Otters at the SD Zoo

Okapi at the SD Zoo #2

Okapi at the SD Zoo #1

Monkey at the SD Zoo #3

Monkey at the SD Zoo #2

Monkey at the SD Zoo #1

Hippo visit to the SD Zoo #6

Hippo visit at the SD Zoo #5

Hippo visit at the SD Zoo #4

Hippo visit at the SD Zoo #3

Hippo visit at the SD Zoo #2

Hippo visit at the SD Zoo #1

Scripps Aviary at the SD Zoo

Meerkats

Keeper Katie has her hands full with this meerkat at the San Diego Zoo. These fiesty little guys live in groups of 30 individuals called a gang or a mob. The keepers say some of them are easy to handle but others not so much. This one wanted down and let her know it. The children’s zoo has these guys behind a window down at eye level for the kids. They are amazing to watch.

Southern Warthog

The southern warthog may not appear to be as beautiful as some of the other animals at the San Diego Zoo. But the warthogs are remarkable for their strength, intelligence and ability to adapt and survive. Keeper Leslie looks after the warthogs with a wide range of duties that includes food prepartion, administer medications, observation, keeping records and cleaning their enclosure. The last picture below shows Leslie in the service shed behind the warthog exhibit. Take a couple of extra minutes on your next visit, say hello to Leslie if you see her and maybe you will fall in love with the warthog just like the zoo staff.

Turtle house opening

I captured the turtle coming out of the house for the morning. Several othes gathered to watch as well. The lower rails make it easier for the kids to see.

Banana tree and scum at the zoo

I’m walking along and glance up at this giant pod. Attached to the pod are bananas. Very cool.

Just a few steps away from the banana tree is this scum patch. It took awhile to get my mind around the idea of a mess like this being natural, normal and even necessary. But it sure looks ucky.

A look of joy on his face

He has just gotten to pet a miniture horse, how good is that?  I just love to see the look on kids faces when they are at the zoo.  So good!  It really doesn’t get much better.

Galápagos giant tortoise

The Galápagos giant tortoise is the largest living tortoise. This adult weighs about 600 lbs. We have 17 at the San Diego Zoo.

From the Zoo website: “In 1969 the San Diego Zoo became a partner with the Charles Darwin Research Station on the islands, funding a new tortoise-rearing facility and helping with captive propagation and release programs. The Zoo also has one of the largest captive colonies of Galápagos tortoises in the world and has had these giants in the collection since 1928. That’s the year when Dr. Charles Townsend of the New York Zoological Society began his efforts to save the tortoises from extinction by collecting them and setting up colonies in zoos.

The original tortoises sent to the San Diego Zoo—yes, they are still with us!—are well over 100 years old today, although we do not know how long a tortoise will continue to produce offspring. In addition, because Hood Island tortoises Geochelone nigra hoodensis are so rare (estimates were 12 females and 3 males in the 1970s), the San Diego Zoo’s male, number 21, was sent to the Charles Darwin Research Station in 1976 to be part of the breeding program there. So far he has fathered hundreds of tortoises!”

Spiny-tailed Monitor, boy looking for a girl

Many of my regular readers have been thinking “wonder when is he going to show us a Ridge-tailed or Spiny-tailed Monitor?”   Well, your wait is over. Here he is, varanus acanthurus acanthurus, the spiny-tailed monitor.

Again, we have only a male at the San Diego Zoo but Fresno and San Antonio have ONLY a female. I’m not kidding, check for yourself.  I’m thinking about getting an appointment with the reptile people and talk this over.  What do you think? 

The strangest thing I ever did see

Lichenose Gecko (Uroplatus fimbriatus Malagasy leaf-tailed gecko).   This guy is hanging on the wall looking to be asleep.  Scientists are looking into the adhesive quality of his feet and thinking about how to apply it to things like surgery.  Cool.

Sad but true, it says in the database that we have two males and no females at the San Diego Zoo. Both Dallas and Houston have a female but no male. I have an idea… let’s borrow the two females and make some baby geckos.

Turtle or tortoise?

If it is swimming it is a turtle.  The tortois stays out of the water.  Here is the long answer.

Visiting ducks are leaving soon (we hope!)

From San Diego (CA) USA Photo

The birding people have web sites that list all the great places to see ducks in San Diego but are missing this group. If you were a duck trying to winter-over it seems obvious to stay were food comes to you on a regular basis. As spring approaches the ducks seem to have other ideas about where to be, probably Seattle or Anchorage or somewhere like that, but they leave San Diego. See you new winter!

Fish at the zoo, who knew, and hippo too

From San Diego (CA) USA Photo

Fish share the hippo exhibit at the “heart of the zoo”. My wife said “Did you just invent that name ‘heart-of-the-zoo’ for your blog? “No, it really is called that.” Anyway, the fish are down low so the kids can see them. My hippo picture is terrible but I wanted to show you the fish and the hippo really is the point of the exhibit. I’ll try harder for a better picture. (Note to zoo staff: clean the glass for my next trip on April 4th, thank you.)

From San Diego (CA) USA Photo

Mountain Gorilla

From San Diego (CA) USA Photo

Many people like to compare gorillas with humans, our closest relative. They can stand upright but prefer to walk using their hands as well as their legs. Our arms are much shorter. Do they have a sense of humor? Watching them at the zoo I would say no. But I have no doubt there is serious intelligence and much thinking going on, more than I can say for the recently departed President and his administration.