Tuesday, January 29, 2013

New At The Zoo

I have posted within my various blogs my thoughts, observations and therfore suggestions in regards to things in NEED at the Zoo.   Some of those things actually come to fruition as I don't believe in coincidence and must assume that Zoo Staff in reading my posts moves forward and makes some changes.   That said, over the past week I have noticed some simple things that are in need at the Zoo.  So, I will use this post to both note the "New" and as a platform to suggest.

First, with the new Animal Births and Aquisitions, in addition to Animal Shuffles, there needs to be a sign at the entrance along with the "Today" sign, that says "New".

- New At The Zoo

*Greater Kudu Birth

*Yellow Back Dukier Birth - Congrats Lily and Erik!

*Wallaby Birth

*Aquisition of Wrinkled Hornbills  (Male on exhibit/Female in quarantine)
*Navajo Churro Sheep females moved from Family Farm to old Reindeer exhibit.

.....  In light of the Churro girls move, there needs to be a sign outside the Reindeer exhibit, noting that the girls are there.  Its ridiculous to take them out of the Farm in the first place, but to put them in an area with little foot traffic and not let Visitors know they are back there is awful for them.  These girls are used to alot of activity at the Farm and now they just sit there bored with almost no Visitors in addition to no hands on contact which they usually get.   .... Let's hope this "holiday adventure" is temporary and they can go back home.

....  I've noted this before but it seems like it needs to be noted again.  The Lion House needs more signage in regard to noise.   "Shoosh" signs at both entrances AND what would be the most effective is painting above the caging some words like "Quiet in the House".    There is what looks like at least four feet of space, so large letters would be very eye catching.  All areas within the Zoo where the Animals live should be Quiet Zones, but now with the possible pregnancy of the female Sumatran Tiger, keeping the Lion House a Quiet Zone should be a priority

Saturday, January 12, 2013

SFZoo Does It Again - Renames Black Rhino

The San Francisco Zoo has done it again, renaming an Animal who already has a given name.  In this case four year old Black Rhino Belozi who has had his name since birth. 


I have blogged many times about this name changing so I will try not to repeat myself, other than to say  this is again very disappointing.  In this instance it doesn't even appear that there was any donation made to "buy the naming rights", so from where I sit this is yet another disrespectful move on the Zoo's part.  It would also seem that in once again naming an Animal after a local Athlete (especially while that team is in the news) is just a way to get Media attention.  If the Zoo focused on the Animals as Individuals as much as they did trying to pimp them out when it suits them, the Animals would have more Enrichment, more Secure barriers and better Education in regards to teaching Visitors how to Respect the Animals.  BUT since the San Francisco Zoo doesn't even respect the Animals given name, how can we expect them to teach others how to respect them?

More on my thoughts regarding name changing:

Article text below appears at this link:


Rhinos are hard-charging and consume roughly 50 pounds of food in a typical meal. But the similarities between that species and offensive linemen don’t end there.
One four-year old black rhino at the San Francisco Zoo will forever be linked to 49ers guard Alex Boone. The rhino is now named “Boone” and Boone has likewise taken on the nickname of “The Rhino.”
Boone met his new rhino last week while playing zookeeper for a day at the San Francisco Zoo. Tasks included cleaning up after the animals, feeding a giraffe, throwing fish to a polar bear, petting a porcupine and walking among the penguins. Then, Boone was able to hand-feed the rhino and arrange his dinner.
Click here to view a photo gallery of Boone’s visit to the zoo or watch the video below.
Boone has also started an Instagram account (@TheRhino75).
Visitors will be able to see “Boone” by visiting the San Francisco Zoo and can also donate to the Alex Boone Animal Education Project, an initiative that brings local youth to the San Francisco Zoo to learn leadership and respect through the theme of animal wellness.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
 As with all posts,
please expand comments
for additional insight and information.
Check back as I reply to all comments.
Contact the San Francisco Zoo Director Tanya Peterson
if you want your voice heard.
Thank You for taking the time to read
about things that matter to me.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

RIP Tallulah - Chimpanzee Passes

Forever Loved
Forever Missed


RIP Tallulah
You were a Sweet Special Girl
XO

I was at the Zoo when I was told of this very sad news.  I cried that very moment and am still shedding tears.  I loved that Lady.  Tallulah and all the Chimps are Zoo Icons.  They have lived together at the Zoo for over 40 years.  They are the Chimps I grew up with.  I always think of Miss T/Tallulah Belle (as I called her) as the Queen of the Chimps.  It will be hard to not see her there with her Family.  My heart breaks for them, Minnie, Maggie, and Cobby. 

Remembering Zoo Friends Lost in 2012

coming soon

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Animal Birthdays! - Repost for 2013

Taken from my original 2011 post seen here
http://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2012/05/zoo-friends-birthdays.html

January
1/1971- Elly/Black Rhino
1/1982- Sureshot/Eagle
1/1987- Olive Oyl/Anaconda
1/2003- Grizzly Sisters
3/1998- Monifa/Gorilla
4/1997- Amanzi/African Lion

February
4/2008- Nataani/Navajo Churro Sheep
6/2002- Hercules/Great Hornbill
7/2003- Jahari/African Lion
20/1991- Pelican

March
1/2002- Trent/Otter
5/ ... Maroudi/Nigerian Dwarf Goat
9/ ... Peaches/Nigerian Dwarf Goat
16/1980- Boomer/Emu
18/1989- Cleo/Mandrill
25/2001- Wakoda/Navajo Churro Sheep

April
9/1992- Bosco/Black Howler
13/2002- Carolina/Giraffe
16/1994- Rigel/Snow Leopard
25/1969- Maggie/Chimpanzee
25/1970- Minnie/Chimpanzee
(Chimp info taken from Studbook/differs from Zoo info)

May
10/2002- Inti/Bobcat
11/2003- Bititi/Giraffe
14/1988- Sauna/Lion Tailed Macaque
18/2003- Tucker/Hippo
25/1995- Gauhati/Asian Rhino
31/2001- Spice Kids (Basil, Nutmeg, Paprika) Nigerian Dwarf Goats

June
10/2001- Paddy Nigerian Dwarf Goat
11/2002- Sam/Giraffe
14/2003- Goldfish/Fishing Cat
28/2002- Sukari/African Lion

July
10/1958- Cobby/Chimpanzee
10/2003- Skylar/Sumatran Tiger
13/1980- Bwang/Gorilla
13/1994- Slash/Cassowary
21/1989- Jesus/Lion tailed Macaque
22/1999- Pokemon/Blackbuck
24/2008- Lulu/Mandrill
31/1989- Jonesy/Gorilla
July/2008- Belozi/Black Rhino

August
1/2000- Shastyuh/Amur Tiger
2/1998- Eric/Duiker
September
5/2005- Tiki & Kai/Kune Pigs
8/2003- Lily/Duiker
13/1981- Zura/Gorilla
14/2005- Razzleberry/Nigerian Dwarf Goat
19/2007- Jesse/Mandrill
23/1998- Nneka/Gorilla

October
26/1998- Angelo/Anteater
30/2001- Snickers & Milky Way/Nigerian Dwarf Goats
30/2003- Wasabi/Rooster

November
25/1982- Pike/Polar Bear

December
19/1980- Ulu/Polar Bear

Monday, January 7, 2013

African Lion Grand Babies!

Congratulations to our Female African Lion Sukari who became a grandmother last week when her daughter Mfisha gave birth to five Cubs at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha Nebraska!   Mfisha lives at HDZ with her sister Ahadi, who is also Sukari's daughter and may also be pregnant :)  They are sole survivors from separate litters.

Yay Suki! :)

Below is the article from this link



Jan 5 (Reuters) - Five African lion cubs were born last week in a Nebraska zoo, the latest success in a national effort to raise the population of the vulnerable species.

Two males and three females were born Dec. 29 at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, considered a global leader in wild animal conservation and genetics.

Four are on display in the zoo, while one female cub, born weak and underweight, is gaining strength under intensive care in the zoo hospital, where she is being bottle fed and is expected to rejoin her mother when she gains more weight, according to a zoo statement.

The zoo also has four adult African lions, one male and three females.

The births of the lions, which are of the subspecies krugeri, are part of a push by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to breed lions of known lineage.

In addition to the Omaha cubs, 11 more African lions have been born in AZA accredited zoos in North America, according to the zoo.

The father, Mr. Big, is 14 years old and weighs 560 pounds, and the mother, Mfisha, is six years old and weighs 335 pounds. This was their first litter. The last African lion cubs to be born at the Omaha zoo arrived in 1994.

Labeled a "vulnerable" species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, African lions, which live in sub-Sahara Africa, have seen their populations decline by up to 50 percent worldwide in the last two decades. (Reporting By Karen Brooks; Editing by Vicki Allen)
nebraska lion cub

A drowsy looking female lion cub sports a milk mustache after being bottle fed at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Neb., Friday, Jan. 4, 2013. he cub, part of a litter of 5 born on Dec. 29, 2012, was smaller than the others and did not compete well for food, so zoo staff began caring for it until it becomes strong enough to join it's siblings. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

You can also view photos of the Cubbies on exhibit on my friend,
 PhotonCapturer's Flickr Photostream!


Bit of info I discovered when Sukari came to the San Francisco Zoo from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in 2009.  I love doing the Family Trees of the Zoo Friends, and via the African Lion Studbook I learned that Sukari and our Amanzi share the same Mother, Angie who still lives at Cheyenne Mountian.  By researching Amanzi and Sukari's Daughters, I learned that the male, Mr Big at Henry Doorly shares the same father as Amanzi.   Mr Big is the father to Sukari's Grand Cubbies :)

ADDED :  link has another photo, plus video :)  the cubbie has a little spot on its nose like our Jahari :)

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Happy Birthday Amanzi! - African Lion Birthday!

Amanzi turned 16 on January 4!


Happy Birthday Amanzi!

Thank you for the wonderful face time on your special day!
 Hope you got some special treats!

You can learn more about her and see some photos at this link to one of my other blogs




Happy Birthday Elly! - Black Rhino Birthday!

Elly turned 42! on January 1st!



Happy Birthday Elly!

Hope you got some special treats!

You can learn more about her and see some photos at this link to one of my other blogs.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Happy Birthday Kachina and Kiona! - Grizzly Bear Birthday

 
Grizzly Bear Sisters
Kiona and Kachina
turned 10 years old today!
 
 Happy Birthday Kachina!
 
Happy Birthday Kiona!
 
Hope you got some
special treats today precious girls!
 
View photos of the Enrichment Items
my friend Lee and I made
for the girls 8th Birthday
 
 
Learn more about Kiona and Kachina
 

Visit - Sunday December 30, 2012

coming soon