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Zoo Atlanta welcomes a new ambassador for one of Earth’s rarest big cat species: Sparky, a 13-year-old male Sumatran tiger, arrived in Atlanta in early March and has begun exploring his new home in the Zoo’s Complex Carnivores habitat. He has been recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Tiger Species Survival Plan® … Continue reading "Zoo Atlanta welcomes Sparky the tiger"

Many people often wonder how giant pandas are able to survive in dense bamboo forests while also being black-and-white. After all, it doesn’t necessarily make sense for a black-and-white animal to be adequately camouflaged in a green and brown forest …right? Giant pandas are actually very good at blending into their surroundings! Their coat coloration … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Wednesday, March 28"

Unknown to most of our visitors, Zoo Atlanta has an active primate behavior and cognition research program, with scientists studying both wild apes and apes in zoological settings. As home to 20 gorillas and 11 orangutans, our zoo is able to look in depth at topics varying from memory and learning to zoological care to … Continue reading "Studying gorillas in the Zoo and the wild"

Spring is here! Or is it? My allergies say yes, but the heat in my house is saying otherwise. Either way, it will get warm and sunny very soon, and what better way to spend your Spring Break or weekend than visiting the Zoo to see the animals enjoying this spring weather and all of … Continue reading "Carnivores are ready for spring!"

Those of you who have been following Zoo Atlanta’s giant pandas for a while may remember that our first set of twins, Mei Lun and Mei Huan, enjoyed sharing bamboo. No matter how much bamboo they had, they always sat next to each other and ate the same piece together. Ya Lun and Xi Lun … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Friday, March 23"

My name is Catie, and I am the newest member of the Elephant Team here at Zoo Atlanta. One of the most common questions I am asked about the elephants at Zoo Atlanta is, “How long does it take for them to trust you?” One of my main focuses is building a positive relationship with … Continue reading "The amazing abilities of an elephant’s brain"

Hello, Luke from the Bird Department here again! Today I will be talking about the best bird in our department – Cecil the double-wattled cassowary! Cecil is the oldest resident of the Bird Department, and easily a favorite. His hatchday is August 24, 1979, which means he will be 39 years old this summer – … Continue reading "Cassowaries are the coolest"

The cubs have been fully weaned from Lun Lun for four days now. As mentioned in previous posts, things are going smoothly and according to plan for the pandas and their care team. Lun Lun seems to appreciate the time to do what she likes without having to worry about being available for the cubs, … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Friday, March 9"

The weaning process for Ya Lun and Xi Lun is now complete, and the girls are now living independently from Lun Lun. As you know from following our updates, this process started more than two weeks ago, with a gradual increase of time Lun Lun and the twins spent apart during the day and/or overnight. … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Wednesday, March 7"

We have a guest blogger for this posting! Our intrepid Primate Cognition Intern, Liam Kelly, has prepared a summary focusing on bachelor groups of gorillas. Fascinating stuff, taking place right here at Zoo Atlanta. See below, and enjoy! – Joe Mendelson, PhD, Director of Research Some of the most impressive individuals here at Zoo Atlanta … Continue reading "Pioneering research in gorilla behavior"