Search Results for:

My oh my … how much these cubs have grown! It has been about two weeks since I last worked in pandas. Now that the night shift is over, I don’t get to see these girls as much as I used to. It’s crazy how, in such a short amount of time, these girls have … Continue reading "Panda Update – Wednesday, February 8"

It’s been a quiet week in the elephant barn. Kelly and Tara are both doing well and seem to enjoy the mild winter. They still choose to spend most of their time outside even though they have access to a heated barn, and we thank them for their decision because it makes cleaning the barn … Continue reading "Keeper Stories – Tuesday, February 7"

Proceeds raised from her naming will benefit field conservation programs for wild gorillas The infant born to western lowland gorilla Kudzoo on September 18, 2016, has been named Mijadala. The moniker emerged as the winner in a public vote from Tuesday, January 31 through Monday, February 6, and raised more funds for gorilla conservation than … Continue reading "Meet Mijadala"

Whew! We had a big weekend in the panda building! On Saturday, Ya Lun decided to try her hand at some climbing. We’ve been watching the cubs try to climb the structure in the dayroom over the last couple of weeks, and I’m happy to share that she finally made her way up to the hammock … Continue reading "Panda Update – Monday, February 6"

Happy 5-month birthday to Ya Lun and Xi Lun! The time has really flown by for the whole Panda Care Team. The girls are now about the same weight, 7.550 kilograms (or 16.65 pounds). By now everyone knows that Ya Lun has a shaved patch in her saddle to aid in telling the cubs apart … Continue reading "Panda Update – Friday, February 3"

Over the past nine months, I have been working on kennel training our three 2-year-old American alligators in the Program Animals Department: Hercules, Odysseus and Perseus. Yes, it’s been a long process, but it has also been very educational and fulfilling. I have worked in the zoo field training animals for nearly seven years. It … Continue reading "Thursday, February 2"

Today’s panda update is a topic we do have to talk about occasionally: Panda Poo! For the first three months after giving birth, Lun Lun was fastidious about where she defecated and urinated and always did so away from the nest box and the cubs. This behavior is instinctual; in the wild, the smell of … Continue reading "Panda Update – Wednesday, February 1"

Wild orangutans have incredibly interesting diets. They have been observed eating a wide variety of foods including leaves, bark, flowers, termites, as well as soil for the essential minerals it can supply. But the main staple of their daily diet is fruit. Because of this, we classify orangutans as fruit eaters, or “frugivores.” Wild orangutans … Continue reading "Tuesday, January 31"

Vote to name Zoo Atlanta’s baby gorilla, and case a vote for a change for her species Naming will benefit gorilla conservation in Africa The newest member of North America’s largest population of gorillas needs a name, and members of the public are being asked to cast more than just a traditional vote to decide … Continue reading "Vote to name Zoo Atlanta’s baby gorilla"

Our after-hours night shift in the panda nursery has officially come to an end. This is a great milestone for the cubs and for us, as the cubs are doing well enough and Lun Lun is experienced enough that we felt it was the right time to move forward with this step. Lun Lun has … Continue reading "Panda Update – Mon. January 30"