Fort Worth Zoo, I Love You

         One of my most favorite things in the world are zoos! I am a Fort Worth native and grew up going to the Fort Worth Zoo often. I was so happy to visit the zoo today because I love seeing and learning about the animals, but also because it brings me such a wonderful sense of nostalgia and child-like excitement! Zoos are such valuable community resources for education about not only animals, but also environmental and natural sciences. Additionally, most zoos work on animal conservation and protecting endangered species, who would not be able to live in their natural habitats due to the effects of human inhabitation. I think I love zoos so much because I have always been so interested in animals and their distinct feature and abilities that they develop to help them thrive in their habitats. Because of my love for creatures and learning about them, I have large amount of random animal facts that have somehow stuck in my brain over the years. I want to share what I think are ten interesting facts I learned about animals today at the zoo!

1.     Asian Elephants

a.      Elephants are considered a Keystone Species, meaning that they play a vital role in changing and maintaining their ecosystem. Elephants are amazing seed and nutrient dispersers, they open canopies when knocking down food to eat allowing sunlight in for plants to grow, and provide food for smaller creatures.

2.     Western Lowland Gorillas

a.      Though it can stand upright, the gorilla walks quadrupedally. Like all great ape species, a gorilla’s arms are longer than its legs. Other primates move on all fours by supporting their body weight on their palms, but the gorilla does a sort of “knuckle-walking” by supporting its weight on the back of the third and fourth fingers of its curled hands.

3.     African Painted Dog

a.      Hunting in packs, this carnivore has a wide variety of prey, including antelopes, warthogs, wildebeest calves, rats and birds. Its hunting strategy differs depending on the type of prey and has an 80% success rate.

4.     Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros

a.      Even though these rhinos are so large in size they are still quite nimble and fast. They have the capability of jumping (unlike elephants) and can turn quickly in any direction. They have been clocked at speeds over 25mph when charging.

5.     Sumatran Orangutan

a.      The orangutan spends most of its time in the trees, only taking to the ground on rare occasions to forage for food. In some instances, a large male may travel by ground because the trees cannot support its weight.

6.     African Leopard

a.      The distinct leopard coat varies in color from pale yellow to deep gold but always includes a pattern of black rosettes. Its head, belly and legs are spotted with solid black. Although rare, some leopards have a melanistic coat that is caused by a recessive gene. When this trait occurs, the animal has black fur. Spots still cover the coat and are easiest to see in bright sunlight.

7.     Jaguar

a.      Jaguars typically live alone in the rainforest. With its muscular build and large paws, the jaguar can be found climbing trees or swimming in streams and rivers. Unlike other cats, they are good swimmers.

8.     Hippopotamus

a.      Water is important to the hippopotamus because it keeps the animal’s skin moist; hippo skin cracks if exposed to the air for too long. The hippo secretes a red mucous from its pores that looks as if the animal is sweating blood. The hippo’s “blood sweat” acts as a natural sunscreen, keeps the skin moist and may also help prevent infection.

9.     Texas Horned Lizard

a.      Nature gives the lizard a special adaptation for running. It can fold its ribs back, making itself more streamlined for dashing through grasses.

10.   Rockhopper Penguin

a.      The rockhopper penguin is covered in black feathers with a white breast. Its distinguishing feature is the set of yellow feathers on the corner of each eye. It also has an orange beak and red eyes. The species’ name is a nod to its preference for rocky terrain and the manner in which it hops from rock to rock with both feet together

P.S. In case you were wondering my favorite animals are orangutans and jaguars, which can both be seen at the zoo!