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It’s the giant pandas’ and Panda Care Team’s favorite time of year: bamboo shoot season! Bamboo shoots are popping up on Zoo grounds, as well as at some of the sites where our Bamboo Team is harvesting. Bamboo shoots look a lot like asparagus coming out of the ground, and they only show up for … Continue reading "Panda Updates – Wednesday, April 29"

Armadillo is a Spanish word meaning “little armored one,” referring to the bony plates that cover much of an armadillo’s body. These bony plates are made of keratin – the same protein that makes up our hair and nails. Of the 20 species of armadillo, this is the only one that can roll up completely in a ball. Since this species is more likely to curl up in a ball rather than run from potential danger, they are easy targets for hunters.

There are more species in the skink family than in any other lizard family. They generally have reduced limbs and smooth, overlapping scales with a bony plate in the skin underneath each scale. Prehensile-tailed skinks are the longest members of the skink family and are endemic to the Solomon Islands. These islands northeast of Australia are the only place in the world where prehensile-tailed skinks are native.

There are 25 species of tenrec which are mostly found on Madagascar, but some are native to mainland Africa. The name lesser hedgehog tenrec is misleading, as tenrecs are not related to hedgehogs. Their closest relatives are moles and shrews. However, like hedgehogs, tenrecs have spines covering much of their bodies. Although the underlying muscular structure is less specialized than a hedgehog’s, tenrecs have well-developed muscles under the skin that allow them to raise and lower their spines.

COVID-19 has forced all of us to make many lifestyle changes. It has even affected the way we at the Zoo work with many of the animals, including the western lowland gorillas. Since gorillas are so closely related to us, they are able to contract many of the diseases we get, including seasonal flu. This … Continue reading "Behind the scenes with the gorillas"

Corn snakes, also known as red rat snakes, are a slender species of snake known for their orange coloration. This native Georgia species lives in many different habitats, ranging from forests to inside barns and attics. Corn snakes were once in trouble due to collection from the wild for the pet trade, but breeding programs have mitigated this threat.

At the Zoo, we talk a lot about how we use positive reinforcement training to enable the animals to participate in their own care. But did you realize, we train the keepers, too? When someone starts at Zoo Atlanta, they don’t just jump into training animals. We have a process for training animal care professionals … Continue reading "Training the human animal"

Spring has sprung and although we humans are trying to practice social distancing and staying away from each other, let’s just say that Georgia’s native birds haven’t quite gotten the memo. That’s right; it’s baby bird season! The Zoo may not be open right now, but you can still see some baby birds around your … Continue reading "Love in the time of COVID"

With all the extra time at home everyone has now, many people may be considering getting a new pet. But, just because your quarantined lifestyle may make sense for a pet, you really need to consider whether your post-social distancing life and schedule truly fits with the animal you may be welcoming into your home. … Continue reading "The Importance of Pet Adoption"

Enjoy a virtual tour of some of your favorite areas around the Zoo!