Search Results for: kn

A long time ago, I was leading a group of college students on a field trip to the Mojave Desert in California. We were walking in a sort of single file line down a steep little ravine, with me in front. Suddenly a black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) burst from beneath a bush and darted in front of us. We all saw it. I said … Continue reading "What color is it?"

Hello all you Zoo-goers! We have been more than happy to see everyone back on grounds. As you may or may not know, the Ambassador Animals Team welcomed in a new species late last year. Lilo the Patagonian mara has been with us since November. A few months ago we actually introduced her to her … Continue reading "Mixed-species care for Lionel and Lilo"

Hello everyone! As we inch our way into fall (my favorite time of year), we all look forward to the changing colors of nature. Those vivid reds, oranges, yellows, and varying shades of brown just grab the eye after several months of green. For this week’s Keeper Stories, I thought I would discuss a little … Continue reading "Fall color …"

This morning when I came in to work, all of the giant pandas were asleep except for Lun Lun. As you have probably read in recent updates, Lun Lun’s pseudopregnancy means that she has been choosing to spend a lot of time behind the scenes resting. She woke up right as I came in, so … Continue reading "Panda updates – Wednesday, September 9"

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"

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"

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 Lun Lun is 22 (turning 23 tomorrow!) and is no longer breeding, female giant pandas can still undergo something known as a pseudopregnancy (or “false pregnancy”). During this time, Lun Lun is experiencing hormonal changes, but she has also been showing a few behavioral signs that indicate to us that she has entered pseudopregnancy. … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Monday, August 24"

Forty-one never looked so good! No, I am not talking about myself. Believe it or not, I am not that old … yet. Let me be the first to wish our male double-wattled cassowary, Cecil, a happy hatchday. Cecil burst into this world on August 24, 1979, at the Denver Zoo. Cecil also spent some … Continue reading "Happy Hatchday, Cecil!"