Erie Zoo Keeper’s Corner - Spring 2012
I switched this post to the Keeper's Corner because I accidentally posted the Samantha article twice. Sorry for any confusion. I could not figure out how to change the thread's name.
Here is the link to the Samantha article thread:
The gorilla and the rabbit: a tale of friendship at the Erie Zoo
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Erie Zoo Keeper’s Corner - Spring 2012
Erie Zoo
I switched this post to the Keeper's Corner because I accidentally posted the Samantha article twice. Sorry for any confusion. I could not figure out how to change the thread's name.
Here is the link to the Samantha article thread:
The gorilla and the rabbit: a tale of friendship at the Erie Zoo
__________________________________________________________
Erie Zoo Keeper’s Corner - Spring 2012
- There will be some new faces at the zoo when it re-opens this year. Libby and Laurel will greet visitors – if they are awake that is! We are holding two female black bears for the Akron Zoo this year while they construct a new exhibit. The bears arrived in early December, and have been spending most of their time in hibernation. Food and water has been provided to them on a daily basis, but they only wake up to eat and drink small amounts every few days. They were born at the Niabi Zoo in Illinois two years ago. You can tell them apart by looking for the white markings that Laurel has on her neck. Compared to polar bears, these two are quite small – weighing in at 230 and 270 pounds. They will remain at the zoo until late fall.
- Another new animal to be exhibited this year will be prehensile-tailed porcupines. They were received from the Miami Zoo last fall, and will be on exhibit in the former Pallas cat exhibit once the weather warms up. The Pallas cat will be moving to the former red-ruffed lemur exhibit on the north side of the main zoo building. Prehensile-tailed porcupines are native to South America, and are very interesting animals with their unique tail. This pair produced one offspring last year who will be moving to another zoo this spring, and the pair is recommended to breed again this year.
- The group of Geoffrey tamarins grew by one animal last fall with the addition of a female from the Cleveland Zoo. She was integrated into the group of 3 males without a problem, and we are hoping she will breed this year.
- There is some sad news to report concerning our red pandas. In November, the male “Samuel” passed away from a perforated intestine. The necropsy did not reveal the cause of the perforation. The SSP attempted to find another male to pair with the female “Syringa” before the breeding season started in January, but there were none available. We requested to keep the cub “Scarlett” until fall instead of moving her to another zoo this spring so that Syringa would not be alone. This recommendation was approved.
- The otter family has returned to its original number again, with the last cub being sent to the Henson Robison Zoo in Illinois in November. We also saw the return of “Birdie”, the female that had been sent to the Akron Zoo temporarily when the otter exhibit was overflowing with 7 otters! Birdie moved right back in and is doing well. We hope that our pair “Mimi” and “Scooter“ will breed and produce pups again this year.
- An Erie Zoo icon has passed away. Kumar, the white Bengal tiger, was euthanized in January after battling medical problems related to his old age. At 20 ½ years old, Kumar was one of the oldest tigers in the U.S. He came to Erie in 1994 from Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and was a favorite of keepers and visitors alike. Kumar will be greatly missed.
- There has been at least one confirmed sighting of a wallaby joey in the pouch so far this year. Of the three joeys produced last year, two moved to the Cleveland Zoo, and one remained here in the group. We expect at least one more joey from the group, but it is still early in the season. Right now, all we can see is movement in the pouch. With no hair, the joeys won’t be peeking out of the pouch until the weather warms up!
- There are new additions to the rock hyrax family! Three babies were born on January 14 and are already bouncing around on the large rocks in their exhibit. Baby hyrax are very well developed when they are born and start eating solid food when they are just a few days old.
Erie Zoo
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