North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, North Caorlina






Zebra (Equus Burchelli) - Eastern Africa. The black and white stripes are as individual as our fingerprints So, every Zebra has a different pattern. The mane sticks up straight and the ears are large and trimmed with fur. In the herd is a stallion and several mares with the young offspring's. The stripes go under the belly as well as on the back, some Zebras having a white belly.

Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) - Africa south of the Sahara. These Giraffes have strong shoulder muscles called the pectoral girdle, holding up the neck and the 550 pound weight of the head. The neck has 7 cervical vertebrae as do other mammals. The 7 bones, however, are much larger than ours. The Giraffe has valves in the neck, preventing too mjuch blood to rush to the head when bending down. They only sleep minutes at a time, always being alert to danger.

Lion Family - The male lion may grow up to 10 feet long, including their tail. The lions come from Africa and live on the grasslands of the Savanna. The lions are unique since at a quick glance you can tell the male from the female because of the mane of the male. (Panthera leo)










Patas Monkey (Erythrocebus patas) - Africa bushland and Savannas from Senegal (west) to Ethiopis and Tanzania (east). In the wild the male Patas money keeps watch on a high spot and keeps the other monkeys in line and informed.

Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) - In saltwater areas from Peru to Tierra del Fuego and in Andes ( up to 15,000 foot Altitiues). They are 4 feet from head to tail. Flamingo get their distinctive color from things they eat such as tiny shrimp, insect larvae and algae, which contain betacarotene, which is the source of the flamingo's pink pigment. Different flamingo species are different shades of pink. The Chilean Flamingo is a lighter pink.

Mandarin Duck (Aiz galericulata) - East Asia and introduced into the South of England. The male has a full crest on the head and a large orange-rust feather on each inner wing. This duck is shy, resting the day in shrubs overhanging water. The nest is in a hole ina tree, lined with down. The Mandarin feeds on acorns, oak leaves, seeds, nuts, snails, insects and small fish.

Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias) - Central and South America. This slender bird forages along the water edges for insects, crustaceans and small fish. In flight, they show a large, dark "eye spot" on each wing. This eye spot are used by the male when courting a female by spreading his wings and fanning his tail.

Pekin Robin (Leiothrix lutea) - Asia.

Scarlet Ibis (Guara rubra) - Coasts and marshes of Northern South America from Venezuela to Southern Brazil. This is a beautiful bright pink wading bird that stands along in this scarlet color. The slender, long curved bill is used in probing into shallow areas. It roosts in groups in swamp trees. It eats crabs, small fish, frogs, insects, mollusks and other creatures on mudflats. They have partially webbed feet.

Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus) - Island of East Indonrsia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and extreme Northeast tip of Australia. There is a startling difference in color between male and female. They fly above the forest canopy looking for fruits, nuts, nextar and leaf buds making a lot of noise as they look. In the evening they engage in display flights before gathering in large groups to roost for the night.

Savannah Monitor (Varanus exanthematicus) - Grasslands of Africa. They are about three feet long.

Yellow-Footed Tortoise (Geochelone denticulata) - South American rainforest.


Hamadryas Baboon (Papio hamadryas) - Africa: Ethiopia, Somalia and Southern Saudi Arabia. Baboons have very complex social reltionships that are strenthened through an activity called social grooming. There is a hierarchy that is maintained.

Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) - Africa in rainforest. They can weigh as much as 500 pounds.

Ginger

Bateleur Eagle (Terathopius ecaudatus) - Sub-Saharan Africa. The Bateleur Eagle gets it's name from the French word meaning "acrobat" due to the side-by-side balancing motion they display when flying. They can fly at speeds up to 50 miles per hour.

Bateleur Eagle's Back is interesting, too.

DeBrazza's Monkey (Cercopithecus neglectus) - Central Africa. They are active during the day, eating fruits and seeds. They have grizzled gray fur that makes them hard to see in the dense forests. These monkeys can sit for hours in one place, avoiding predators. They are 18 to 22 inches tall.

African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) - Africa in rainforests, mountains or savannas of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. They are usually near water. The large ears of an African Elephant have an elaborate network of blood vessels running through them, allowing heat to escape. This helps the elephant to keep cool. The ears not only swat away flies, but are used as a signal. They are 7 to 9 feet from the shoulder to feet.

Trumpeter Hornbill (Ceratogymna bucinator) - Southeastern Africa. This is one noisy bird. The loud trumpet-like noise is where the trumpeter Hornbill got it's name, but it makes other sounds as well, such as laughing and wailing.

Fennec (Vulpes zerda) - Northern Africa and Western Asia. The Fennec is the smallest species of fox. They can live in arid places, getting the water from the foods they eat. Thick fur protect their feet from the hot sand. They have huge ears that help them hear their prey tunneling under the sand. They are only 30 inches long, including their tail.

Kirk's Dik-Dik (Madoqua kirkii) - Southeast and east Africa. These antelope are about 15 inches long and live in dry, dense thickets. They are active in the early morning and in the late afternoon looking for food. Large glands under their eyes make a scented liquid used to mark objects in their territory. They make a "dik-dik" sound when startled.

Ostrich (Struthio camelus) - African savannas and drier grasslands of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Males and Females can be told apart, since the female is grayish-brown and the males are black and white. This female ostrich was running down this hill at a good clip. They are flightless birds, but, as we saw, can run at great speeds. The ostrich is about 6 feet tall and can weigh 300 - 350 pounds.

Cougar (Felis concolor) - North America mostly in southern Florida.

Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) - Across the Arctic in North America, Greenland, Norway and Russia. Wilhelm and Masha were confiscated from a Mexico-based circus and arrived at the North Carolina Zoo on November 19, 2002 where they are enjoying doing what they please rather than living in terrible conditions without proper food, cramped cages and abuse. Wilhelm was happily swimming and really seemed to enjoy the people.

The Polar Bear is an excellent swimmer, paddling with only the front paws. Compared to other bears, the Polar Bear is slender with a relatively small head. The hind legs are longer than the forelegs, causing the back to slope foreword. The soles of the feet are covered with hair, which helps them to move over ice and snow.

The length of the Polar Bear is approximately 7 to 8 feet. The average weight is 1100 lbs. The Polar Bear is a solitary animal, except for mating time. The female will go into the den dug out of ice and snow sometime in October. The birth takes place in December, but the family does not come out of the den until April.

seal

Hooded Merganser (Mergus cucullalus) - North America. While courting, male hooded Mergansers show off to attract a mate. They spread their white crests and expand their throats, displaying striking black and white feathers. Males also make loud croaks that can be heard a half mile away.

Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) - Western United States and Mexico. The males have a red head. Anna's Hummingbird has a spectacular courting display. Climbing high in the sky, he turns quickly and dives towards the branch where the female is perched, circling around and around, then pulls up with a grunt.

Anna's Hummingbird's female is mostly green with a red flecked throat and whitish belly. The ear patch is iridescent. The cupped nest is woven with twigs plant down, feathers and lichen, attaching it to a branch of a small tree or bush. These tiny birds measure about 3 1/2 inches.

Ocelot (Felis pardalis) - Southern to Central United States and South America. There are a chainlike pattern of rosettes on the coat. Two black marks are on the cheeks and the tail has rings. There are stripes on the inside of the forelegs. They are skilled climbers. The body is whitish to tawny.

The dogwood was in bloom along with cherry blossoms.

American Bison (Bison bison) - Western United States and Canada. The Bison, referred to in the United States as Buffalo, have a massive body with a shoulder hump. Dark brown on the head and front, the hair on the back is lighter brown and shorter. The horns are short and upturned. The huge head has a flat forehead and an impressive curly beard. The Bison is a swift runner, reaching speed of 35 mph. The herd migrates south in search of food.