a bit loaded of a term. 

Who's a Bad Boy?

Visitors to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park got an unexpected mixed-species surprise when a German shepherd dog suddenly appeared in the middle of the gorilla exhibit.  With the gorillas.  No word yet on where the dog came from.  It had no collar or microchip, nor did it appear to be a service animal that was brought into the Park.  Instead, it seems to have been a stray or runaway who somehow wormed its way inside and then, for reasons best known to it, jumped into the gorilla habitat.

Of all of the exhibits at the Park, this is probably the best one for a dog to have wound up in, to be honest - not that any of them would have been ideal.  It could have gotten in with the lions or tigers, which would have certainly killed it, or in with the kangaroos or birds, in which case it may have caused a panic that would have resulted in death or injury to the Park's animals.  Or, it could have gotten loose in one of the sprawling, multi-acre savannah yards, where it could have been extremely difficult (and dangerous) to catch, causing stampedes among zebras, rhinos, buffalo, giraffe, and antelope.   

Don't worry, this story has a happy ending, as neither dog nor gorilla was harmed.  Keepers were able to coax the apes back into their holding area, then went in and retrieved the probably-confused pup.  The dog has been turned over to the Humane Society, who will see if they can find the owners and get the dog home... where hopefully he will stay.

Book Review: Why Peacocks? An Unlikely Search for Meaning in the World's Most Magnificent Bird

"The birds were only shadows behind bright lines and dots.  They were completely protected from predators, and yet I'd defeated the reason for having them at all.  It's like the tree that falls in the forest: Is a peacock still magnificent if he can't be admired from outside the garbage coop?"

Journalist Sean Flynn had not been especially interested in acquiring peafowl to adorn his North Carolina home.  The birds were an impulse acquisition spurred on by his wife, who responded to a friend-of-a-friend who was looking to rehome some birds.   Once the initial trio arrived, however, Flynn found himself increasingly entranced by the birds.  Soon, affection begins to grow into (expensive, time-consuming) obsession, causing the author to ponder the question - why peacocks?

The resultant book, Why Peacocks: An Unlikely Search for Meaning in the World's Most Magnificent Bird, is mostly the story of Flynn and his family coming to terms with their stewardship of some unusual pets.  This is the part of the book that I found less interesting - I've spent a lot of my life working around peafowl, have made every amateur mistake that you could make, and have limited interest in hearing someone else go through the exact same things.  What I was most interested in was hearing what he had to say about the bigger picture of peacocks - why this bird looms so large in our shared culture.

And, to be fair, there was some of that.  Flynn tells us about the role of peafowl in the ancient world, from the Islamic version of the Garden of Eden to Greek myth to King Solomon's tributes.  He tells us about peacocks adorning castle grounds and castle banquet halls (as an attractive, but reportedly unpalatable, main course), and about peafowl coming to America, and about the creation of the beautiful Peacock Room now on display in the Smithsonian's Freer Gallery in Washington, DC.  Natural history of the birds is given a very brief mention (including two references to jaguars predating peacocks, even though the former are from the Americas and the later from Asia).  He visits peafowl breeder associations and expositions, meeting people who dedicate their lives to the birds.  And, on the flip side, he puts on his crime-writer hat and investigates a spate of peafowl-killings by people who have become angry about the introduced birds damaging their lawns and cars.

This is the stuff that I enjoyed most (well, not the revenge killings) - exploring the duality of the peacock... which you could do for any other animal.  In reality, it's a bird.  It eats, it mates, it defecates, it does all the other things a "lesser" bird would do.  But at the same time, it's also something more than a bird, something that we've created in our minds as a symbol of luxury, elegance, and beauty.  The image is fine for most people, who don't actually have to deal with the birds on a daily basis.  If you do, however, it helps to take a less-romantic, more practical view of the birds.  Then, it doesn't seem like as much of a personal affront to find your yard covered with blobs of what looks (but certainly doesn't smell) like chocolate soft-serve ice cream.

Over the years, I've known a lot of animal people who have fallen under the spell of one species or another, becoming obsessed by it.  Sometimes the triggering factor is the species rarity, or the danger is possesses, or its uniqueness (never underestimate the willingness of zookeepers to fall in love with an animal for the primary reason that no one else has heard of it).  What makes the peacock unique is that it is an animal that has, for millennia, been able to keep so many of us under its collective spell.

Why Peacocks: An Unlikely Search for Meaning in the World's Most Magnificent Bird at Amazon

Return of Spix's Macaw

We're living in the midst of the sixth great extinction event of our planet, with species being depleted left and right.  Every once in a while, however, we're able to reverse a tiny bit of that damage, and when we do, the results can be spectacular.  Enjoy this video footage shared by the Association for the Conservation of Threatened Parrots from Caatinga, Brazil.  Spix's macaw, one of the world's rarest birds, once extinct in the wild, is now once again flying free in Brazil!  (Want to learn more about the saga of this imperiled parrot?  Check out this book!) 

Unidentified Amarillo Object

A lot can go on at a zoo after hours, so it's not surprising that many zoos have cameras to help keep track of the goings on once the sun goes down.   If you were to review that footage, normally you wouldn't see much - some animals awake, some asleep, some native wildlife puttering about, and (hopefully) the security guard making their rounds.  What you might not expect to see is... well, whatever the heck this is.

On the morning of May 21 (at about 1:30 AM), security cameras captured the following image lurking outside the Amarillo Zoo in Amarillo, Texas.  The image was posted on social media, and a lot of folks have opinions about it.  Is it a Chupacabra?  A furry?  A bobcat with its front paws up on the fence?  A guy in a coonskin hat?  It's worth noting, just for everyone's peace of mind, that this... entity was outside the zoo, and made no apparent effort to gain entrance.  Of course, some people might feel more comfortable with the idea that it was inside the zoo, and not likely to turn up outside their window one night.

What's funny about reading the Facebook comments is seeing how many people are 100% convinced that they know exactly what it is, and that anyone who can't see it is an idiot.  What makes this funny is that none of those people can actually agree on what it is.  Definitely a Chupacabra, though.

Species Fact Profile: Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman (Paleosuchus palpebrosus)

                                                            Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman
                                                        Paleosuchus palpebrosus (Cuvier, 1807)

Range: Northern and Central South America, east of the Andes

Habitat:  Flooded Tropical Forests, Lakes, Rivers

Diet: Aquatic Invertebrates, Fish, Frogs, Mollusks

Social Grouping: Solitary or Paired.  Territorial Males

Reproduction: Breeding takes place in the late dry season, with males calling for females.  Males may mate with multiple females, usually at night in shallow water.  Females usually breed once per year.  Nest in a mound of soil and vegetation.  Eggs hatch after 90 days.  Females guide young to water, but show little parental care beyond that.  Sexually mature at about 1 meter in length, which can take about 10 years

Lifespan: 50 Years +

      Conservation Status: IUCN Least Concern, CITES Appendix II

•       Smallest of the crocodilians.  Males average 1.4 meters long, females 1.2 meters.  Weigh 6-7 kilograms.  The body is very heavily armored with osteoderms, bony plates embedded in the skin, to a greater extent than other crocodilians
•       Dorsal surface is dark, nearly black (sometimes a rust-red color), with light and dark spotting on the jaws.  The tail is ringed with lighter colored bands
•       While usually found alone, will form social groups and hierarchies, competing for access to mates, nest-sites, and food.  Dominance is established through physical displays and intimidation (trying to look larger, hissing), rarely through combat.  Males exclude other males from their territories; territories are defended year round, vary in size seasonally
•       Adults maybe preyed upon by jaguars and anacondas (for their size, they have few predators due to their heavy armor).  Eggs and juveniles are vulnerable to predation from small carnivores, such as coatis, as well as opossums, wading birds, and snakes
•       One of the most common crocodilians in the pet trade due to their small size
•       Population is largely stable.  Hide is almost worthless for leather due to the presence of bony plates, and there is little meat to justify hunting.  Habitat is remote, with large geographic range
•       Named after French zoologist Georges Cuvier, who first described the species.  Latin name translates to "Ancient crocodile with full eyelids," referring to the ancient lineage and the bony plates on the upper eyelids

A Tortoise the Color of Snow

 An albino Galapagos tortoise hatched out at a Swiss zoo

The Princess and the Penguin

So much of the news has been taken up lately by the celebration of Queen Elizabeth's latest jubilee (what comes after platinum, anyway?  Are we going to have to start making up new materials if she reigns much longer)?  As you may tell from the flippancy, I don't especially care, considering the British Royal Family to essentially be the world's longest and most tedious soap opera.  Occasionally, however, they do intersect with the world of zoos and aquariums, so in those cases I have to pay attention.

The modern London Zoo traces its origins in part to the former royal menagerie in the Tower of London.  Many species of animals reached Europe for the first time as gifts to the royals before being placed on display at the zoo.  Kings, Queens, Princes, and Princesses have served as trustees and patrons of several UK zoos and aquariums, as well as noteworthy conservation charities.  Zoos even featured into the most recent celebrations, as seen by this photo op from the Edinburgh Zoo, where Princess Anne stopped by to socialize with the penguins.

Photo Credit: My London

 

Underwater with an Elephant

Video credit to the Oregon Zoo

A Summertime Warning

 Meanwhile, at the Los Angeles Zoo...