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Virginia Zoo's Bongo Herd Increases With the Birth of a Cute New Calf Monday
Norfolk, VA – The Virginia Zoo is pleased to announce the birth of its first baby bongo in 2010! The female calf named Emma was born Monday, July 26, 2010. “This new baby joins a herd that includes three juveniles born in 2009, an adult male and three adult females,” explains Zoo director Greg Bockheim. “It may seem as though we have an abundance of bongos, but in reality these forest antelope are highly endangered. Our bongo herd is managed through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) with the goal of preserving these magnificent animals. We are hoping that our other two adult females will have healthy babies this year, too.” Wild bongos live in dense forests of Kenya and other regions of Africa, and their greatest predator is mankind. The wild population is rapidly diminishing as its home habitat is destroyed by human encroachment, and the animals are over-hunted for meat and for their horns. “The Virginia Zoo has participated in an AZA program to repopulate Kenya forests with bongo, by sending one of our captive born calves to a preserve in Africa to create a herd with other bongos from North American zoos,” says Bockheim. “The key to their survival, as with all species, is not only to build the population but also to protect their natural habitat so they can thrive.” Bongos are the largest and heaviest type of forest antelope, standing over 50 inches tall at the shoulder and weighing between 460 to over 550 pounds. Their lifespan in captivity is 19 years. Females give birth to one calf a year and the gestation period is nine months. Bongos’ beautiful chestnut coats with white stripes provide protective camouflage in the dappled shadows of the forest. These animals are timid and quite elusive in the wild. Most of our knowledge about their health and habits has been acquired by the zoo keepers who care for them in captivity. This understanding has been valuable to organizations creating protected preserves of Africa. Herds are comprised of females and calves, while the males are more solitary. Bongos are most active at dawn and dusk, and a favorite activity is to wallow in mud. Although they are agile enough to jump obstacles, most bongos when startled will run quickly through the underbrush, tilting back their spiraled horns to avoid getting tangled in the vegetation. Once they find cover, they will stand perfectly still to become virtually undetectable. “For Zoo staff, being able to work with and protect endangered animals is incredibly rewarding. We always are amazed to be able to see so many healthy animals in one dynamic herd,” says Bockheim. “We are proud to be part of one more SSP success story.” The AZA’s SSP program manages breeding programs in accredited zoos to protect the genetic strength and diversity of species in order to promote the survival of endangered animals. The Virginia Zoo participates in 18 national and international SSP programs. As an accredited Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) facility, the Virginia Zoo exhibits over 350 animals, beautifully manicured grounds and offers a fun-filled day for all. For more than a century, the Virginia Zoo has demonstrated a commitment to wildlife, conservation and education. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and located at 3500 Granby Street in Norfolk. Daily admission prices are $8.00 for adults, $7.00 for seniors (age 62 and over), and $6.00 for children ages 2-11. Visit www.virginiazoo.org or call (757) 441-2374 for more information. To view Virginia Zoo's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to: http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-118-Virginia_Zoo |
By Diane Paluzzi
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tiffany
tiffany
q455923354
q455923354
We are continuing our transition to energy-efficient LED lights. The lights used for the dancing tree show this year are all LED and will use only one-third the power used last year.
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http://www.eluxurywow.net/
Unusual to have three snow leopard cubs
Congratulations to ABQ BioPark and the proud cat parents on the birth of three snow leopard cubs. That's fantastic news and we look forward to these three playing an important role in snow leopard survival breeding and also helping educate people about their endangered cousins in the wild.
Snow leopards live in some of the most extreme environments on earth - in high altitudes and freezing temperatures. If we don't do a lot of work with communities and governments in snow leopards 12 range countries, these beautiful cats may be extinct in the wild in our life time.
Sibylle Noras
Founder and Publisher
“Saving Snow Leopards” website. See how conservationists and zoos are working to help these rare and elusive cats avoid extinction.
http://www.snowleopardblog.com
Love penguin fluffballs.
I especially liked if you go to the zoo's homepage and click on the info about naming the baby, the winner says she'd like to be able to tell her dad that a penguin was named after him for his birthday. Adorable!
If you have any interest in reading a new blog, featuring conservation of adorable animals and their habitats, please check out my website...
Conservation:Cute
http://conservationcute.blogspot.com/
Thanks!
World Oceans Day
For more information about World Oceans Day and a list of other events in your area you can visit www.WorldOceansDay.org
Elephants
Asome news on the new baby! I agree with everyone here on the fact that animals should not be in captivation. If you want to check out a really cool place in Thailand where you can care for elephants check out http://www.elephantstay.com this place is a sanctuary for retired working elephants, it's an amazing place and they do so much good for the animals who live there. I went a few months ago and it was amazing.
Kimberly Juchnowski
Publisher, http://www.tikikiki.com
zoo animal diet's
It's ridiculous to try extrapolate zoo animals diet to human beings, and it flies in the face of all science of the last 30 years that looked into nutrition and health research. Maybe Rudy Socha was being sarcastic? I hope so.
response to starseed
I fully agree with you when it comes to the captivity of orcas. These animals live considerably shorter, unhealthier lives than they normally would have in the wild. I am disgusted by what I have seen at Sea World. They claim to be trying to educate people on the animals when really it is all nothing but a circus with the animals being made to perform to attract customers. I am a little more on the fence however when it comes to some other species of dolphins, such as the ones they keep at Vancouver Aquarium. While I do not support the capture of wild dolphins, I do recognize the fact that there are species that actually live longer and perhaps healthier lives in captivity than in the wild. One of the neat things at the Vancouver Aquarium is that none of the dolphins were captured for the purpose of entertainment: they were all animals that were rescued after getting caught and injured in fishing nets and are unable to return to the wild due to their injuries. I have seen the shows and the aquarium are truly focused more on educating visitors than trying to entertain them at the animals' expense.
Christian's Award
I know that Christian is dedicated to her aquarium job and to the rehab of sea turtles. I am proud of her.
Dry Tortugas National Park
The seashore, our accredited Summer Learning Adventure Camps merge scientific exploration Dry Tortugas National Park with hands-on fun and learning. Campers investigate marine habitats, create ocean art projects, learn about careers in oceanography, and combine the science and sports of surfing and snorkeling, all while making new friends and memories.
hey
http://www.deafmatching.com is an online community for deaf, ASL and hearing-impaired friends and singles!
Have fun with photos, message boards, chat, blog and more.
Don't support it anymore
I think we should move on from having dolphins in captivity now - we all know this isn't good for them.
diabetes
diabetes
pacaya samiria national reserve
The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is a magical place. The flora, fauna, remoteness and beauty are exquisite. Another interesting aspect is how the indigenous people there live. To learn more and see photos taken by indigenous children in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, you can visit ninosdelaamazonia.org
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