October Birthday Wishes! (Belated)

Four Zoo Friends had Birthdays in October!

 Happy Birthday Angelo!

Angelo the Giant Anteater 

turned 14 on the 26th!

Happy Birthday Snickers!

Snickers the Nigerian Dwarf Goat

turned 11 on the 30th!

Happy Birthday Milky Way!

Milky Way the Nigerian Dwarf Goat

turned 11 on the 30th!

You can visit these wonderful Twin Goats

and their Mama Maroudi on the Farm :)

Happy Birthday Wasabi!

Wasabi the Rooster

turned 9 on the 31st!

I was there for Wasabi's Birthday Party!  After the Birthday song was sung, Wasabi had some cake with his lady friends :)  Here are a few photos :)  Thank you to Keeper Amber for celebrating Wasabi's special day!

 the Cake :)

the Guests :)  ... Wasabi and his lady friends

Buffy, Stella, Snowball, and Diva!

Friday July 13th Birthdays! - Bawang & Slash!

Bawang turns 32 today!

Happy Birthday Bawang!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Slash turns 18 today!

Happy Birthday Slash!

Visit, July 10, 2012 - Its Not My Party :(

Whenever possible I try to Visit the Zoo when one of the Friends is having Birthday.  To wish them Happy Birthday, a simple Honoring of the day they were born and their life.  It comforts my Soul.  

I have written before in posts regarding Enrichment and other related topics, about my feelings regarding celebrating the Animal Residents Birthdays.  In short, like stated above, its a way to Honor them and Celebrate their lives.  Its Respecting them.  When I have witnessed Birthday Celebrations, it is wonderful.  Foremost the Animals love it!  But, its also Fun and Joyous for the Visitors.  I would think the Animal Staff would find Joy in seeing the Animals in their care Happy.  

In the case of the Chimps, I think any extra activity is essential.  These Animals are closest to Humans with brains that need constant stimulation.  I'm not about to preach to those educated about this, I am giving my opinion based on what I've learned and what I've seen.  The San Francisco Zoo Chimps are very often bored.  They have lived in the same situation for over 40 years.  They literal crave these activities.  When they have gotten plentiful Enrichment activity like Birthdays and Holidays, they go crazy watching the Keeper put stuff out.  A couple weeks ago, they got Ice Treats which I hadn't witnessed in a very long time, and they were Happy as can be, with just something that simple.  They should have it everyday.  

 I visited the Chimps and saw nothing special had been put out for Cobby's special day :(   I knew there wouldn't be, but it would have been a nice surprised to see remnants of fun.   I wished Cobby a Happy Birthday and watched them for awhile.  Cobby was restless and kept moving almost the entire time, up and down the structure, into the night quarters, over to the other grotto, and back again.  He literally seemed to be looking for something.  Alas there was no celebration for this precious guy, who has given the Zoo over 40 years of his life.

I once had a discussion about Birthdays with the Primate and Carnivore Curator Corinne MacDonald whose response was, "I'm not interested in celebrating Birthdays."   That is a miserable and selfish attitude.

Skylar/Leanne was not out in the yard today, so I couldn't wish her a Happy Birthday.  ... Maybe her party was private?  NO!  There was no party for her either.

It was interesting (one word for it) that there was not one, but two signs on the windows to her yard, saying she would be off exhibit, yet we still after a couple years of calling attention to the need, have NO signs on these same windows, asking Visitors not to Tap on them.   ...  Didn't that recent article about the new "Visionist"  say they would be putting the Animals above the Visitors now?  

As well, we continue to have additional barriers at Inti's home.  Yet, Angelo remains wide-open and vulnerable.  

And no "Shoosh" signs, even tho Inti's little sensitive Cat ears can obviously hear the high-pitched Visitor voices.

Gorillas was closed today and I could hear work being done.  I truly hope this is not the work of the new "Visionists" vision and an area such as Gorilla's which is lush and green = natural, is not the priority fix.

Saturday July 7th - Awesome Apes!

Thankfully before getting to Cats and being very upset by the state of Grotto B (see previous post), we had a   very sweet visit with Zura, one of the female Gorillas.

Zura is my favorite, and I have taken to calling her Princess Zura and referring to the Gorilla area as ZuraLand :)  She is a silly girl with lots of personality.  She loves attention and will stick her tongue out and wiggle it from side to side and then smile :)  She will also give people the finger which she has done at a couple appropriate times ;)  She is a character.

She was sitting on the rock near the window and making eye contact.  There were people all across the length of the window, but she looked at us a couple times.  She got off the rock and came over to us and tapped the window and then hugged the area in front of us!  I had never seen her (or any of them) do this.  It was very sweet, and she did it twice.

The Primate Curator Corinne MacDonald once told me that they (Gorillas/Animals) don't feel things like we do.  I know about those who buy into the term anthropomophize, but in my opinion anyone who has a relationship with any animal, knows they have feelings and emotions similar to ours.  They may process it differently, but its there.  That said, someone who specifically works with Primates should not be saying such.  The proof is in the picture.

The Chimps were having a great time yesterday as they had an assortment of items out.  There were painted boxes Red and Blue, maybe these were left over from the Holiday?  Could it be that there were actually 4th of July Enrichment Toys?   Not sure but they did have stuff to play with yesterday.  One of the items was a mirror and Maggie was very entertained with it.  Not only did she check herself out many times (as seen below), she also had a rat tail comb and combed her hair, and then checked her teeth.  After all this fancying up, she literally ran to the neighboring grotto over to Cobby and gave him a kiss!  It was very cute.

Hopefully the Chimps getting fun stuff doesn't end with the Holiday, because Cobby celebrates his Birthday on Tuesday and for a Chimp whose estimated age is 54, he deserves a celebration!  ... Sadly deserving and getting are two different things at the San Francisco Zoo and none of the Chimps have had a Birthday celebration  Since Cobby's in 2009.  Read more about that in a post Tuesday July 10th.

See more photos from yesterdays visit (coming soon)

http://iamnotananteater.shutterfly.com

Happy Birthday Goldfish!

Goldfish turned 9 today! 

Happy Birthday Goldie!

Goldfish shares her birthday with her sister Angelfish, who has since moved to another Zoo.  

Happy Birthday to Angelfish too!  I miss you!  

Happy Birthday Sam!

Sam turns 10 today!

Happy Birthday Sammy!

Zoo Friends Birthdays!

I love Birthdays!  Everyone has one.  For the Zoo friends, sometimes its their actual day of birth, sometimes its their arrival date and the facility they first came to from either the wild or as a rescue.  As I became endeared to the San Francisco Zoo Animals, I wanted to celebrate them, by celebrating their Birthday!  Again whether the actual day or the estimated day, every Animal has one and if they don't they should (bad record keeping) and that date or any date, at least once a year should become their special day!  

The Zoo has no interest in honoring these awesome beings on their Birthday, but I was lucky enough to befriend the Big Cat Keeper who cared enough to share my interest.  Because of her, I was lucky enough to do something special for the Cats and Bears birthdays during 2010.  Now I just go and wear something festive and sing them Happy Birthday :)   

Here are some dates that might be of your special Zoo Friend's special day!  ... If not or any other info needed, please contact me, I am always available to provide what I know about the Zoo Animals. 

OH almost forgot.  While compiling this list, I had to laugh, as I noticed one of the Zoo's famous blunders.  They have Lulu the Mandrill's date listed in July of 2008, and her mothers passing date as January 2008.  Amazing!

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

6/2002- Hercules/Great Hornbill

7/2003- Jahari/African Lion

7/1993- Margie/Llama

20/1991- Pelican

March

1/2002- Trent/Otter

16/1980- Boomer/Emu

18/1989- Cleo/Mandrill

25/2001- Wakoda/Navajo Churro Sheep

April

4/2008- Nataani/Navajo Churro Sheep

9/1992- Bosco/Black Howler

13/2002- Kristin/Giraffe

16/1994- Rigel/Snow Leopard

24/1959- Tallulah/Chimpanzee

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

19/2003- Lupe/Black Howler

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

12/1994- Goober/Bairds Tapir

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

29/1989- Diamond/Black Howler

30/2001- Snickers & Milky Way/Nigerian Dwarf Goats
30/2003- Wasabi/Rooster

November

25/1982- Pike/Polar Bear

December

19/1980- Ulu/Polar Bear

Tuesday April 24, 2012 - Happy Birthday Chimp Girls!

According to the Zoo's own Animal List, the Chimp Girls Birthdays are all listed as today April 24th!  Some of the Animals birthdates are estimated like this one, because they came from the wild.  The dates are often based on when they arrived at the Zoo and the year give or take a couple in regard to estimated ages.  ... Of course there was no Zoo celebration :(  for these wonderful girls, all of whom have lived at the Zoo for over forty years!   but, I was there wearing my fancy pin and singing Happy Birthday to them :)  XO!

 Happy Birthday Tallulah (57)!

 Happy Birthday Minnie (49)!

Happy Birthday Maggie (49)!

 I feel horrible for Elly.  Since the passing of her companion Gene, she has shown her grief visibly as I often see her with her head down on the ground and almost every visit I see her like this, looking to his area probably hoping to see him.  From my perspective the humane thing to do would be to run a bamboo fencing along his area so she doesn't just stare there, but instead they have now hung her browse there, forcing her to stand there and stare into his area.  UG <head shake>  I didn't see her even eat the browse, she just stared thru it.  top photo time stamped at 12:23p, bottom at 1:04p

Howler Monkey juveniles playing in a burlap sack:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUrHXKmDIW0

Sunday March 25, 2012 - Happy Birthday Wakoda!

Today was my barnyard boyfriend Wakoda's 11th Birthday!  

I went to the Zoo today just for Wakoda's Birthday :)  I love this guy!  It was supposed to rain, but regardless I would have been there to wish my sweet friend a Happy Birthday!  Lee and I sang Happy Birthday to him :)  I gave him tons of hugs and some treats!   Then, lucky for all, me being there (with my party hat on!) reminded his keeper Tracy (thank you!) that it was his bday and she had the volunteers make Wakoda a cake :) and we all sang Happy Birthday to him!  Wakoda loved his cake and his hugs :)  Glad I could be there to help celebrate and make your day special my sweet friend!  XO!

Check out his Birthday video  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agabAoO87Ec

Happy Birthday Wakoda!  

Cutest Sheep Ever!

 yum, all done!

Tuesday February 7, 2012 - Happy Birthday Jahari!

Its been a tough couple weeks of Zoo-ing, but I couldn't let down my friend Jahari :)  Went out to wish him a Happy Birthday!  He turned 9 today!  He was born at the Zoo along with his sister Kimani (happy bday!) to the beautiful Kita and gorgeous Tunya.  

 Birthday Boy Jahari!

Orkney not fully committing to his new beach ;)

Orkney after saying Hi :)

(photo coming soon)

Kachina working on getting some Bear chow out of an Enrichment item

see the video here 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_f0UxZYvcA

 Henry trying to catch a wave!

 Silent Knight body surfing into the stream!

The Seal Lion Pool was filling up and there was just too much fun going on with these two!  I loved it!  They were slippin' and slidin', waddlin about, scootin' in the water stream so it pushed them along, so much fun!

See two video clips from the Sea Lion surfing adventure here

http://www.youtube.com/user/leo811sf

Wednesday January 4, 2011 - Happy Birthday Amanzi!

Having my Membership back ( Yes, I do!  More on that win soon!  Stay tuned to the blog san francisco zoo crime) means that as time permits I have the luxury of visiting my Zoo friends more often.  It not only makes me happy to see their faces, but it is a great place to be able to stop at to get in a good walk.  Walking is important to me, because I'm not a fan of other types of exercise.   The Zoo and the Park are pretty much it.

Mid week visits are good for my soul.  There are less people, which equals less chance of witnessing misbehavior, which really upsets me.   Right now, my time is flexible, so I'm often able to swing by and wish my friends a Happy Birthday! on their actual special day :)

Today's visit was just that kind of visit.  Amanzi turned 15 today!  I have been lucky to have been a Zoo visitor when she and Tunya came to the Zoo in 1997 as cubs.   I remember their arrival along with Kita very vividly.  She is pretty activity orientated, which I guess is a blanket statement for most Lions.  Unless there's something going on they are nappin'!   If they don't think there's the possibility of food or toys, you might not get to see their faces.  Thankfully, I got some great face time with the pretty Birthday girl!  

Right place, Right time as the Keeper was just about to shift them from grotto B to grotto A.  In case you don't know, the Big Cats are rotated between grotto's for Environmental Enrichment.   

Amanzi and her mate Jahari came into the yard more cautiously than I've seen.   He let her take the lead, she stood solid, almost posing for sometime, long enough for me to sing her a little Happy Birthday :)  He slinked about the edges sniffing for messages.   They both spent much time investigating, which lent to getting some great captures!

I didn't see what she was looking at,

but I love when the light lends to 

really highlighting how beautiful their eyes are.

On the heated rock and saying hello to the people's,

hoping no one bangs on the window to her home.

Happy Birthday Amanzi!

I actually wore my topper the following Saturday

to be festive with my friend.

Jahari, the California tree hugger!

I love this capture!

(Jahari picking up a message left by Leanne)

I got a whole series of these,

I call them the Feline Vamp!  

He's very silly lol!

Female Patas Monkey

Shastyuh is the only Big Cat who really loves 

and makes use of the grotto pools!

I love that she has this option so it distracts her from pacing,

which she often still does along the edges.

I also captured a cute video clip of Gauhati the Indian Rhino getting hand fed some nom nom's!  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVj9_IgrJJs&feature=related

Monday January 2, 2012 - Happy Birthday Grizzly Girls!

Today we visit in honor of the Grizzly Girls Birthday!  The sisters turned 9 years old yesterday!  They stayed put the whole visit, lounging in front of their waterfall, while we sang them alittle greeting :)

Happy Birthday Kiona and Kachina!

Happy Birthday to you!

They were very impressed lol!

My fascinating topper for the event!

Captured a unique pose by Sureshot

Walter (Maguari Stork) being bashful

or plotting his next move ;)

Shastyuh relaxing by the pool!  

So good to see her at ease.

Tallulah in her finest

Minnie and Cobby after an intense conversation

This interaction was interesting.  Cobby and Minnie have been hanging out alot together lately, but on this day they both went up to the level above where Tallulah was and after a bit Tallulah started vocalizing at them from below, then moving to the upper level as well and watching them from the opposite corner.  See the video of what happened next!    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77KFdmd_nD0

Saturday December 31, 2011 - Happy Birthday Elly!

 Today's Zoo visit was in honor of Elly's 41st Birthday!

Starting with the January Birthdays, I've decided my primary fascinating days will be in honor of the precious Zoo friends Birthdays.  The San Francisco Zoo Management finds no value in celebrating the Animals who live there, but I love them and think they deserve the respect of acknowledging what they give to the Zoo.  They are all amazing and deserve to be recognized for that.

For example, last year 2011, Elly turned 40!  That is a huge milestone for a Black Rhino.  She has given birth to I believe 14 calf's, carrying them each 15 months.  That means she has been pregnant more than 16 years of her life.  Incredible!  Her calf's have gone on to be valuable genetically for her species not only in other Zoo's but some have been released back into the wild.  To me, she deserved to have at least her milestone recognized.  Thank you Elly!

 Elly Belle, as I call her, was prancing about enjoying the sun!

Her actual Birthday is January 1st, 

but since there is another Zoo friend Birthday that same day,

we made the scene with our greeting the day before :)

The greeting usually comes with a festive topper in honor of :)

Happy Birthday Elly!  

Wishbone had a lean on the flip side of his tub,

looking like he was waiting for his drink order!

                               That never came, so he decided to sample what was in front of him.

Goober was out enjoying the sun!   

Checking out his garden :)

One of the last days to see the Reindeer ;(

I think she wants to stay :)

Trent the River Otter was having a fun time playing with his acacia branches.
you can view the video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uneC48QwOpQ

Sea Lion Henry having a good ol' time playing and swimming :)
you can view the video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHfpj9fqiSA