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| Next to the baby
tiger's home is a display of Pygmy marmosets, "...the world’s
smallest monkeys, weighing just 4-7 ounces (113-198 g) when fully
grown, and reaching less than 6 inches (15.2 cm) in head and body
length, with a 7-9 inch (17-23 cm) bushy tail. [They] have fine,
silky coats of gray with touches of black, brown and tan and long
hairs on their cheeks and head, which form a mane that conceals
the ears." |
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| "Pygmy
marmosets belong to the New World monkey family. New World monkeys
have nostrils spread far apart, and never develop the hard sitting
pads on the lower side of the buttocks evident on Old World monkeys.
They live in the upper Amazonian region in Brazil, Peru, Colombia,
Ecuador and Bolivia." |
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At last Hadiah,
the baby tiger makes her entrance, ready to play.
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| After racing
around for a few minutes, she jumped into her 'swimming pool' and
played with a ball for a while. |
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| Next she attacked
a piece of sheepskin which was hanging high up on the side wall. |
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She really
had to work hard at getting this off the wall.
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From time
to time she'd stop for a breather.
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Here, she
posed nicely beside the window sign.
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Back to playtime,
this time stalking a stuffed tiger.
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And finally, time for a rest.
Whew, I got tired just watching her.
The Keepers were
talking about Mother and Father Tiger, and the necessity of birth
control for the 16 year old mother before they are released together
into their grotto. The merits of monthly versus implant birth
control were being debated. :D Hadiah's mother has shown little
to no interest in the last two litters she's had, with the result
that Hadiah has been hand-raised by the Zoo staff. In her case
it seems to have worked out, but it is not always successful.
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| Old Father Lion
flops out on a rock in the sunshine. To my great surprise, I learned
that the Zoo already has two new, younger lions who are being acclimatized.
Nobody knows what will happen to this old fellow and his gal, but
there was quite a bit of discussion taking place amongst the Zoo
workers that they hoped the 'oldies' would be kept at the Zoo to
live out their lives in the only home they've really known. |
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| I was rushing
along a path towards the hippos when out of the corner of my eye
I caught a movement. Lo and behold, it was the Ostrich! |
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She posed very nicely for
me for a minute or two and I took tons of pictures. The color
above is correct, much to my surprise. I'd always imagined ostriches
to be very black. I'm thinking this might have been female because
suddenly she took off and headed towards these.
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| I couldn't help chuckling at
the looks on the sleeping hippos' faces. |
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| A Red Ruffed Lemur is on the
alert. |
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| The Humboldt Penguins
were comical today. These two were sort of staring at the water
and seemed to be saying 'You go first!' 'No, YOU go first!.' |
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| The pair at the back were screeching
and yowling, much to the disgust of the third penguin. |
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| I am sure I heard this Thompson's
Gazelle murmur 'Y'all come back now, y'hear?' |
