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Sloths are arboreal animals and are slow and deliberate rather than swift and agile. Specialized, enlarged claws enable them to hang upside down below the branches they traverse. Sloths derive their entire diet of leaves and some fruits in the trees, and they do almost everything upside down.

The word “orangutan” comes from “Orang Hutan,” meaning “Person of the Forest.” They are unique among the great apes in that they do not live in social groups. Adults typically forage on their own, but mothers care for their offspring for years. Orangutans have complex cognitive and spatial skills, meaning that they have good memories and are outstanding problem-solvers. Orangutans are highly endangered as a result of habitat loss and black market trade for infants as pets. There are three species of orangutans: Bornean, Sumatran, Tapanuli (recently discovered, Tapanuliensis). Morphologically, the Tapanuli species has differing skull and teeth structure. ...

The diamondback terrapin is unique among all turtles, except sea turtles, in that it lives in coastal brackish waters (mixture of fresh and salt water). Their large beak and jaw muscles help them crush hard-bodied prey such as clams or shrimp. Diamondback terrapins were once overharvested for human consumption; today, they are largely at risk because of automobile collisions on roads, boat strikes in the water, and unattended crab traps. Conservation programs have allowed their populations to recover.

This month I have been getting cross-trained at the World of Wild (WOW) Theater presented by Georgia Natural Gas. My primary job is at Wieland Wildlife Home, where I work with all sorts of species from reptiles, to mammals, to invertebrates, but recently it has been all about the birds. One bird I have been … Continue reading "Friday, November 25"

Reader, have you heard the news? It’s the most wonderful time of the year! With Thanksgiving just days away and a smattering of winter holidays following soon, I’m led to believe the songs are true. We’ve been kicking off the celebrations a little early with some extra enrichment time in the orangutan building. So while … Continue reading "Tuesday, November 22"

Scientists have long wondered about the true nature of great ape cognition, and a groundbreaking project at Zoo Atlanta provides researchers and guests with an ongoing opportunity to observe the skills of some of the animal kingdom’s most complex problem solvers. Opened in 2007 through partnership with the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience (CBN) and IBM, … Continue reading "Orangutan Learning Tree"

ATLANTA – November 21, 2016 – The 11-week-old giant panda twins born to Lun Lun on September 3 will soon reach one of their most important milestones yet – getting their names. The twins will be named on their 100th day of life on December 12, 2016, and fans around the world are invited to … Continue reading "Time To Name The Giant Panda Twins!"

What does that “Animal off Exhibit” sign really mean? Most guests visiting the Zoo may find disappointment in an empty animal habitat, but many individuals are probably curious as to what that vacancy really means. Here are a couple reasons as to why one might see a sign apologizing for an empty habitat while touring … Continue reading "Thursday, November 17"

It’s that time of year again! Time for our annual Flamingo Roundup. Every year after breeding season, all the birds are due for their annual checkups. I will spend a majority of this week preparing for it. Behind the scenes, in the habitat’s corral, I set up large metal barriers to make four runs so … Continue reading "Tuesday, November 15"

Zoo Atlanta’s elephants have become acclimated to the Georgia weather. Their bodies naturally adjust to the change in seasons. As discussed in previous elephant blogs, it can be difficult for elephants to release heat. While this makes cooling opportunities like bathing and wallowing critical to their well-being in the warmer months, this characteristic is quite … Continue reading "Thursday, November 10"