Lily, the baby Asian Elephant had a blast in the water with 18-year-old mom Rose-Tu. Now six months old, Lily was born on November 30 at the Oregon Zoo, which ZooBorns covered HERE. Many people are surprised to find that elephants love the water and are natural swimmers. Though their bodies are large, they are quite bouyant, using all four legs to paddle while their trunk acts as a snorkel. These animals are strong and hence can swim long distances.
The Oregon Zoo is recognized worldwide for its successful breeding program for Asian Elephants, which has now spanned 50 years. Lily's grandmother, Me-Tu, was the second Elephant born at the zoo, and her great-grandmother, Rosy, was the first Elephant to live in Oregon.
A
critically endangered California Condor chick hatched at the Oregon Zoo on
April 11, but not without a little help.
Zookeepers
and veterinarians performed an emergency “assisted hatch,” helping the little
bird out of its egg and into the world. The chick had become stuck in the wrong
position for hatching, unable to move inside its shell, and would not have
survived much longer without the intervention.
Photo Credits: Michael Durham for Oregon Zoo
“We
only do this as a last resort,” said Kelli Walker, the zoo’s lead Condor
keeper. “It’s kind of the Condor equivalent to an emergency C-section. There
are so few of these birds in the world that each new chick is incredibly
important to the recovery of the species.”
The
egg, laid on February 14, had been placed in an incubator to keep it safe until the
hatch, while the Condor parents, Malibu and Maluk, sat on a dummy egg. Usually,
Walker waits for the chick to begin rotating in its shell, then returns the egg
to its nest to hatch beneath the parents. This egg, though, proved unusual.
On
April 7, monitoring the egg through a process called candling — using a bright
light source behind the egg to show details through the shell — Walker could
see that the chick was getting ready to hatch. At this point, keepers can
usually see a “pip,” or mark, inside the shell, where the chick has begun
chiseling its way out, but no internal pip was visible.
The
next day, Walker saw that the chick was turned 180 degrees from normal hatching
position. Because it was able to breathe and was still getting nutrition from the
egg, Walker waited to see if it would rotate properly, but two days later there
was still no change. The chick was stuck.
Growing
concerned, Walker contacted zoo veterinarian Mitch Finnegan. Realizing that the
chick would be unable to hatch alone, the two gently removed a portion of the
shell and the chick popped its head out.
After
a health checkup and a night spent in ICU, the chick was placed in the shell of
a nonfertile egg Walker had saved from the previous year, and swapped for the
dummy egg in the parents’ nest box.
“The
chick was extremely mad and vocal, which is good,” Walker said. “I think Maluk
must have heard it vocalizing, because he came into the nest area right away
and started brooding. The chick seems to be doing well and is very active.”
Mo, a North American River Otter born at the Oregon Zoo in late January, took his first dip last week, but not without a lot of help from mom, Tilly. She initiated the swimming lesson by nudging Mo to the water's edge and then plunging in with a firm grip on the scruff of her pup's neck, just as otter moms do in the wild. Even though Tilly is a first-time mom, she has been doing all the right things for her pup, according to keepers.
"A lot of people don't realize it, but swimming doesn't come naturally to River Otter pups," said keeper Becca Van Beek. "They have to be taught to swim by their moms, and so far Tilly's been an amazing teacher. It might look kind of scary to a casual observer," Van Beek continued. "She'll grab Mo by the scruff of the neck and dunk him in the water. But that's a very natural behavior. Baby Otters are extremely buoyant, so Mo has built-in water wings! It's exactly what we've been hoping to see."
Now that the threat from fur trappers has declined, North American River Otters are once again relatively abundant in healthy river systems of the Pacific Northwest and the lakes and tributaries that feed them. Good populations exist in suitable habitat in northeast and southeast Oregon, but they are scarce in heavily settled areas, especially if waterways are compromised. Because of habitat destruction and water pollution, River Otters are considered rare outside the Pacific Northwest.
Photo Credit: Oregon Zoo/Shervin Hess
Upon baby-proofing the exhibit, zookeepers gave Tilly and Mo outdoor access during the mornings. The best time for zoo visitors to catch them is between 9:30 a.m. and noon, though the Otters don't always decide to venture out.
Mo, named for the Molalla River, is the first River Otter to be born at the Oregon Zoo. He weighed around 4 ounces at birth, but has been growing fast and now is approaching 5 pounds. Adult River Otters usually weigh 11 to 30 pounds. You can read more about Little Mo, see more pictures and another video of the pup from a past post HERE on ZooBorns.com.
After several weeks of consideration, keepers at the Oregon Zoo have settled on a name for the new baby River Otter. The pup will be called Molalla, or Mo for short, named after the Oregon river.
“A lot of North American zoo animals get their names from nations or cultures associated with their native habitats,” said Julie Christie, senior keeper for the zoo’s North America area. “For the River Otters, we like to choose names based on local waterways.”
Photo credits: Michael Durham / Oregon Zoo
Mo’s mother, Tilly — named after the Tillamook River — gave birth to the pup Jan. 28. The first River Otter to be born at the Oregon Zoo, Mo weighed just over 4 ounces at birth but has been enjoying mom’s naturally high-fat milk and growing fast. He now weighs more than 2 and 1/2 pounds.
Tilly and her baby have occupied a private, off-exhibit maternity den since the birth, but keepers say zoo visitors have shown a lot of interest in the new arrival even though they can’t see him yet.
See and learn more below the fold...
“A lot of people wrote in to offer congratulations and make suggestions for his name,” Christie said. “Several people liked the name Willy, short for Willamette. And one visitor suggested naming him Pudding, after a tributary of the Molalla. We thought that was pretty cute.”
River Otters are very dependent on their mothers when they’re born. It’s usually three to five weeks before young otters open their eyes, and about five weeks before they first walk. Surprisingly, swimming does not come naturally to otters — pups must be taught to swim by their mom.
Christie said Tilly is continuing to do all the right things as a new mom, and the animal-care staff has been as hands-off as possible; they have only quickly examined Mo when Tilly is taking a short break from mom duty.
“We give her access to the exhibit during the day,” Christie said. “But Tilly’s been very attentive and doesn’t spend too long away from Mo. We’re pretty sure the pup’s a male, but we can’t be positive until our vets conduct a more thorough exam. Either way, we think Molalla will be a good name. There are plenty of females named Mo too.”
Keepers are working to “baby proof” the Cascade Stream and Pond section of the zoo’s Great Northwest exhibit and make sure it’s safe for the young otter. If all goes well, zoo visitors will be able to see Tilly and Mo there in a few weeks. Until then, otter fans are encouraged to follow the zoo on Facebook and Twitter for updates.
Since both Tilly and the pup’s father, B.C., were born in the wild, they are considered genetically important for the breeding otter population in North American zoos. Both parents are rescue animals who had a rough start to life.
Tilly was found orphaned near Johnson Creek in 2009. She was about 4 months old, had been wounded by an animal attack and was seriously malnourished. Once her health had stabilized, Tilly came to the Oregon Zoo in a transfer facilitated by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, which oversees the species’ protection.
The pup’s father, B.C., was found orphaned near Star City, Ark., also in 2009. He was initially taken in by the Little Rock Zoo, but transferred here the following year as a companion for Tilly. The two otters hit it off quickly and have been playful visitor favorites ever since. (B.C. arrived at the Oregon Zoo with the name Buttercup; when he was little, keepers thought he was female.)
Now that the threat from fur trappers has declined, North American River Otters are once again relatively abundant in healthy river systems of the Pacific Northwest and the lakes and tributaries that feed them. Good populations exist in suitable habitat in northeast and southeast Oregon, but they are scarce in heavily settled areas, especially if waterways are compromised. Because of habitat destruction and water pollution, River Otters are considered rare outside the Pacific Northwest.
Metro, the regional government that manages the Oregon Zoo, has preserved and restored more than 90 miles of river and stream banks in the region through its voter-supported natural area programs. By protecting water quality and habitat, these programs are helping to provide the healthy ecosystems needed for otters, fish and other wildlife to thrive. River Otters are frequently observed in Metro region waterways.
Committed to conservation, the zoo is currently working to save endangered California Condors, Oregon Silverspot and Taylor’s Checkerspot Butterflies, Western Pond Turtles and Oregon Spotted Frogs. Other projects include studies on Asian Elephants, Polar Bears, Orangutans and Giant Pandas. Celebrating 125 years of community support, the zoo relies in part on donations through the Oregon Zoo Foundation to undertake these and many other animal welfare, education and sustainability programs.
Lily, the now two-month-old Asian Elephant at Oregon Zoo, is full of energy! And she expends it daily, running around her habitat and rolling in the dirt and hay, all joy in action. She was born on November 30, which you can read about HERE, and our follow-up HERE, when she turned one month old, on ZooBorns.
The Oregon Zoo is recognized worldwide for its successful
breeding program for Asian Elephants, which has now spanned 50 years. Lily's
grandmother, Me-Tu, was the second Elephant born at the zoo , and her great-grandmother, Rosy, was the first Elephant to live
in Oregon.
Photo Credit: Oregon Zoo
See how playful Lily has become on the video below:
A pair of young Cougar cubs found orphaned and starving near
Missoula, Montana briefly took up residence at the Oregon Zoo before being
transferred to a new, permanent home at Tennessee's Chattanooga Zoo.
Oregon Zoo keeper Michelle Schireman described the
5-month-old siblings, one male and one female, as "intensely cute, but far
from cuddly."
"The cubs are about as large as medium-sized dogs, with
paws as big as bread plates," Schireman said. "Without a mother,
young Cougars lack the skills and resources needed to survive on their own. They started eating right away the first
night they were here."
Photo Credits: Oregon Zoo
Montana wildlife officials said the pair had been seen
around the Missoula area over a period of several weeks, occasionally
attempting to raid poultry yards and with no mother in sight. They were
eventually captured inside a chicken coop by local residents, who took them to
Montana's Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) service.
Montana FWP officials quickly contacted Schireman, who
serves as the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' population manager for Cougars, and she worked to find them a home at the Chattanooga Zoo.
Wildlife officials don't know what happened to the cubs'
mother, but the two were emaciated when they were first rescued, Schireman
said. After two weeks at FWP, with good veterinary care and a steady food
supply, they filled out quite a bit. The male cub now weighs 37 pounds and the
female weighs 32.
Staff at the Chattanooga Zoo were excited to greet the
newcomers. "They have long history
of excellent care and had a space all ready for these cubs," Schireman
said.
Cougars — also known as mountain lions, pumas and (in
Florida) panthers — live mostly in the western United States and Canada. They
weigh from 75 to 150 pounds and have a carnivorous diet both in the wild and at
the zoo. Females are either pregnant or raising cubs for the majority of their
lives. After three months of gestation, two to three cubs are usually born in a
litter and live with their mother for up to two years.
With the exception of the Florida panthers, cougars are not
listed as endangered, but they do face many challenges in other parts of the
country due to human encroachment and habitat destruction.
Oregon Zoo's Asian Elephant calf Lily is a little over one month old and has been developing into a joyful, energetic little elephant. You may have read about the baby, born November 30, HERE on ZooBorns. Her public debut was on December 14, when, for limited hours, the public could see her sticking close to Mom Rose-Tu. But even then her personality was evident, earning her the description of a 'spitfire' by her keepers.
Since then, she has grown not only in size but in confidence. She is out for longer hours now with the herd and when not napping, can often be seen skipping, rolling around and playing. She totters in a signature way that has been captured in these stills and on the video below. But she knows she can always return to the safety found under the sturdy legs and bellies of the grown ups!
The long wait is over. Rose-Tu, an 18-year-old Asian Elephant, gave birth to a 300-pound female calf at the Oregon Zoo at 2:17 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 30.
“We’re all delighted at the arrival of Rose-Tu’s new calf,” said Kim Smith, Oregon Zoo director. “The calf is beautiful, healthy, tall and very vigorous. As soon as she hit the ground — before she was even out of the amniotic sac — she was wiggling. And she’s vocalizing loudly. The first time we heard her, the sound was so deep and loud that we thought it was one of the older elephants. She’s definitely got a great set of pipes, and it looks like she’s going to be a real pistol.”
Photo credit: Oregon Zoo
Learn more about this exciting birth below the fold...
Western Pond Turtles are making
a comeback, and these week-old hatchlings at the Oregon Zoo are destined to aid in the species’
recovery.
For more than two decades the
Oregon Zoo has been working to restore this species to its historic
range, which once extended from Baja California to Puget Sound. As a result, Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys
marmorata) numbers are on the rise. This
species, which can live up to 70 years, has been profoundly affected by the
construction of river dams, invasive plants, predation, and draining of
wetlands.
In 1990, the Western Pond
Turtle “head-starting” project was initiated, which accelerates turtles’
natural growth rates, and thus their ability to withstand predation. The Oregon
Zoo collaborates with Woodland Park Zoo and the Washington Department of Fish
and Wildlife. Other partners include Bonneville Power Administration and the
U.S. Forest Service.
Each spring, scientists count,
trap, mark and fit transmitters on adult females in the wild. In summer, the females are monitored and nest
sites are identified. Hatchlings are
collected in the fall to be cared for at the zoo. Juveniles, some of whom are fitted with
transmitters, are returned to the wild the following spring.
The first turtles released in
1991 in the Columbia River Gorge are reproducing and laying eggs in the wild.
Over the past two decades, approximately 1,500 turtles have been released, and
with good results: the gorge turtle population ranged from a low of 150 in 1990
to approximately 1,500 in 2011. Scientists tracking them estimate that 95
percent of the turtles released to sites in the Columbia River Gorge have
survived.
Photo Credits: Carli Davidson, courtesy of the Oregon Zoo (top photo) and Michael Durham, courtesy of the Oregon Zoo
The Oregon Zoo’s 12-year effort to save the endangered Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbit drew to a close on July 19, when the zoo released its last 14 breeding rabbits and their offspring at the Sagebrush Flat Wildlife Area in eastern Washington. The Pygmy Rabbit is America’s smallest native rabbit, weighing less than one pound when fully grown, and is the country’s only burrow-digging and sagebrush-climbing rabbit. The shy species is dependent on sagebrush, which makes up the majority of its diet and grows in deep, loose soil, where the rabbits dig burrows.
“We’ve helped give these rabbits a chance for survival, and now it’s time to send them off into the world,” said Michael Illig, Oregon Zoo animal curator. “Our hope is that they’ll continue to breed and establish a stable population at Sagebrush Flat. A strong Pygmy Rabbit population there will keep the local community involved and help preserve the habitat.”
The recovery program ends on a high note for these federally endangered bunnies. Nearly 30 kits were born under the Oregon Zoo’s watch this year. The rabbits, currently housed at the zoo’s Jonsson Center for Wildlife Conservation in rural Clackamas County, are headed for a six-acre transitional enclosure at Sagebrush Flat that will acclimate the animals to their surroundings, encourage breeding and protect them from predators. Rabbits recently released from the enclosure have been tracked and are successfully living in the area — a good indication for future population growth, according to Illig.
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