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Have you ever eaten something so delicious that you had to lick any remnants from your fingers? Well, giant pandas do that too! Anytime the pandas eat one of their favorite treats like sugarcane or a very juicy piece of fruit, they spend a few minutes licking their paws, arms, chest, and any other places … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Friday, July 13"

My time as an intern at Zoo Atlanta has been an amazing experience. One of my favorite things that I have learned about is enrichment. Enrichment can be defined as anything that promotes an animal’s natural behaviors. It is mentally and physically stimulating for the animal, and aims to use all or any of the … Continue reading "Building enrichment for ambassador animals"

With the summer in full swing, the giant pandas’ behaviors are starting to change. Generally during the summer they tend to eat less and sleep a bit more, and that is exactly what they are starting to do. Their hour-long naps begin to turn into hour and a half or even two-hour-long naps. We are … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Wednesday, July 11"

We really aren’t joking when we say Ya Lun and Xi Lun are becoming quite the bamboo-eating machines! Much like their parents do, they spend the majority of their time these days munching away, taking breaks to nap, play, or interact with their care team for training sessions. One day last week before lunch, we … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Monday, July 9"

Thursday, July 5 Hello, my name is Char, and I am a Keeper II with the Herpetology Department. Let me introduce you to an interesting little frog we have behind the scenes at Slimy Scaly Spectacular – the Mona Island coqui (Eleutherodactylus monensis). These little guys are native to Mona Island, Puerto Rico – as … Continue reading "Tiny wonders"

Tuesday, July 3 Making sure the animals here at Zoo Atlanta stay cool and hydrated is a major part of an animal care professional’s job in the summer months. We ensure they are healthy and safe, especially with the heat we have been experiencing in Atlanta, Ga. Animal care teams across the Zoo are always … Continue reading "Keeping cool with summer fun"

Why are we talking about plastic? The creation and use of plastic negatively affects wildlife and their habitats, as well as our health and homes. Plastic is a durable material made to last forever, yet 33 percent of it is used just one time and then discarded. Unfortunately, plastic cannot biodegrade and only breaks down … Continue reading "Saving animals by saying no to straws"

Hello from PandaLand! It’s been awhile since I have worked more than a day here and there on giant panda routine, and this week I have the honor of spending my entire week with our black, white, and red bamboo-eaters! All of the pandas have been a bit finicky about eating the bamboo we have … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Wednesday, June 27"

I was quoted recently in an interview as saying, “I never realized I could have so much influence [in conservation] by putting on a suit and tie and simply talking.” The fact that my knee disability prevents me from doing real fieldwork anymore is only a subtext of the bigger story. You all certainly have … Continue reading "An ounce of prevention: second chance?"

From kori bustards on the east side of the Zoo to blue cranes on the west side, eggs/incubation on the north side to the Bird Propagation Center on the south side – Birds is one of the most spread-out animal departments in the whole Zoo. According to my phone, I average 15,000 steps per day … Continue reading "‘Tis the season"