Honolulu Zoo, Honolulu, Hawaii


Nene Goose (Branta (Nesochen) sandvicensis) - Hawaii. The Nene Goose is Hawaii's State Bird named by the legislature on May 7, 1957. Nene is pronounced "nay-nay". They have a black head and bill, yellow buff cheeks, furrowed neck and partially webbed black feet. They have survived on the Big Island of Hawaii on the lava fields eating the rough grasses and vegetation, and in the mountains eating O'helo and Pukiawe berries, and crab grass. They get their water from berries and dew off leaf vegetation. They are unique among geese because of their feet being longer, stronger toenails and their shorter wing span. There are probably around 500 Nene Geese in the wild today. When the mongoose was brought to the Island, they were supposed to control some of the wild life problems. But, instead, they have become a problem, including the stealing of the Nene Goose eggs.


Galapagos Giant Tortoise (Geochelone nigra) - Galapagos Islands. These tortoise can weigh up to 500 lbs. There are 12 or more subspecies. They are vegetarians.


Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) - India, the Indochinese peninsula, Sumatra and Sri Lanka. The Asian Elephant has much smaller ears than the African Elephant. They also have four nails on each hind foot instead of three nails. The Asian Elephant has nineteen pair of ribs instead of twenty one ribs on the African Elephant. When this picture was taken, the Asian elephants walked with their trainers across the field to stand under this Banyan Tree where the trainer gave a talk on elephants.

These Asian Elephants munched on palm tree leaves while the program was going on. (1997)

African Lion yawning (Panthera leo) - Africa, south of the Sahara, Northwest India. His long tail is tipped with a tuft of hair that conceals a claw0like spine. Their body measures approximately 6 feet with the tail about 3 feet.

Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) - Africa, except way south. A hippo here, a hippo there, here a hippo there a hippo everywhere a hippo, hippo. The nose, eyes and ears can stay above the water when the rest of the hippo is submerged. The legs are short and the body is brownish-gray, the length of their head and body being around 14 feet. They spend most of the day submerged and then come out at sundown to feed on the grass along the riverbanks.

Ruffed Lemur (Varecia variegata) from Madagascar in the rain forest.

Greater Flamingo Head (Phoenicopterus ruber) - Caribbean, Galapagus Islands, Southern Europe, Southwest Asia and Africa. Their toes are webbed. The Flamingo's bill scoops up water by putting the unique bill on its side under water and then filtering out small food particles with the tongue and filter hairs.

Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) - Central Africa from the Cameroons as far east as Tanzania, Senegal and Guinea. They are blackish-brown. The ears are large with no hair on them. Their body is strong and they have long arms. They climb trees well, but are spend more time on land as they "knuckle walk" along. Fruit is their main diet, but bark, leaves and stems are also eaten, along with termites. They will use twigs as tools to get at termites. They build large nests in trees where they sleep at night.

American Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) - South Carolina, to Florida and the Gulf Coast (Winters in Florida).

Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) - Africa. The Giraffe is the tallest living animal. The Giraffe has two horns and a medium bulge on its forehead. The herd is dominated by an old bull male, but is lead by a female when on the move.	Meerkat (Suricata suricatta) - Africa: Angola to South Africa. They have a light face and throat with dark bands across the back shown here. They also have dark eye area and dark ears. This Meerkat is sitting up sunning.

Indian Mongoose (Herpestes auropunctatus) - Introduced into Hawaii, Fiji and the West Indies, they originally come from Iraq to India, south to Malaysia. This mongoose was in Hawaii.