Omaha Zoo, Omaha, Nebraska


Cotton Top Tamarin (Saquinus oedipus) - Northwest Colombia.

Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) This owl has distinctive white eyebrows, a black stripe area on the neck and rather long legs for an owl. They live in the western United States and Canada and are only about 9 1/2 inches tall..

Klipspringer (Oreotragus oreotragus) are from Africa.

Caracal (Felis caaracal) are from Africa. The ear tassels, ear backs and lips are black with black mark on each cheek. Their closest relative are the Lynx and the Bobcat.

Double-Wattled Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) live in tropical rainforest. They have a unique horned, helmet-like casque that is held forward while they run, breaking through thick vegetation. They leap off the ground and kick with their strong legs when needing protecting. They can run up to 30 miles an hour.

Peacock

This African elephant (Loxodonta africana) looks like she is laughing. The African Elephant has excellent hearing with these large ears and also uses the large ears for cooling the elephant down and, of course, brushing away flies. Their trunk is very powerful and flexible and at the same time is delicate enough to pick berries with it's fingerlike processes at the tip of the trunk. The trunk can draw up water or dust to keep away the insects, depending on the need. The upper incisors form tusks which are about 5 feet long. The tusks can weigh around 35 lbs. The sturdy column-like legs have a lot to carry. They are always not far from water, since they have to drink the equivalent of 12 buckesl daily and they love to bath in the waterholes.

Ostrich ( Struthio camelus) - Africa - Two ostrich having a good laugh at the tourists. To make up for their inability to fly, these birds can reach tremendous speeds up to 40 miles an hour. The Ostrich egg is the largest egg about eight inches long and weights approximately three pounds. Twenty four chicken eggs together would make up one Ostrich egg.

This monkey was taking a closer look. The Hanuman Langur is a long-limbed monkey with a black face.

Male Lion (Panthera leo) - Africa, Northwest India.

Leopard (Panthera pardus) - Africa south of the Sahara and Southern Asia. Their coats are yellow-ochre with black spots grouped in rosettes. The backs of the ears are black with a white patch. If they are completely black they are called a black panther. Spots can still be seen, even on the black Leopard. The Leopard hangs out in trees or a resting spot and usually hunts at night being nocturnal. They will often drag their prey up into a tree.

Normally I don't think you would see the Bald Eagle and the Golden Eagle in one spot. They are majestic.

Goliath Heron	White Stork live in East Europe, West and South Asia, migrating to Africa, India and South Asia. Their nest is large made of sticks high in a tree or building.

otter

The Flamingo were beautiful.

These Chinese Tiger Cubs were born on December 23, 2003.

Gorillas Ballroom Dancing? Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) - They live in Africa in Southeast Nigeria in the rain forests. When the male gorilla reaches nine or ten years of age they will gain a silver back giving them the name "Silverback".

Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa) has a white stripe above each eye, the red legs and bill and a white throat.

The Black-Footed cat is one of the world's smallest cat species. It has large external ears to help them locate insects underground. It measures 18 inches long, smaller than house cat. Three kittens were born May 11, 2006.

The Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) is the only canine that hibernate. They are found in Northern Vietnam and main Islands of Japan. Also found in China and central Europe.

There is always a surprise in the nursery such as this baby jaguar born May 10, 2006.

This Lar Gibbon Monkey ( Hylobates lar) knew how to relax. They come from South Burma, Malaysia, Thailand and Sumatra in the forest. The Lar Gibbons can be blondish-red or black but the face outline is always pale.



"Black Panther" Jaguar (Panthera onca) - The black cat is not one particular wild cat, but could be either a Jaguar or a Leopard with Melanistic coloration (black fur). A black cub can be born along with other cubs with the traditional coloring. This is a Jaguar. Jaguar are native to America - South America in Argentina.

Siberian White Tiger

Swift Fox (Vulpes velox) Lives only in the great plain in North America. The Swift Fox has large ears, a black patch on each side of the nose and a black-tipped tail. They got their name by being fast.

Sandhill Crane - They breed in the Artic, migrating through South-Central Nebraska and other south-western states along the Platte River Valley The Platt River stretching about 80 miles. They come in huge numbers, feeding in the corn fields by day and returning to roost as dusk falls on the Platte River sandbars. Twenty Thousand (20,000) to Fifty Thousand (50,000) will rise in the air if threatened by an eagle or other predator . Just before dawn they start moving around and the sound of all those cranes is amazingly loud. They winter in Mexico, Texas and New Mexico. In early March when they head north is when this spectacular sight can be seen. Then in pairs they rise in the air heading for those corn fields.

In the wild, these Sandhill Cranes are eating the left-over corn in the field.

The Sandhill Cranes use the Platt River to roost at night.

Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) - Florida. They like Mangrove swamps and are about 2 1/2 feet tall. Young are white with yellow bill and legs.

Roseate Spoonbill with young spoonbill.

Jaguar

Wild Cat (Felis silvestris) - Scotland, South Europe, Africa, middle East to India. This Wild Cat is about 22 inches long. In the desert areas the colors are lighter. They usually hunt at night. This Wild Cat was stirring the water to take a cool drink.

Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) - Sumatra and Borneo. The arms are very long.

Meerkat (Suricata suricatta) - Africa: Angola to South Africa. They have dark bands across their body, black around the eyes and black ears, the a light colored face. These live in the rock crevices and come out to sun themselves.

Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill (Bucorvus abyssinicus) - Africa south of the equator.

American Badger (Taxidea taxus) - United States, Southwestern Canada to Central Mexico. The Badger spends much of the day in their burrow and generally hunts for food at night. The American Badger doesn't traditionally hybernate, but in high altitudea, will sleep most of the winter. They are about 18 to 22 inches long, plus 4 or 5 foot tail.

Pigmy Hippopotamus (Hexaprotodon liberiensis) - Guinea to Nigeria. Only the front toes are webbed unlike the large Hippos where all four feet are webbed. This smaller Hippo stays on land more and grazes at night.

Matschie's Tree-Kangaroo (Dendrolagus matschiei) - Australia

Blue-crowned Hanging Parrot (Loriculus galgulus) - Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo. This is a small parrot only 4 1/2 inches tall.

Penguin	Eastern Screech Owl (Otus asio) - United States, South Canada and Northeastern Mexico. This small owl with the tufted ears likes to hunt at dusk. They are about 8 inches tall.

Baby Snow Leopards were in the nursery. They are adorable.

Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) - Africa in the rain forest. This is a very intelligent primate which lives a peaceful life when left alone. The male Gorilla gets the silver back after about 9 or 10 years. They have relatively small ears and eyes for such a large head.

This Gorilla was King of the Mountain for sure.

White Rhinoceros

Two Toed Sloth

Dwarf Mongoose (Helogale parvula) -

Sumatran Orangutan

Clouded Leopard
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