Many of you may be familiar with the story of Christian the lion, a YouTube sensation (and if you’re not, you really should see it). This Saturday, September 26 at 8pm ET/PT, the National Geographic Channel is showcasing several heartwarming stories about animal bonds, including the tale of Christian the lion, in its program, Unlikely Animal Friends.
The one-hour special will also feature an orangutan and a hound dog, a tortoise and a hippo, a cat and a crow, an elephant and a dog, and more.
The German town of Munster is the home of newly-born female rhinoceros. The unnamed baby rhino was at risk of being killed by her mother, who killed her previous two babies. Minutes after birth, the mother rhino acted aggressive toward the baby. This prompted the zoo staff to intervene and the decision was made to hand raise her. Baby rhinos need near constant help; they are fed gallons of milk each day and need to be stroked and given physical contact.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority is launching a new program to help raise funds and awareness for the very endangered mountain gorilla.
Starting this Saturday, September 26, you can friend or follow specific gorillas living in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest on Facebook or Twitter for a minimum donation of $1. You will get updates on your gorilla friend(s), including photos, videos, and GPS coordinates – all data gathered by actual trackers that visit the gorillas daily.
According to Lillian Nsubuga, a spokeswoman for the Uganda Wildlife Authority, “For people who think Uganda is a village in Kenya or have only ever heard of the country because of (former dictator) Idi Amin, we want to create a new, more beautiful image. We’re hoping that the online fans will one day come to Uganda to meet their gorilla friends for real.”
On September 13, Busch Gardens welcomed a baby bongo, an antelope native to the rainforests of Africa. This particular subspecies of bongo, the Eastern Mountain bongo, is considered critically endangered by the IUCN, with an estimated population of only 75-140 individuals alive in the wild.
Last month, the Hogle Zoo, in Utah, proudly announced the birth of a female baby elephant. This week they have announced the baby’s name. After voting by residents of Utah the name Zuri was chosen. Zuri means “beautiful” in Swahili.
A team from the BBC has found the largest rat species in the world while filming an expedition in Papua New Guinea. These rats are 82 cm long and 1.5 kg, making them the largest true rats in the world. They are related to rats found in cities all over the world.
Currently the rat is being called the Bosavi Wooly Rat, named for the Bosavi Crater where it was found. The rat has not been officially given a scientific name.
The expedition found many other species unique to Bosavi Crater. The crater is in Mount Bosavi, an extinct volcano deep in the island of Papua New Guinea. The isolation of the crater has lead to the a wide variety of species found only there.
For more information and to watch a video, visit BBC.com.
To view additional photos of the animals found in the crater, visit The Daily Mail.
The town of Chatham, MA, on Cape Cod, has restricted swimming on its beaches after sightings of several great white sharks. The sharks may have disappointed beach-goers hoping for one last weekend in the water, but they have excited scientists hoping to study the behavior of the sharks.
Scientists were able to affix tags on two of the sharks, marking only the second and third time such a feat was accomplished. The tags will record the sharks’ locations, the temperature of the water, and the amount of light every ten minutes. This data will be recorded until January when the tags will pop off and float to the surface. Once at the surface the tags will send the recorded information to scientists.
The information may prove valuable in understanding the migratory habits of great white sharks.
To read more about the sharks in Chatham at the Boston Herald.
The Krakow Zoo in Poland is proud to display a new litter of fennec foxes. These north African natives are the smallest species of fox in the world. Their big ears and small bodies make them favorites of zoo-goers around the globe.
Their large ears play a role in helping them regulate heat in their native desert habitats. The ears allow excess heat to be released from the foxes bodies to help cool them down.
The Binder Park Zoo, in Battle Creek, Michigan, has recently welcomed two baby giraffes. The two male giraffes were born last month only two days apart. The baby boys are the first giraffes born at the zoo and the first born in Michigan in 16 years.
The first of the two was six feet tall and 137 lbs at birth. The second was slightly smaller at 5 feet 6 inches tall and 116 lbs. This calf will be hand raised because his mother was unable to properly care for him.
When fully grown the giraffes will reach up to 18 feet. They live for about 25 years.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority is launching a new program to help raise funds and awareness for the very endangered mountain gorilla.
A team from the BBC has found the largest rat species in the world while filming an expedition in Papua New Guinea. These rats are 82 cm long and 1.5 kg, making them the largest true rats in the world. They are related to rats found in cities all over the world.
Scientists were able to affix tags on two of the sharks, marking only the second and third time such a feat was accomplished. The tags will record the sharks’ locations, the temperature of the water, and the amount of light every ten minutes. This data will be recorded until January when the tags will pop off and float to the surface. Once at the surface the tags will send the recorded information to scientists.
The Krakow Zoo in Poland is proud to display a new litter of fennec foxes. These north African natives are the smallest species of fox in the world. Their big ears and small bodies make them favorites of zoo-goers around the globe.
The Binder Park Zoo, in Battle Creek, Michigan, has recently welcomed two baby giraffes. The two male giraffes were born last month only two days apart. The baby boys are the first giraffes born at the zoo and the first born in Michigan in 16 years.
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