Escape from the ABCs

Fascinating photos. I have a fondness for jellies. I find them them to be among the most interesting inhabitants of Toronto's Australasia exhibit. Everyone awwwws over the kangaroos (which I find adorable) but to me, it's these guys which are among my biggest draws.
 
Maguari said:
there was one oddball species in particular I got rather over-excited about (as robmv will attest)
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Indeed. One of several occasions during the trip when our ciconian friend got rather excited about an invertebrate (I'm afraid it was rather lost on me: I like my animals to have a backbone).
 
robmv said:
Indeed. One of several occasions during the trip when our ciconian friend got rather excited about an invertebrate (I'm afraid it was rather lost on me: I like my animals to have a backbone).
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Pah, you enjoyed the Tank of Ninety Cuttlefish well enough! :D


(photos of that wonderful sight to follow in due course!)
 
Probably not the place for it, but i do hope we can get some flavour and experiences from your Iberian trip in some sort of review pics?
 
kiang said:
Probably not the place for it, but i do hope we can get some flavour and experiences from your Iberian trip in some sort of review pics?
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Give me a chance! :D

First batch of Lisbon photos on its way. ;)
 
Maguari said:
Give me a chance! :D

First batch of Lisbon photos on its way. ;)
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Sorry if i came on a little heavy:o

But it sounds like quite a trip, with some collections, not too familiar with some of us.

Looking forward to your posts.
 
kiang said:
Sorry if i came on a little heavy:o

But it sounds like quite a trip, with some collections, not too familiar with some of us.

Looking forward to your posts.
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As you'll have seen, we're underway - Lisbon Zoo and Oceanarium pictures are up now. :D



Back on topic - here's a video I took (on a normal camera video mode, so set expectations accordingly!) of one of the ctenophores at Oceanografic - should give an idea of the bioluminescent effect: A short video of #weirdanimaloftheday Mnemiopsis leidyi - sho... on Twitpic
 
 
Very interesting thread Maguari!:) I enjoyed reading through it.

I forgot who mentioned this in the thread, I believe it was talked over in the first couple of pages about the Omani blind cavefish. From what I read the fish only breeds when there is a big lighting storm. This is not the first time I have herd of an animal only breeding when there is thunder or lighting storm going on. Many private breeders that keep Homopholis fasciata have only bred them when a storm hit their area. Basically breeding the fasciata is really hard since you can't plan on having storms throughout the year, they come sporadically. The Homopholis fasciata comes from the tanzania where there may be a precise breeding season of heaving rainfall and lighting.

Hopefully the owners of the cave fish and gecko can work out a way to breed them without a bad storm. It could be heavy rainfall that spurs on breeding but I almost think it has to do mainly with the lighting/pressure after the storm.

Homopholis fasciata alias African banded velvet gecko :: Hippocampus Bildarchiv
 
I always go to the Children's Zoo (in whatever zoo I'm visiting) since this is usually where a zoo will stick it's oddball species - armadillos, bats, insects. The good stuff!
 
not realy an escape from the abc's but seeing a canadian lynx at trotter's world of animals was brilliant as they're such a rare species in europe and especially in the uk.It's just a shame that they moved to pac de felins.
 
Well, as I find this thread to be one of the most fascinating/important threads on zoochat, I think we should revive this old thing. To start off lets make an animal alphabet. Of rarities:D

A-Addax
B-Bilby
C-Cross river gorilla
D-Desert Finch
E-Eleven-banded armadillo
F-Frigatebird
G-Gharial
H-Helmeted Curassow
I-Indri
J-Jack Pine Aphid
K-Kihansi Spray Toad
L-Leaf-tailed Gecko
M-Margay
N-Numbat
O-Ocellated Turkey
P-Pink fairy armadillo
Q-Quokka
R-Raccoon dog
S-Saola
T-Tuatara
U-Umbrella bird
V-Verreaux's sifaka
W-White-browed owl
X-X-ray tetra
Y-Yellow mongoose
Z-Zorilla
Hope you enjoyed!
 
those are all nice species, but I think you may have missed the point of the thread somewhat....
 
No I understand the point of this thread(To list odd and cool species they have seen), but I just wanted a different way to start up.
Sorry 'bout that:o
Guess I might as well go.
Recently, I went to the Beardsley zoo. I didn't think that there would be much oddities there so imagine the shock when I saw for the first time in Eastern hellbender! And to think, I nearly missed the building in which they were kept in. Although I have no pictures (darn tank!) it was really cool to be finally seeing a species that I have waited a long time to see.
How's that?
 
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A few months back I was visiting my parents. It was soon after my birthday and my older sister offered to get me a season pass to Moody Gardens. (the gift that keeps on giving, so I'll have something to do whenever I visit, ha ha) I had only been there once because it's a little expensive, so I was pretty excited to go.

Main thing I was looking forward to was the giant otters. I know they're becoming more common in zoos, but I still hadn't had the chance to see them yet. I finally got to see them, and they were so cool! MG also had a seahorse exhibit with lots of cool species, including my favorite, the leafy seadragon! Also got to see pinnipeds and penguins. I know those aren't particularly unusual animals, but Texas only has one other sizable aquarium so there's not as much opportunity to view a variety of marine species. Texas sure could use another medium/large aquarium.

The rainforest pyramid had a loooot of cool animals too. Slow loris was a favorite of mine. I also appreciated getting to see fruit bats up close in the walk-through area of the pyramid. Not a lot of zoos have good bat viewing.

Unfortunately, I didn't really have a lot of time to stop and look at the exhibits or take pictures. My older sister was in a hurry to try the zipline and go to the pool. Whatever, she got me a season pass so I can spend lots of time there later, ha ha. I'll probably go back for Thanksgiving break, MG will probably be crowded, but, eh. They're gonna have a jellyfish exhibit. :)
 
I was very excited to stumble across the layson albatross presentation at Monterey Bay Aquarium this past July. I believe it's the only one in captivity and it was beautiful. However, my family keeps referring to it as ' that overgrown seagull you went nuts for ' every time I mention the trip.
 
Memo said:
I was very excited to stumble across the layson albatross presentation at Monterey Bay Aquarium this past July. I believe it's the only one in captivity and it was beautiful. However, my family keeps referring to it as ' that overgrown seagull you went nuts for ' every time I mention the trip.
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Some people don't understand. My dad said all dolphins look the same to him. I called him a dolphin racist.
 
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