12 Days of Animal Intros

Posted by Chelo Grubb & filed under In the News.

There are some new faces around the Zoo! Welcome to the 12 Days of Animal Intros, where we’ll be talking about recent additions to the Zoo.

 

Amazon Milk Frogs

These colorful frogs can be found in the Conservation Learning Center and are among the animals in the incredible new rockwork corner habitats. Milk frogs create a milky poison from their skin when in danger which could make predators sick. They’re an indicator species, meaning their health can serve as a measure of the wellbeing of an entire ecosystem. Can you spot them amongst the foliage?

Abdim’s Storks

There’s a new bird in town! Reid Park Zoo is now home to two Abdim’s storks. These birds, also known as grasshopper storks, can be found living with our female tortoises near the black and white ruffed lemur habitat. At the Zoo, these storks enjoy several types of worms. The female enjoys large king worms best, while the male prefers smaller mealworms.

Curly-Haired Tarantula

Next time you’re at the Zoo, head over to the Conservation Learning Center (near World of Play!) and check out our incredible new rockwork habitats. One of the animals you can spot is Annie, the curly-haired tarantula.

This species is named for its long golden “hairs” that curl above its shorter dark brown bristles, giving it a curled, woolly look. These hairs can come in handy when tarantulas are hunting as well — they have poor eyesight, but sensitive hairs along their legs pick up vibrations when insects, small vertebrates, and other arthropods are nearby.

Rainbow Boa

Love rainbows? Check out the rainbow boa! These snakes have iridescent skin due to small ridges on their scales that act as prisms and refract light. Brazilian rainbow boas have reddish-brown coloration with dark stripes on their heads, and large, dark rings that extend down the length of their bodies. The rainbow boa is one of the species that you can see in the Zoo’s new rockwork habitats in the Conservation Learning Center, so stop by and check it out!

Lesser Hedgehog Tenrecs

Check out our newest Ambassador Animals on the block, the lesser hedgehog tenrecs. Despite their names, tenrecs are more closely related to moles and shrews rather than hedgehogs. Once these sisters are settled in, they’ll start training to visit with the public during the Zoo’s daily Ambassador Animal encounters.

 

White’s Tree Frog

We’d like you to meet the White’s Tree Frog. When you stop by the Conservation Learning Center to see the animals in the new rockwork habitats, look carefully! At first glance you might miss this amphibian, who is hiding in plain sight in the middle of this photo. White’s tree frogs are predators who have special teeth and saliva that shifts from watery to sticky to catch its food.

Crested Gecko

The next animal we’re featuring was believed to be extinct in the wild… until it was rediscovered in 1994. Meet the crested gecko. This species is threatened by fire ants, who both prey on the crested gecko and compete with the crested gecko for food by preying on the same food . These challenges highlight the importance of protecting wild habitats. You can visit the Zoo’s new gecko in the Conservation Learning Center.

Henkel’s Leaf-tailed Gecko

Introducing the Henkel’s leaf-tailed gecko! Tiny toe pads help this lizard hold onto tree branches, while their coloration, textured skin, and flat tail help them blend in with their natural habitat.

Southern Tamandua Pup

Introducing Iggy! Iguaça, nicknamed Iggy, is a southern tamandua pup. He is named for the national park in Brazil, which is part of his species’ native range. 

Iguaça was born at the Zoo in late September, the first born at the Zoo in nearly five years. Iggy’s mom, Liana, is a first time mom and she needed a little extra help caring for him early on but she soon figured things out and both are doing well and thriving now.

The Zoo’s tamanduas, including Iguaça, live behind-the-scenes at Reid Park Zoo and sometimes make an appearance at animal encounters. The birth of a southern tamandua is a huge success for the conservation of the species. Reid Park Zoo is proud to have a long history of successfully caring for this incredible species.  

Roseate Spoonbill

Next up, head to the Zoo’s South America aviary. Reid Park Zoo recently introduced a new male roseate spoonbill to pair with our female, at the recommendation of the spoonbill Species Survival Plan. The spoonbills were a bit standoffish for about two days, and would be seen on opposite sides of the aviary. The bird team saw them together on the third day, and ever since, they are typically spotted together.

Blue-Grey Tanager

The blue-grey tanager’s native range extends from Mexico to the Amazon Basin. In Trinidad and Tobago, the bird is known as the blue jean because of their beautiful blue feathers. They are primarily frugivores, feasting on fruits like papaya, but they will also drink nectar and eat insects. Reid Park Zoo will soon have a new breeding pair. The female tanager in the South American Aviary and has already learned to come to bug tosses, which is one of the ways the zoo keepers are able see every bird in the aviary. #12DaysOfAnimalIntros

Axolotls

Axolotls are a unique species of salamander. Like other amphibians, axolotls hatch from waterborne eggs. Unlike other amphibians, axolotls retain their dorsal fins and gills into adulthood. Two axolotls just arrived at Reid Park Zoo! Visit them in their new habitat in the Zoo’s Conservation Learning Center.

That’s a wrap on the 12 Days Of Animal Intros! Thank you for following along as we introduced many new faces — we hope you enjoy seeing them during your next visit to the Zoo.