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Did you know that producing 2.2 pounds of beef takes enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for 20 days? Or that it takes 660 gallons of water to produce one hamburger? (Sources: Sustainable Table and Seafood Watch). Due to the fact that beef production requires so much land, food and water and emits a … Continue reading "Meatless Mondays"

Well, it certainly is one of the most frequent questions we get from guests at the Zoo: “Excuse me, but why do flamingos sometimes stand on just one leg?” This is very reasonable question and, for our entire careers, Zoo staff have always had to admit that we just do not know—regardless of all the … Continue reading "One Leg Up"

Many people ask us if Yang Yang ever interacts with the cubs. Yang Yang never shares a direct space with the cubs, but he often hears, smells, or sees them in adjacent dens as he passes by. This is completely normal and natural behavior. In the wild, adult male pandas do not participate in the … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Wednesday, June 14"

It is almost summertime! Which means school is out, the weather is getting much warmer, and all those baby birds that hatched in the spring are almost full-grown and ready to leave the nest! As bird keepers work hard to give all of our baby birds what they need to leave their nests, we can’t … Continue reading "Nests All Over the Zoo"

New enrichment! Or at least new to the cubs. We recently hung the “tire swing” in Dayroom Two for the cubs to play with. This is a picture of their first interaction with it. In typical fashion, Ya Lun immediately tried to climb on it, while her sister Xi Lun was a little more hesitant … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Monday, June 12"

As Shauna mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we are working on teaching the cubs to get onto the adult panda scale for weights. This behavior also requires the cubs to move from one den to another (we call this behavior shifting). Right now the cubs are most motivated by their supplemental formula. They are … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Friday, June 9"

The African elephants at Zoo Atlanta enjoy spending time in the sun. Visiting the Mzima Springs elephant habitat in the summer usually means seeing elephants splashing in the mud, hanging out by their pool, or enjoying baths. The wrinkles on an elephant’s skin play a critical role in temperature regulation. When mud or water is … Continue reading "Amazingly Adapted"

Exciting things are happening in the world of giant pandas here at Zoo Atlanta. Well, exciting things for us anyway. We are currently making repairs to the outdoor habitats and getting them prepped for a makeover later this week. This makeover includes repairs to retaining walls, trimming of all the trees, and repairs to the … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Wednesday, June 7"

It’s summertime, y’all! Or as I like to call it, only slightly hotter than the rest of the year, because hey – we live in Georgia. As a born and bred Georgia girl, I like to think that I have a natural tolerance to the heat and humidity, but even the toughest southerner has to … Continue reading "Beating the heat with the primates"

Zoo Atlanta takes “Conservation in Action” seriously, with direct involvement in numerous wildlife conservation programs around the world. In fact, just by visiting Zoo Atlanta, you’re helping fund conservation projects for species in need. Zoo Atlanta’s Quarters for Conservation program donates 25 cents from every general admission ticket to conservation programs. The beneficiaries of the … Continue reading "Ways to Support Wildlife Conservation"