Hadada Ibis

CLASSIFICATION

Class: Aves
Order: Ciconiiformes
Family: Threskiornothidae
Genus: Bostrychia
Species: hagedash

SIZE

Length: Male: 65-76 cm.
Female: 65-76 cm.

Weight: Male: 1260 grams
Female: 1260 grams

Wingspan: Male: 330-383 mm
Female: 330-383 mm

APPEARANCE:

Overall appearance is drab dark olive brown or greyish- brown, although there is a prominent green irridescence on the wing coverts. Eyes offset by a whitish stripe underneath it. Flight feathers and tail display an irridescent bluish-black. Bill is long, black and curved, with red at the base extending about halfway along the upper mandible. Legs are blackish-brown, feet a pale orange brown. No color difference between the sexes, but the female may be slightly smaller with a shorter bill.

The immature bird is similar to the adult but is somewhat duller, with a shorter bill. The nestling is blackish, almost naked.

In flight, the bill projects downward, and the legs and feet do not project beyond the tail.

RANGE/DISTRIBUTION:

General distribution is Gambia, Kenya Colony, Italian Somaliland, eastern and south-eastern Belgian Congo, Northern Rhodesia and the Zambesi River. In many parts of tropical and southern Africa, it is the most common ibis. It ranges from Senegal to eastern Zaire, and from the Sudan to the eastern Cape, not being found around the lower Congo River, nor in the dry southwestern areas.

HABITAT/TERRITORY SIZE:

It is the least aquatic of all the African ibises. Common habitats are open grasslands and savanna especially along wooded streams, marshes and river courses. Also common in pasturelands and cultivated land, but also found in timbered areas and occasionally found in the glades of deep forests. They are quite commonly seen around small towns and villages.

MIGRATION:

Mostly sedentary, but some local movement to wetter areas during droughts. Flocks of 5-30 birds and occasionally up to 200 have been known to wander several kilometers from the roost.

DIET:

Hadada Ibis are not dependent on watery areas for food and often feed well away from wet places, seemingly content to probe lawns and grasslands with its long curved bill as it searches for insects, worms and snails. They are very beneficial to agriculture.

HUNTING METHOD:

They are mostly tactile foragers, but occasionally will use their sight to help in feeding. Like most ibises, they specialize in “probing” the long bill into the mud in shallow water. They have different methods of catching the prey. The “bill snap” involves the rapid closing of the bill as a reflex reaction to the tactile stimulation generated by contact with prey. When prey is dead or scarcely moves, they will seize it by means of a “bill grab” using the bill as tweezers. Small prey items are normally swallowed immediately after capture, either by tossing the prey up in the air and catching it or by releasing it and moving the mouth forward to engulf it. Large, heavy or dangerous items of prey, which cannot be swallowed immediately, are manipulated using various methods, and may be battered, shaken, kneaded or ripped apart. After consuming a large prey item, ibis usually drink water.

BREEDING INFORMATION:

They have a lengthy breeding season, usually peaking during and after the main rain in some areas. The nest is a platform of twigs, sticks and branches lined with dry grass, usually built in trees at heights below 9 meters and close to or over water or a wooded stream. Sometimes nest in trees on cliff faces or use the old nests of other birds. Usually lay two to three eggs that are greyish green or buff with pale olive brown or chestnut spots and blotches. They are laid irregularly and may be in various stages of incubation. Incubation is 25-28 days and is done by both sexes. Chicks have rufous brown down and are independent at 49 days.

BEHAVIOR:

The bird’s name is derived from its rauccous call of “ha-ha-a-a-a-a”, usually uttered on the wing. At dawn, its rattling croaks are well known. Hadadas typically call around dusk or sunrise, when they are returning to the roost or leaving it. One bird starts calling, followed immediately by others. In large roosts, several groups may call simultaneously.

They roost in large companies with much noise and clamour. When disturbed Hadada Ibis often go to a neighboring tree. More solitary than most of the ibis species, they are normally gregarious at the roost, but will tend to nest alone. In Eastern Africa it is a common riverside ibis usually seen in pairs or small flocks on wooded watercourses with their alarming call being the first evidence of their presence. They have been known to become quite tame. When flying in flocks, Hadada Ibis do not fly in formation as other types of ibis will.

STATUS:

Not globally threatened. Common throughout its range, though more so in eastern and southern Africa than in western Africa. CITES III in Ghana

In the early 1900’s, Hadada Ibis underwent a marked decline in South Africa apparently due to hunting during a period of colonial expansion. Since 1910, it has been expanding toward western Africa, probably as a result of reduced human persecution following legal protection; proliferation of imported tree species, providing new sites for resting and nesting in formerly treeless areas; construction of reservoirs; increase in irrigated land; and arrival of cattle in zones recently colonized by mans, as cow dung favors expansion of coprophagous insects which is a frequent prey of the species.

Impala

Impala

scientific name

aepyceros melampus

size/weight/height

Length: male 56" ; female 50 " • Tail: 12" • Height: male 36"; female 34" • Weight: males 176 lbs.; female 100 lbs.

adaptations/coloration

Color: light mahogany w/fawn flanks; hind legs have black glandular tufts; tail/thighs vertical stripes; white underside • Horns: males only

behavior

Defense: great leaps when alarmed; usually seek shelter in shrubbery/forests • Forage: graze on grass; browse on leaves • Group: large during dry season; often includes males & females; males generally leave before breeding age; during wet season herd breaks up into groups 15-25 females ; territorial males attempt to control female groups by entering their territory - males fight & frequently utter loud, hoarse grunts (serious injuries rare) • Movement: active morning/afternoon; alternately feed/rest

reproduction/lifespan

Birth: all yr.; concentrated in rainy season • Cycle: closely related to rainfall pattern; may be synchronized w/moon phase • Gestation: ~171 days

diet

Wild: flowers, grass, leaves, seeds • Zoo: alfalfa hay, oats

habitat/range

open woodland • sandy bush country • acacia savanna • C & S Africa

status

not listed • 2 species; 1 endangered

Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus

scientific name

Hippopotamus amphibius

size/weight/height

Height: 4.5'
Weight: 3000 - 7000 lbs.
Length: 11'
second largest land mammal

adaptations/coloration

Color: skin gray-brown • upperparts blue-black • underparts pink
Glands: in skin • exude thick red oil ("sweats blood") • shields sunburn & protects skin
Hearing/Sight/Smell: excellent
Hair: fine; hair covers body
Physical: eyes/ears/nostrils on top head
Swim: submerge 3 - 5 min • prevents skin dehydration

behavior

Movement: can move very fast; active on land 5 - 6 hours nightly when grazing; daytime in water for predator avoidance and temperature regulation
Group: females with young • adult males compete for territories containing groups of females & young via ritualized confrontations (last 1.5 hrs. • sometimes lethal)

reproduction/lifespan

Lifespan: 35 - 45 yrs
Mating: dry season
Birth: in shallow water • sometimes underwater
Young: reported to swim before walking
Parenting: nurse underwater • mother very protective • baby lies across mother’s back in deep water

diet

Wild: grass
Zoo: apples, carrots, grain, timothy hay & lettuce

habitat/range

waterways (day) • short grasslands (night) • Africa

status

CITES App II • due to poaching (meat, fat, hide & ivory) & human encroachment • common in captivity • breed readily - many captive females are on birth control

note

exhibit has 2 inside stalls, each with its own 6000-gal pool • 50,000-gal exhibit pool outside

Hedgehog

Erinaceus Sp.

size/weight/height

Weight: 8 - 24 oz.
Head & Body: 6.5 - 9"
Tail: 0.52"

adaptations/coloration

Color: body brown or gray with yellow ticking • underparts soft light gray hair • body covered with dense spines on upper surfaces
Snout: snout "prehensile" • used to search for food in forest litter

behavior

nocturnal
Defense: escapes enemies by running and hiding in rock crevices & under logs • rolls into ball to use spines as protection
Personality: gregarious • solitary
Vocalization: squeal & grunt when hungry, excited or afraid

reproduction/lifespan

Lifespan: known to live as long as 7 yrs in wild & captivity
Litters: usually 4 - 5
Young: born with soft, short spines which lengthen & harden shortly after birth

diet

Wild: carrion, eggs, frogs, fruit, fungi, lizards, mice, snakes and vegetables
Zoo: Hedgehog Maintenance Chow by Pretty Pets, supplemented by various insects and occasionally fruit.

habitat/range

forest, grassland, scrub areas with adequate food & cover • several species in Europe, Africa & Asia

other

Hedgehogs are not related to hogs. They are an insectivore.

Red-Tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

CLASSIFICATION

Class: Aves
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Buteo
Species: jamaicensis

SIZE

Length: Male: 48-60 cm.
Female: 55-63 cm.

Weight: Male: 794-1200 gm.
Female: 900-1590 gm.

Wingspan: Male: 3 1/2-4 feet
Female: 4 feet

APPEARANCE:

The Red-Tail Hawk is one of the most common large broad-winged hawks in North America. The hawks also have a broad fan shaped tail. Adults are readily identified by the upper surface of their red tails. Typically, their backs and upper wing surfaces are dark gray or reddish brown, streaked and barred with lighter colors. Their plumage is highly variable though. In a lighter color phase, adult breasts are cream colored and streaked with brown. There is a darker blackish band across the belly. Dark phase birds may have red or black bellies, breasts, or wing linings. There will also be a difference in the Eastern vs. the Western species.

Immature birds begin to obtain adult plumage in their second year. Their colors also vary, but usually brown above, white below with heavy spots and streaks; tail gray-brown, indistinctly banded. As they change to the adult plumage, their tail feathers will drop out and be replaced by the red ones, and their other feathers will also turn more reddish in color. They will usually have their full adult plumage by the time they are two years old.

RANGE/DISTRIBUTION:

Red-Tails range from northern Canada and Alaska to Panama and Central America. They are one of North America’s most common raptors. The smallest of the Red-Tails are found in Alaska with the largest ones found in Northern Mexico.

HABITAT/TERRITORY SIZE:

Typical habitats of Red-Tails include open country, scrub, woodlands, or wide rocky canyons. They inhabit forests of the east as well as prairies and desserts of the west. They usually nest in tall trees near the edge of woodlands. In prairie and deserts, however, they may dwell on a ledge or in a low tree or cactus.

Red-Tails are very adaptable and wide ranging so they may be found almost anywhere. They are often seen perched within a few yards of busy highways, looking for live prey or road kills.

MIGRATION:

Red-Tails will winter from southern Canada south to Central America.

DIET:

Red-Tails prey on a wide variety of animals from grasshoppers to rats and mice, squirrels, rabbits, and other birds. They are successful because their prey species varies. About 75% of their diet consists of rodents and other small mammals. They will also consume rattlesnakes and reptiles as well as carrion.

HUNTING METHOD:

Red-Tailed Hawks, like other buteos, expend less energy in their hunting than accipiters. They soar above or will scan fields from a perch in a tree or from a fence post, and then move in for the kill. For unwary prey like mice, they will fly openly from perch to perch. Mice don’t pay any attention until it’s too late. For larger, more alert prey, Red tails sneak! They may approach indirectly, behind a cover of trees and bushes, or they may perch and look unconcerned and disinterested until the prey’s head is hidden or its attention is distracted. Then they’ll attack quickly and fiercely, and may even pursue their prey over short distances.

Red-Tails have unusual techniques for hunting shelter-oriented animals, such as snakes. They don’t attack the animal directly, but instead land on the ground between the animal and its shelter. In these cases, the shelter-oriented animal (one whose first defense is to hide) won’t generally run away. Instead, it will move slowly toward or even RUSH toward the bird, hoping to bluff its way to safety. It takes a special kind of courage to face down a frightened and enraged gopher snake or rattler intent upon reaching shelter.

BREEDING INFORMATION:

Especially during mating season, Red-Tails are acrobatic technicians, often touching their mates in mid-air or dropping 2,000 feet in a single dive. Their courtship displays are exhibitions of strength and flying ability. The male flies high in the sky, then cartwheels to the earth. Sometimes the female joins him in the air, and they’ll interlock their talons and tumble through space until they lose so much altitude they must break apart. It is believed the Red Tails mate for life, but if one bird dies, it is quickly replaced. In fact, if an accident should befall the female during the nesting period, she may be replaced so quickly that the eggs aren’t even chilled! Paired Red-Tails display courtship behavior throughout the spring even after the young are hatched. Breeding season lasts from March-May. Red-Tailed Hawks breed in the early spring—the exact month depends on the latitude.

These birds nest on the forest edge, on the horizontal limb of a tall tree, close to the trunk. If no tree is available, they will use a cliff edge or holes in rocks. As with most buteos, Red-Tails may have more than one nest, and will alternate from year to year. If the breeding in one nest is unsuccessful, the pair may abandon it altogether. After the nest is built by both mates, the female lays 2 to 4 eggs in March and early April, which are incubated by the female for a month. The male feeds the female while she is sitting. Eggs are grayish white with red or grayish brown spots, and measure 57 x 46 mm. Red-Tails bring fresh green foliage to the nest throughout this period. There are four possible reasons for this: shade for the young, prevention or reduction of insect problems, improvement of sanitation, or aesthetics. During the incubation period and while the chicks are small, the male supplies all the food for the family. (Squirrels are preferred during this period.) Young birds remain in the nest for at least four weeks, the last two spent practicing wing movements prior to fledging.

BEHAVIOR:

When threatened by an intruder, few Red-Tails will stay to defend its nest. They are generally shy and non-aggressive toward people, but are commonly attacked (but usually not injured) by crows, magpies, owls, other hawks, and even songbirds over territorial disputes. Calls are actually long, drawn-out raspy screams. In flight, they will make a high pitched “skeeeer”, at close range a croaking “guh-runk”. Birds frequently call while soaring.

STATUS:

Very common, probably the most often seen western bird of prey. They do, however, suffer high losses from ranchers and farmers who, not realizing their great benefit in controlling rodents, shoot them off telephone poles.

FOLKLORE AND MYTHS:

Red-Tailed Hawks were once called “Chickenhawks” because it was believed they routinely killed chickens. This, however, is a rare occurrence; and it is now generally accepted that Red-tails are very beneficial to the environment.

Harris Hawk

Parabuteo unicintus

CLASSIFICATION

Class: Aves
Order: Falconiformes
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Parabuteo
Species: unicintus

SIZE

Length: Male: 17.5-24 inches
Female: 17.5-24 inches

Weight: Male: 1.4-1.9 lb.
Female: 1.4-2.64 lb.

Wingspan: Male: 17-30 inches
Female: 21-36 inches

APPEARANCE:

Harris Hawks are Parabuteos which are small to medium, heavy-set birds with long broad wings (like a buteo), long legs, and long narrow tails (similar to the accipiters).

With adult Harris Hawks, both sexes are alike in appearance. The legs and feet are orangish-yellow, with the tarsi feathered halfway. Talons are long and powerful. The tail is black with a white base and a white band near the end. Shoulders and thighs are chestnut, and the rest of the bird is dark, except for the bare lores.

Juveniles are lighter in color, with a white underwing and some chestnut. The breast and thighs are streaked with a brownish color. Shoulders are rusty, and they have a white patch at the base of the tail. The tail is sometimes narrowly barred, and is white-tipped. The face and throat are white streaked.

RANGE/DISTRIBUTION:

The Harris Hawk is a resident of Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. Their range also extends into Mexico, Central, and South America as far south as Argentina.

HABITAT/TERRITORY SIZE:

Harris Hawks are found in the semi-arid areas of the southwest United States and Mexico and prefer scrub with mesquite, cacti, and yucca plants. Depending on the location, the breeding season range can vary from 2.5 to 5 square kilometers, with some overlap of territory between birds.

MIGRATION:

In the fall, large flocks of Harris Hawks gather at the extreme northern and southern parts of the range where they may migrate short distances in winter, depending on the weather.

DIET:

Harris Hawks are a versatile predatory whose diet is comprised of a large number of rabbits, small mammals, quail, other birds, reptiles, and insects. Some sources note that carrion are eaten by the Harris Hawk at times.

HUNTING METHOD:

Harris Hawks are a versatile predatory whose diet is comprised of a large number of rabbits, small mammals, quail, other birds, reptiles, and insects. Some sources note that carrion are eaten by the Harris Hawk at times.

BREEDING INFORMATION:

Courtship flights have been observed, where the male dove down 150-200 meters onto the back of a female located on a cactus. Interestingly, Harris Hawks are polyandrous birds, which means that one female will sometimes have more than one mate. Often, they will form a trio, with two males breeding with the female. The female and her mates all take care of the young.

Nests are found in cacti or trees, with nest height varying from 8-30 feet above the ground. It is made of sticks, twigs, mesquite, and yucca. The breeding season is long, from February to June, during which up to two or even three broods can be hatched. The eggs, of which 2 to 4 are laid, are short and subeliptical, smooth but not glossy, and white or bluish white. Both males and females will help to incubate the eggs, which lasts for about 35 days. Often, other birds will assist in raising the young, from juveniles recently fledged to other adults. They are well feathered and begin to feed themselves by 17 days. Fledging time is about 40-45 days, and the young remain the nest area for 2-3 months after hatching. If the young are threatened, the cry of the adults will become a long and snarling “karr”.

BEHAVIOR:

Other than their pack-like hunting behavior, the Harris Hawk is a very gregarious bird and will be in groups not only for hunting but also for breeding. In addition, a behavior called stacking, where several birds will stand on top of another while the bottom bird is perched on a cactus, is another important social behavior. By doing this, the vantage point of the highest Harris Hawk allows it to see prey over a greater range and to spot other potential predators.

Described as having a dual personality, Harris’ Hawks combine the characteristic modes of hunting and flight of the buteo and accipiters. In scrub country it may be seen perched in a low tree; dashing through thorny bushes in search of prey; or, in the early morning, circling on thermals high above. Usually perches low, on the ground, or in cactus. Their most common call is a loud hiss or growling sound.

STATUS:

Harris Hawks are rare birds in certain areas. The population of Harris Hawks had decreased dramatically in California because the damming of the Colorado River hurt their nesting sites along the lower parts of the river, and because the cutting of the riparian woods eliminated nesting in the favored sites of the Imperial Valley. By the 1950’s they were nearly gone from California, but in 1979 the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group made a major effort to reintroduce Harris Hawks into California. Their only real predators are coyotes and bobcats who will pull down any nests they can reach.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

* “Birds of North America”, edited by the National Geographic Society.
* “Birds of North America”, written by Kobbins Brown Zin Singer. 1966.
* “Field Guide to Nest Eggs and Nestlings of North American Birds”, written by Harrison. 1978.
* “The Birder’s Handbook”, written by Ehrlich, Dobkin, and Wheye. 1988.
* “Bird Conservation One”, edited by Temple. 1983.
* “Animal Life Encyclopedia”, by Dr. Bernhard Grzimek, 1972, p. 371.
* “The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds”, by John Terres, 1980, p. 482.
* “Birds of Prey of the World”, by Mary Louise Crossman and John Hamlet, 1964, pp. 280-281.
* “A Field Guide to Western Birds”, by Roger Peterson, 1990, pp. 178 and 190.
* “Hawks, Eagles, and Falcons of North America”, by Paul A. Johnsgard, 1990, pp. 190-196.
* Cathi Wright, Oregon Zoo, Assistant Animal Show Coordinator
Also, material from the Saturday Academy Birds of Prey class was used (Instructor: Deanna Sawtelle)

Pygora Goat

Pygora Goat

size/weight/height

Males (bucks) weigh 75 to 95 pounds and reach a minimum height of 23 inches tall at the highest point on their back. Females (does) weigh 65 to 75 pounds and reach a minimum height of 18 inches tall.

adaptations/coloration

Pygora goats have at least 14 color variations, including caramel, agoutis and solid black or solid white. Some appear to have socks to the knees and facial masks. Their color changes for in-fleece and out-of-fleece. Pygora goats have three distinct types of fleece, and are well covered (except from the knee down).

behavior

Pygora goats are alert, curious, friendly, cooperative and easy to handle. They have the docility of angora goats and the spunk and playfulness of pygmy goats.

reproduction/lifespan

Females come into heat every 21 days for 2 to 48 hours. Males come into rut (decrease in appetite, obsessive interest in the females, fighting between bucks, display behavior and a strong musky odor) with the female's heat cycles, each spring and fall. Gestation lasts 145 to 150 days, after which females bear one to four young, but usually twins..

diet

Pygora goats eat hay, grass and grain. A large staple of their diet consists of mineral lick and water. At the zoo, they eat pelleted feed and plant cuttings provided by gardening staff.

habitat/range

Pygoras are able to thrive in many different climates.

other

Pygoras were initially bred in Oregon by crossing an angora goat with a pygmy goat, in order to produce a goat with long, silky fleece.

Pygmy Goat

Pygmy Goat

scientific name

Capra hircus

size/weight/height

Weight: 8 - 36 lbs.
Height at Shoulders: 15 - 17"

adaptations/coloration

Color: brown,white, black, silver-gray and caramel
Beard: small
Horn: both sexes (ours are dehorned)
Scent Glands: located on crown of head

behavior

Odor: males produce a musky, offensive odor to attract females (especially during breeding season); females and neutered males are odor-free.

reproduction/lifespan

Lifespan: 10 - 18 years
Gestation: 147 - 180 days
Birth: 1 -2 young; .8 lbs. at birth; able to stand and nurse minutes after birth
Weaned: 12 wks
Maturity: 8 - 12mos.
Young: precocious • able to run & jump 4 hrs after birth.

diet

Wild: browsers; leaves preferred to grass
Zoo: hay, oats & pellets

habitat/range

native to West Africa • now raised worldwide

Mountain Goat

Mountain Goat

scientific name

Oreamnos americanus

size/weight/height

Mountain goats weigh from 100 to 300 pounds, with the males typically 25 percent larger than the females. They measure 4 to 5 feet across, and have tails 4 to 8 inches long.

adaptations/coloration

Mountain goat fur is white helping the animals blend in with their snowy environment. They have thick wooly undercoats and beards. Both males and females have horns. Their hooves have a hard, sharp rim enclosing a soft inner pad, well suited for climbing on rocks. Mountain goats are not true goats, and are actually more closely related to antelopes

behavior

Mountain goats may form large groups in the winter in protected areas; in the summer, they disperse into small bands and congregate at salt licks. They may cover 100 meters daily while grazing and browsing, able to climb and jump easily in rugged terrain, but in the autumn, they move down-slope. They may excavate shallow depressions for bedding. These animals sometimes fight over food, but they don’t butt heads.

reproduction/life span

Mountain goats mate from November to early January. They have a gestation period of 147 to 178 days and give birth in late May and early June. Usually, one baby mountain goat (called a kid) is born, but twins are not uncommon. The young are able to follow their mother in a week, and they mature at 30 months. Males live an average of 14 years and females live an average of 18.

diet

Mountain goats are herbivores, eating wild grass, herbs, lichen, moss and woody plants. In the zoo, they eat alfalfa, grass, hay, pelleted feed and cuttings of browse plants provided by gardening staff.

habitat/range

Mountain goats live on steep slopes and cliffs in alpine and sub alpine areas. They live in mountainous regions from southeast Alaska to the southwestern part of the Northwest Territories.

other

Mountain goats have been introduced to Colorado, central Montana, the Black Hills of South Dakota, Hells Canyon National Scenic Area in Oregon, Olympic National Park in Washington, Kodiak, Baranof and the Chicago Islands of Alaska..

Reticulated Giraffe

Reticulated Giraffe

scientific name

Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata

size/weight/height

Height: male up to 18' • female 13 - 15'
Weight: male 1,765 - 4,255 lbs. • female 1,215 - 2,600 lbs.
Tail Length: maximum 3'

adaptations/coloration

Color/Pattern: pattern identifies individual; vary between individuals & sub-species (not accurate way to differentiate sub-species); chestnut patches large & regular in reticulated subspecies • narrow white lines separate
Hide: thick
Horns: one of few ruminants born with horns • present on both sexes (male slightly larger) • covered with skin • lie flat at birth • become upright & bony 1st week
Legs: forelegs longer than hind-legs (slopes toward rear)
Neck: height requires that series of valves regulate flow of blood to head
Senses: sight most developed • hearing & smell very acute
Tail: may have hair tassel • tuft used as fly swatter
Vertebrae: 7 mammalian cervical but elongated • 4th & 5th thoracic have large, forward-facing dorsal spines (the conspicuous shoulder hump) • serve as neck muscles’ attachment point
Voice: normally silent • can produce variety grunts & snorts • calves bleat

behavior

Defense: head & horns used in fights between males • serious injury rare • strong hooves
Feeding: sexes differ • very specific • males eat tree canopy with neck outstretched • females eat neck curved over - body to knee height
Group: herd transitory & scattered • members constantly changing
Social Order: bulls not territorial • bulls coexist in overlapping ranges • hierarchy among males exists • each individual knows status

reproduction/lifespan

Lifespan: wild ~25 yrs • captivity record 28 yrs
Birth Site: same site used continuously by many generations
Breeding: majority of successful breeding by few top males
Calves: begin forming groups 1 - 2 weeks
Gestation: ~15 mos.
Parenting: mom - excellent • defends calf from anyone & anything • leaves calf during heat of day to graze
Predators of Calves: lions (main), African wild dogs, hyenas & leopards • mortality 1st yr. 58% (but population still increases 5-6% annually)
Sexual Maturity: male ~3.5 yrs • female ~5 yrs
Young: twins extremely rare
Birth Interval: ~2 yrs.

diet

Wild: exclusively highly selected browsers, flowers, fruits, herbs, leaves, seeds, new shoots & vines
Zoo: alfalfa hay & grains

habitat/range

open woodland • wooded grassland • Sub-Saharan Africa

status

not listed • some populations being wiped out in Kenya to provide tourists with fly swatters, bags or buckets

White-Cheeked Gibbon

White-Cheeked Gibbon

scientific name

Hylobates concolour leucogenys

size/weight/height

Height. 18-25"
Weight. 12-20 lbs.

adaptations/coloration

Color: newborn blonde • juvenile black • female blonde at sexual maturity • adult male black with white cheeks
Arms. long for brachiation
Intelligence. tests rank close to chimp
Thumbs. short for brachiation

behavior

arboreal • diurnal
Group. family
Territorial: song duet
Vocalization. both sexes

reproduction/lifespan

Lifespan: 25-30+ yrs
Mating: monogamous
Sexual Maturity. 8 yrs
Gestation. 7-8 mos
Birth. 1 • nurse 2 yrs • leaves group at maturity
Birth Interval. 2-3 yrs
Parenting. male assists with care as do older infants/juveniles

diet

Wild. fruit, leaves, & small invertebrates
Zoo. monkey chow, fruits & vegetables

habitat/range

canopy of rain/monsoon forest • Laos, South China, & Vietnam

Gerenuk

Gerenuk

scientific name

Litocranius walleri

size/weight/height

Head and Body Length: 56-64 in.
Tail Length: 9-14 in.
Horns: 12.6-17.3 in.
Shoulder Height: 32-42 in.
Weight: 64-114 lb.

adaptations/coloration

Color: reddish brown upper parts, back distinctly dark, white around eyes and underside of stomach
Body: very long limbs and neck, small head and weak chin, tail short with a black tip, horns stout at base with heavy rings, horns curve sharply forward at tips, eyes and ears are larger for it head size, female do not have horns

behavior

diurnal, live singly (males) or in small groups (females w/ young or bachelor groups), mature males are territorial, does not form migratory herds, normally shy, exclusively browser—does not eat grass, browse on tall bushes, stand on hind legs to reach 6-8’ up, have preorbital gland—emits tar like scent that is rubbed on bushes to mark territory, also has gland on knees, several vocalizations inc buzzing (alarm), whistle (annoyed), loud bleat (extreme danger)

reproduction/lifespan

Lifespan: 6-7 yrs in wild, 10-12 in captivity, breed year round
Gestation: 6-7 mo., single births, females leave herd to give birth, young hidden for first week until it can keep up with herd, females bleat softly to communicate with young, sexual maturity: females 1 yr, males 1 yrs

diet

Wild: primarily leaves & young shoots of tall bushes but also buds, flowers and fruit, does not need water, does not eat grass
Zoo: hay, pelleted feed, browse

habitat/range

Habitat: desert to dry brush savanna—especially dry flat thornbush
Range: Somalia & Ethiopia south to Tanzania

Speke's Gazelle

Speke's Gazelle

scientific name

gazelli spekei

size/weight/height

Height: at shoulder 1.6-2 ft.
Length: 3.1-3.5 ft.
Weight: 33-55 lbs.

adaptations/coloration

Light grayish brown with a black flank stripe and a paler band above it • white buttocks with dark margins • pale face • horns with broad annulations: males 10-12.4” curving backwards in an “S”; females 6-10” straighter, steeper and thinner than male • Three to five folds of skin in nasal region, inflatable to the size of half a tennis ball, inflated to make an alarm call which sounds like a pistol shot.

behavior

Crepuscular • Gather in family groups up to 20, number depends on amount of vegetation available • Muscular spasms dispense scent from preorbital glands (inner corner of eye where tear duct is on human)

reproduction/lifespan

Gestation: 6-7 months • single young • average birth weight 2.75 lbs. • wean after 2-3 months • Sexual maturity: female 9 months, males 18 months • Lifespan: 12 years

diet

Wild: Grass, herbs, shrubs and succulents • Zoo: herbivore pellets, grains, hay

habitat/range

Horn of Africa, on the Indian Ocean side of Somalia • Former range included eastern Ethiopia • Stony brush, grass steppes, semidesert.

status

IUCN classification: vulnerable • Not listed in CITES

other

Main predators: cheetah, lion, wild dog, leopard, hyena, python • Long-hunted for use as food • Habitat modifications have adversely affected populations.

Ferret

Ferret

scientific name

Mustela putorius furo

size/weight/height

Total Length (head to tail tip): ~18"
Tail: 6"

Weight: (Male) 3-5lb. - (Female) 1.5-3lb.

adaptations/coloration

Color: guard hairs are blackish-brown, can also be beige or blond • lighter under coat • distinctive dark mask • darker, feet & tail
Anal Glands: large • used to mark territory
Flexibility: able to squeeze through small openings & holes because of elongated tubular bodies with a long neck and trunk and body shape, short legs and flexible spine allows them to turn their body 180 degrees.

behavior

nocturnal
Defense: overpowers or outruns prey (refers to wild ancestors)
Personality: playful, curious & intelligent

reproduction/lifespan

Gestation: 42 days
Offspring: usually 4 - 6
Lifespan: 6-8 years

diet

obligate carnivore
Wild ancestors: small mammals (especially rabbits), birds, reptiles, eggs, frogs & insects
Zoo: Ferret Chow

habitat/range

Wild Ancestors: woods & hilly thickets • native in Europe • Asia & North Africa • black-footed ferret only found in US

status

domestic ferret are common • a relative of the domestic ferret, the black-footed ferret, is endangered

other

domesticated as early as 4th century BC • sometimes confused with the endangered black-footed ferret of North America
Europe: trained to hunt & drive away farmers pests
Illegal to release in US as it is with any domestic animal

Blue Poison Dart Frog

Blue Poison Dart Frog

scientific name

Dendrobates azureus

size

Weight: 3 grams
Length: 1-1.5 in.

characteristics

Color: aposematic or warning coloration •powder to cobalt or sapphire blue with a few white and black markings
Body: skin glands excrete alkaloid poisons
Feet: suction cup pads on toes

Behaviour: terrestrial • stays near water source like river or pond • diurnal • territorial • bold, aggressive

reproduction/life span

Life span: live up to 9 yr
Mate. female initiates contact • courtship ritual of chasing and wrestling • eggs laid in water and fertilized by male
Incubation: 12 days

tadpoles may be cannibalistic • metamorphosis to adult 12 weeks • female may lay several times in rainy season

diet

Wild: termites, crickets, ants, fruit flies, aphids, spiders

habitat/range

Habitat: tropical rain forest • dark and moist environment
Range: Southern Surinam

status

Cites II

other

poisons produced from diet, not present in animals in captivity

Peregrine Falcon

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

CLASSIFICATION

Class:	Aves
Order:	Falconiformes
Family:	Falconidae
Genus:	Falco
Species:	peregrinus

SIZE

Length:	Male:	15-20 inches
	Female:	18-21 inches
Weight:	Male:	550-660 grams
	Female:	740-1120 grams
Wingspan:	Male:	37-39 inches
	Female:	38-40 inches

APPEARANCE:

The body of the Peregrine Falcon is sleek and compact with long, pointed wings. They gain their adult plumage after their first annual molt at one year. The backs of Peregrines are slate gray in color. Their underparts are cream-colored with dark narrow barring on the flanks and belly from breast to tail-tip. The head is black which extends down below the eyes to cover the cheeks. The tail is slate gray with black bars and a white tip. The feet and legs are a bright yellow.

The plumage in adult Peregrines will vary. The arctic birds are the palest, and northwestern birds the darkest with the heaviest underneath pattern. The eye stripe in arctic birds is narrower. Plumage will also vary in the sub-species.

Immature Peregrines are much browner than the adults. Most of the feathers are edged in buff with brown markings on edges. Black streaks on cheeks are narrower than the adult’s, and the coverts are buffish-white. Underparts are buffed, streaked with brown. Underwing is barred with buffish-white to dark brown bars, and the undertail consists of narrow, widely spaced, wavy bars.

Like all falcons, the Peregrine Falcon has raptorial feet that are highly adapted to grasping their prey with the very long toes. They also have short beaks and jaw muscles modified to deliver powerful bites. Along with powerful jaws, the Peregrine has a Tomial Tooth, known as the “killing tooth.” It is a notch on the cutting edge of the upper beak that is used to sever the prey’s spinal column. The nostrils possess a prominent central bony tubercle.

RANGE/DISTRIBUTION:

Peregrine Falcons are found on every continent except Antarctica. They are located in most of North America, Asia, the southern tip of South America, Mid and Southern Africa, and are widespread in Europe and Australia. In North America they are most common from northern Alaska and northern Canada south to the Northwest and Mexico in the Rocky Mountains. They are now being re-introduced in the west and in New England.

HABITAT/TERRITORY SIZE:

The Peregrine Falcon prefers open landscapes such as rivers, flood plains, grasslands, meadows, and agricultural land. They tend to keep away from high mountains and dry desert regions. Some Peregrine Falcons have adapted well to cities where they nest on the ledges of buildings and have an abundant source of pigeons for prey.

MIGRATION:

Peregrines located furthest north in the arctic tundra migrate down to the tropical regions in winter. The rest are mostly year-round residents.

DIET:

The diet of Peregrine Falcons consists largely of birds ranging in size from finches to large ducks.

HUNTING METHOD:

Like other falcons, Peregrines will go into a fast dive after their prey, shape their long toes to look like a fist, and punch their prey. If the prey is not dead after this tremendous blow, they will use their “killing tooth” to sever the spinal cord.

Most birds of prey swoop, but none can attain the speed of the Peregrine Falcon. Peregrines have been reliably clocked at speeds of 200 m.p.h. in a dive. Because of these high speeds, their prey has very little chance when it is struck by such a force. This is why the Peregrine is one of the most efficient hunters.

BREEDING INFORMATION:

The male tends to arrive at the nesting territory ahead of the female and makes himself conspicuous by perching in prominent places, and by making loud calls and aerial acrobatics. Once a female arrives, she joins the male in his aerial acrobatics and the two may lock talons or touch beaks during the maneuvers. During the courtship, the male will feed the female. Courtship behaviors begin with the coming of spring.

The Peregrine’s nest usually consists of a shallow scrape in the soil of a rocky cliff to a low-lying bog. They will also nest in the abandoned nests of other birds. Man-made nesting platforms are also used, as are ledges of tall office buildings. Females lay 2-6 that are creamy buff with red and red-brown markings. The incubation period lasts between 28-29 days, and the young are able to begin flying at 35-42 days.

STATUS:

Man is the worst enemy although scavenger birds do wipe out a number of eggs. Because of the use of DDT, the Peregrine was almost erased from existence in the 1960’s. The chemical thinned the egg shells so they were easily crushed while being incubated. DDT was banned in the 1970’s and, with the help of captive breeding programs, the Peregrines are now making a comeback and were removed from the Endangered Species List in 1999.

Roosevelt Elk (Wapiti)

Roosevelt Elk (Wapiti)

scientific Name

Cervus elaphus roosevelti

common name

Wapiti, Olympic Elk

size

Roosevelt elk measure 41⁄2 to 5 feet in height at the shoulder and 8 to10 feet in length. Males typically weigh from 600 to 1,000 pounds and females weigh around 350 to 650 pounds.

characteristics

Roosevelt elk are a brown or tan color with darker underparts. Their rump patches and tails are yellowish brown. Along with many-tined antlers that measure up to 5 feet, males also have a dark brown mane on their throat. Females do not have antlers.

behavior

Roosevelt elk are crepuscular, meaning they are active at dawn and dusk. They dig wallows in the ground with their hooves and antlers. During rut, the males will rub their antlers on saplings and shrubs. Their racks of antlers are also used as weapons in fights with other males for females. They are social animals and live in very large herds.

reproduction/life span

The breeding season, or "rut," occurs from late August to early October. Gestation lasts nearly nine months, after which time the cows leave the herd to give birth to single calves weighing 30 to 35 pounds (twins are very rare). After a week, the cows and calves return to the herd. Roosevelt elk live from 14 to 25 years.

diet

Roosevelt elk are primarily grazers and eat many plants.

habitat/range

Roosevelt elk live in the coastal and Cascade ranges of the Pacific Northwest. During summer, they are found in high, open mountain meadows, and in winter they move to lower wooded slopes, and can often be found in dense woods.

status

Roosevelt elk have a secure status. They are protected and regulated by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Historically, elk were in danger of being overhunted. President Theodore Roosevelt was one of the first to try to protect the elk by creating the Olympic National Monument, now the Olympic National Forest, partly to protect the calving grounds and habitat of the native elk herds.

Asian Elephant

Asian Elephant

scientific name

Elephas maximus

size/weight/height

Weight: 6,000 -14,000 lbs • males may weigh 14,300 lbs.
Height. 7-12 feet • reach maximum size at 25 yrs. old
Note. African elephants tend to be somewhat taller than their Asian counterparts, but generally they don't outweigh them • some people define "larger" by height, while others define it by bulk • where height is concerned, Packy = very large elephant!

adaptations/coloration

Feet: adapted to support great weight • stand on toes arranged in circle around spongy pad which cushions each step • zoo keepers trim feet bottoms (using same tools as those used to care for horses’ hooves) because elephants don’t wear them down as much as they would in the wild
Smell: no reliable data exist for estimation that elephant can smell others 3 miles away
Teeth: 4 molars (2 upper & 2 lower) • well adapted to grinding up branches • each tooth weighs ~9 lbs. • 6 sets teeth in lifetime
Teeth Structure: series of plates - front plates break off & tooth builds up from back - pushing front tooth forward & out
Trunk: role in communication, feeding, olfaction, chemo-communication, offense/defense • amazingly strong & flexible • can lift heavy logs or pluck single leaf from tree • when completely submerged in water, extends trunk above surface to breathe • touch, lift, trumpet & use to drink • sucks water part-way into trunk then squirts it into mouth • weighs ~400 lbs. • contains hundreds (some sources say 40,000) of muscles. Oregon Zoo elephants have been observed to virtually empty a 5-gal container of water in one siphon - indicating that an elephant's trunk can accommodate between 4.5 7 5 gallons.
Tusks: a long incisor - length up to 5' - weigh up to 40 lbs. • only some males have • constantly growing & wearing down
Tusk Innervation: nerve extends down tusk ~1/3 of distance from lip to tip (tusk = that portion which protrudes beyond the rim of the sulcus)
Tusk or Tush?: tushes lack innervation • tushes are smaller than tusks • most females & many males have tushes. (Packy has tushes)

behavior

Food: may spend as much as 18 - 20 hours daily feeding

reproduction/lifespan

Average lifespan: 45 years
Sexual Maturity. males 8-12 yrs. • females 6-10 yrs. • but doesn't mean that elephants breed at these ages under wild conditions - in fact, breeding at these ages highly unlikely
Gestation. 630-660 days
Delivery/Birthing. upright position - rear-end first • height typically 32-36" (grows ~1"/mo.) • mother accompanied by other adult females ("aunties") that protect the young
Infant. 200-250 lbs. • gains 2-3 lbs. daily • nurses up to 5 yrs. (in wild)

diet

herbivore

Wild: bamboo, fruits (500 lbs. vegetation) leaves, shoots, reeds, grasses, up to 50 gal water
Zoo: vary with animal, its age, etc. • typically, adult cow might eat 1 bale (100 lbs.) of timothy hay, 20-80 lbs. produce (dependent upon availability), 1 gal rolled oats, 1 gal specially-formulated pelleted feed, 30-50 gal water, various vitamin & mineral supplements • bulls consume somewhat greater quantities of hay & grain • Oregon Zoo keepers also dispense 2-6 cases of "treats" each day

habitat/range

variety of terrain • thick jungle to open grassy plains • Burma, Ceylon, India, Malaya, & as far east as Vietnam • Indigenous to areas of high altitude (e.g., Nepal)