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When Lun Lun is experiencing a pseudopregnancy (as a reminder, a pseudopregnancy is not an actual pregnancy but is a condition that closely mimics pregnancy), she chooses to stay in her behind-the-scenes dens. We often give her the choice to go out into the dayrooms or habitats, but she ignores the open doors. The last … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Friday, September 4"

If you’ve visited the Zoo in the past few months, you may have noticed one of the Zoo’s newest members, Mumbles the southern white rhino! Mumbles arrived in Atlanta back in May. The Hoofstock Team has really enjoyed this new addition to the department. One of my favorite parts about being an animal care professional … Continue reading "Getting to know Mumbles"

Giant pandas are cute; we know that for a fact. However, after establishing the high level of cuteness present, the giant panda’s black-and-white coat is often the first thing we notice about them. And yet we still don’t know for sure why they have their distinctive coloration! A 2017 paper published in the journal Behavioral … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Wednesday, September 2"

Hi everyone, it’s Sarafee with another edition of Zoo Atlanta’s Keeper Stories! I’m a Senior Keeper on the Gorilla Care Team at Zoo Atlanta, and we are going to talk today about some interesting things we have been doing in our gorilla training program. Now here at Zoo Atlanta, we utilize positive reinforcement training with … Continue reading "Distance training in the time of COVID"

Birthday season is in full swing here in PandaLand! We celebrated Lun Lun’s 23rd birthday last week with some fun enrichment. This Thursday, September 3, we have special surprises for the twins’ 4th birthday, and next week on September 9, we’ll be honoring Yang Yang as he turns 23. All these birthdays mean a lot … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Monday, August 31"

Mumbles is the first southern white rhinoceros ever to live at Zoo Atlanta. He moved here in May of 2020 thanks to a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) White Rhino Species Survival Plan® (SSP). His care team describes Mumbles as laid back and friendly. He will seek attention from the people … Continue reading "Mumbles"

Cranes are a family of birds comprising 15 species that live across five continents (North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia). Wattled cranes are named for the flaps of skin, or “wattles,” that dangle from their chins. These wattles indicate a crane’s mood, shrinking when they are nervous and elongating when they are excited.

During the summer, the giant pandas spend time in our climate-controlled dayrooms and behind-the-scenes den spaces, but recently we had some cooler mornings, which meant that the Panda Care Team was able to give the pandas access to the outdoor habitats. Having the option to use the outdoor habitats was nice because it meant we could … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Friday, August 28"

Responsible pet ownership is an issue that is very close to my heart for three main reasons. The first is that I am the Associate Curator of Ambassador Animals at Zoo Atlanta, and unlike the other zoological curators here, many of the animals that I oversee can be purchased as pets in your local pet … Continue reading "Responsible pet ownership"

Although a lot of my day as a member of the Bird Care Team is spent caring for the animals here at the Zoo, I also devote as much time as I can to working on conservation initiatives to help the birds in my care as well as their wild counterparts. A lot of conservation … Continue reading "Saving our scavengers"