I discovered possibly the COOLEST high school in the country. What makes this place so special, you might ask? Well all i have to say is that they are the only zoo in the states at a high school!
Millbrook High School has a 6 acre zoo on the campus, and get this, its AZA accredited too! I think i have found the perfect school for my non existing kids!
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Central Florida Zoo Review
I got sick of driving 90 minutes to Tampa to go to the Lowry Park Zoo, so i decided to take the short drive to the Central Park Zoo in Sanford, about 20 miles north of Orlando. I was very surprised at what a lovely zoo it was, and had no idea it was an AZA accredited zoo.
The zoo is in a really great area and is a lot of fun to walk through. You walk along a boardwalk most of the time in swampy areas and enjoy the nature trails.
When i approached the Red Kangaroo exhibit a heard of Emus approached me. Within seconds i had a small group of Emus watching and following my every move. I slowly walked towards the Red Kangaroos sleeping by the other end of the walkway and the closer i got the more they woke up. The big one held his fingers spread to let me know he was ready to rumble, with eyes half closed. When i got 30 feet away the other Kangaroos got up and hopped off. I walked away and came back to see a large Kangaroo playing with a smaller one and was so happy to witness it!
The Two-toed Sloth pair was extremely active, and i watched them explore their exhibit for over 20 minutes with not even a hint of slowing down. Their roommates, two Cotton-top Tamarins were almost non moving, and it appeared the sloths were trying to play with them a bit. In Washington DC, the sloths share their exhibit with a group of Golden Lion Tamarins, and the GLTs usually will NOT leave the non-moving sloths alone.
They had a nice Elephant exhibit which had no Elephants because of the cold weather, but the Amur Leopards were moving around a bit.
All in all i was very pleased with my visit to the Central Florida Zoo. They are working on raising money to purchase not only a Sumatran Tiger, but also an Orangutan which i would love to see. Before leaving i took them up on the offer to upgrade to a annual membership so i can come back and visit again!
The zoo is in a really great area and is a lot of fun to walk through. You walk along a boardwalk most of the time in swampy areas and enjoy the nature trails.
When i approached the Red Kangaroo exhibit a heard of Emus approached me. Within seconds i had a small group of Emus watching and following my every move. I slowly walked towards the Red Kangaroos sleeping by the other end of the walkway and the closer i got the more they woke up. The big one held his fingers spread to let me know he was ready to rumble, with eyes half closed. When i got 30 feet away the other Kangaroos got up and hopped off. I walked away and came back to see a large Kangaroo playing with a smaller one and was so happy to witness it!The Two-toed Sloth pair was extremely active, and i watched them explore their exhibit for over 20 minutes with not even a hint of slowing down. Their roommates, two Cotton-top Tamarins were almost non moving, and it appeared the sloths were trying to play with them a bit. In Washington DC, the sloths share their exhibit with a group of Golden Lion Tamarins, and the GLTs usually will NOT leave the non-moving sloths alone.They had a nice Elephant exhibit which had no Elephants because of the cold weather, but the Amur Leopards were moving around a bit.
All in all i was very pleased with my visit to the Central Florida Zoo. They are working on raising money to purchase not only a Sumatran Tiger, but also an Orangutan which i would love to see. Before leaving i took them up on the offer to upgrade to a annual membership so i can come back and visit again!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Valentine's Day at Central Florida Zoo
In Sanford Florida, just outside of Orlando, couples can spend a romantic Valentine's Day at the zoo learning about over 40 species and their sex behavior. Find out more here.
If you think human romance is weird, consider the animal world. Male honeybees mate in the air and then suffer an explosion of very personal body parts. The leader of a bonobo primate tribe is determined by which male can monkey around the longest. And turtles, it seems, are constantly in the mood.
"They do it slowly," said Joe Montisano, chief executive officer of the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens. "But they still manage to get it done a lot."
Montisano has animal reproduction on the brain as he prepares for Sex and the Zoo, the first Valentine's Day event at the Sanford zoological park. The party has had quite the allure: 220 tickets sold out in about five days, far in advance of the holiday.
And no, there will be no live animal demonstrations, but senior reptile keeper Nick Clark -- alias "Dr. Love" -- promises the next best thing: He will dress up as a bird and perform a mating dance.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Lowry Park Zoo (Tampa) Zoo Review
Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo has been on my wish-list for some time now, since i travel to Orlando to visit family constantly. Lowry Zoo hosts a number of great exhibits, rides and things to do and proudly advertises that they were "Voted #1 Family Friendly Zoo in America!" I must say i have never seen so many babies in one zoo, it is worth it just to see them all!
Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo's Baby List: White Tigers(2, 6 months old), Orangutan (2, 6months and 2 years old), Mandril (2, under a year), Guenon (small monkey, 2 i believe under a year), Colobus Monkey (2, really cute and under a year), Wallaby, Flying Fox, Pygmy Hippo, Warthog, Key Deer and possibly more!
I think the highlight of the zoo would have to be the Primate section of the zoo. Tampa has a must see family of Orangutans; 2 proud mothers with 1 beautiful baby each, 6 months and 2 years old. The father is also with them, and he loves getting close to allow for amazing shots, same with the mothers. The 6 month old baby still clings tight to its mother while the 2 year old stays close but loves to explore.
Beware though, on cold days the mothers and babies will not come out. The last day i visited only the father was outside on a sunny, cold 50 degree day. The previous day was about the same temperature but i think they were out because it was super bowl weekend and they had a spike in visitors. But luckily if the Orangutans are not out, you can take the 10 second walk up to the White Tiger cubs!
I didn't find the White Tiger cubs until my third visit in 5 days, and i talked to a docent about them. The mother is 10 years old with two 6 month old cubs, a female and male. The female is the trouble maker who is obviously more agile than the male. The male is a mamas boy and a little less rambunctious. The cubs are very playful with each other and the mom, and will go swimming together in the water, which i gladly witnessed. If you are interested in viewing the White Tiger cubs, please visit the zoo early! They are active in the first hour, looking for the food and enrichments, and slowly get tired before they are let in at 12:00 or 1:00pm. After the mother and cubs are put back in they release the father, who stays out the rest of the day.
The pygmy hippo was very small and cute, the pair were mostly seen in the incredibly stinky water. I laughed a few times as the baby wasn't moving and the mother decided to slowly run into the baby and moved the baby about 10 feet without the baby really minding. It looked like a train pushing a car stuck on a railroad, only at 1 mph.
If you live in Florida i really recommend visiting this zoo, you will not be disappointed. I gladly bought the Annual Membership so i could come back every time i am in the area.
Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo's Baby List: White Tigers(2, 6 months old), Orangutan (2, 6months and 2 years old), Mandril (2, under a year), Guenon (small monkey, 2 i believe under a year), Colobus Monkey (2, really cute and under a year), Wallaby, Flying Fox, Pygmy Hippo, Warthog, Key Deer and possibly more!
I think the highlight of the zoo would have to be the Primate section of the zoo. Tampa has a must see family of Orangutans; 2 proud mothers with 1 beautiful baby each, 6 months and 2 years old. The father is also with them, and he loves getting close to allow for amazing shots, same with the mothers. The 6 month old baby still clings tight to its mother while the 2 year old stays close but loves to explore.Beware though, on cold days the mothers and babies will not come out. The last day i visited only the father was outside on a sunny, cold 50 degree day. The previous day was about the same temperature but i think they were out because it was super bowl weekend and they had a spike in visitors. But luckily if the Orangutans are not out, you can take the 10 second walk up to the White Tiger cubs!
I didn't find the White Tiger cubs until my third visit in 5 days, and i talked to a docent about them. The mother is 10 years old with two 6 month old cubs, a female and male. The female is the trouble maker who is obviously more agile than the male. The male is a mamas boy and a little less rambunctious. The cubs are very playful with each other and the mom, and will go swimming together in the water, which i gladly witnessed. If you are interested in viewing the White Tiger cubs, please visit the zoo early! They are active in the first hour, looking for the food and enrichments, and slowly get tired before they are let in at 12:00 or 1:00pm. After the mother and cubs are put back in they release the father, who stays out the rest of the day.
The pygmy hippo was very small and cute, the pair were mostly seen in the incredibly stinky water. I laughed a few times as the baby wasn't moving and the mother decided to slowly run into the baby and moved the baby about 10 feet without the baby really minding. It looked like a train pushing a car stuck on a railroad, only at 1 mph.
If you live in Florida i really recommend visiting this zoo, you will not be disappointed. I gladly bought the Annual Membership so i could come back every time i am in the area.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Baby Gorilla born in Washington DC
Finally, the baby Gorilla is born at the Natinoal Zoo in Washington DC!Here is Mandara's 6th baby, i think i overheard someone say it was a girl. Mandara is enjoying ice treats!
The newborn baby is using Mandaras large breast as a pillow! This photo was taken the following day, January 11th around 10:05am, as soon as the house opened.
Born January 10th, 2009 at 1:45pm.
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