Clik here to view.
Penguins: The Coolest Birds
April 25 is World Penguin Day, making it the perfect time to ponder these astonishing birds. Why are penguins cool? Well, why wouldn’t they be? Let’s dive in and check it out. There are 18 different...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ladybug, Ladybug
As a little kid growing up in Seattle, springtime always held the expectation of longer, warmer days amidst blinding blue skies and a symphony of flower blooms. Along with the smell of fresh cut grass...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Side Track
There are more than 350 species of turtles and tortoises that share our planet. They are categorized into two groups, based on how their neck retracts. Most pull their neck straight in, but others...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hello, Bright Eyes
One evening last fall, as wildlife care specialist Breanne Murray brought the Safari Park gorilla troop inside for the night, she noticed something wasn’t quite right with the youngster of the troop,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Getting to Know Our Neighbors
Imagine you are hiking on a warm day in spring in the rocky foothills east of Escondido, in San Diego’s North County. Approaching a pile of granite boulders, you hear a sharp click. Then another:...
View ArticleClik here to view.
One Smart Girl
Under a full moon, just after the Zoo closed for the evening on February 8, 2020, female river hippo Funani gave birth to her most recent calf at the San Diego Zoo. Since then, this fast-growing baby...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Sand Cat
On a quiet morning at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Danielle Alifano, wildlife care specialist, opens the door along the back of the habitat and calls out to the inhabitant, who responds with a hiss....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Small but Mighty
Discovering that one of the Zoo’s koalas has a new joey in her pouch is always good news, and the koala team was happy to find out that was the case for female koala Beejay in July 2019. The situation...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Lemurs on the Brink
Last week, it was reported that 98 percent of lemurs are threatened with extinction, making them the most threatened mammal group on Earth. The threat to lemurs at this moment is so great that it is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Koi Surgery Goes Swimmingly
Most people probably think of a zoo veterinarian caring for giraffes, lions, and apes—and of course, we do. But sometimes, our patients are not large or furry. As a zoo vet, one of the things I really...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tiger, Tiger (Part I)
They are not apex predators for nothing. Tigers—the unmistakable fiery-orange, striped member of the genus Panthera—are the largest species of cat in the world. Depending on the species (those in the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tiger, Tiger (Part II)
San Diego Zoo Global is uniquely positioned to conserve threatened wildlife both in situ and ex situ. Wildlife at the Zoo and the Safari Park can provide critical clues to the behavior and ecology of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Pitter-patter, Flutter-flap
Big Baby Hooves In the Asian field habitat at the Safari Park, our greater one-horned rhino population grew by two. Mother rhinos Asha and Tanaya gave birth to their calves just over two weeks apart,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Peafowl Pride
Nothing struts its stuff like a peacock. The male’s dramatic display, raising and shimmying an iridescent, feathery fan of upper tail coverts for females, (or for anyone else strolling by) is a real...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The “Maned” Event
Lanky and lean, the mysterious, misnamed, and misunderstood wild dog of South America is a sight to behold. Though it resembles a red fox on stilts, it is not closely related to the vulpine family....
View ArticleClik here to view.
You’ve Got Meal!
Imagine: You need to feed one lion, two elephants, three sloths, four iguanas, five hummingbirds, AND an anteater. Do you go to your local pet store? Grocer? Use a delivery app on your phone? How and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Vultures: The Gastronic Marvel
Vultures are well-known for their scavenging lifestyle. They are “obligate scavengers,” which means that carrion is their primary food source. Almost all predators will scavenge, if necessary, but...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tiger beetles: Pint-sized Beach Predators
Those who frequent beaches know that with the gorgeous view comes washed-up kelp and insects that skitter across the sand as you approach. While it’s normal to simply call them flies and move on (as...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Step by Step
On the morning of April 8, 2020 we made an exciting discovery: a new egg in our Egyptian vulture nest! Not only was this exciting because Egyptian vultures are an endangered species, but this was also...
View ArticleClik here to view.
One Smart Girl
Under a full moon, just after the Zoo closed for the evening on February 8, 2020, female river hippo Funani gave birth to her most recent calf at the San Diego Zoo. Since then, this fast-growing baby...
View Article