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Baby Elephant Born Amid Drama

It’s the birth announcement the Portland, Oregon area was waiting for: Portland Zoo elephant Rose-Tu gave birth to a 286 pound male on August 23rd after thirty-one hours of labor. The Portland Zoo posted updates on Rose-Tu as she went through labor, starting early in the day on Friday the 22nd. When labor officially began, volunteers started monitoring mama on video monitors. They kept an eye on things (and kept updating the Portland Zoo website) throughout the day and night — keepers, vets, volunteers, and media folks all kept the vigil. Rose-Tu’s water broke around 11:30am on Saturday the 23rd. … Continue reading →

The Pets Blog Week in Review for December 31 – January 6

Last week Aimee and I said goodbye to 2007 and welcomed 2008. Here’s how we did it. Monday, December 31 The Top Pets Blogs of 2007: January – May A breakdown of which blogs you, Dear Reader, liked most. The Top Pets Blogs of 2007: June – December The continuation of the above for the back half of the year. Tuesday, January 1 Resolutions for a Yappy New Year I listed the goals I want to accomplish both professionally and personally. Survivors of Melamine Poisoning What happened to the pets who survived last year’s Menu Foods debacle? Aimee wrote a … Continue reading →

Elephant Anatomy Facts

My new fascination with elephants continues. Here are some interesting things I’ve learned about elephant anatomy! The trunk is pretty amazing. It is actually an extension of the upper lip of the elephant. The shape and length varies from one elephant to another — some have trunks that reach the ground and some don’t. The tip of the trunk is a very sensitive organ that is used much like humans use their hands. The trunk is used for picking up objects but is also used for breathing, sucking up water, and spraying water to cool the body. Imagine if you … Continue reading →

Tiger-Sniffing Dogs Go to Work in Cambodia

As recently as a hundred years ago, Asia had a tiger population numbering around one hundred thousand. These days, there may be as few as five thousand tigers in the wild. Researchers are hoping to find signs of a tiger presence in one of Cambodia’s largest nature reserves — Seima Biodiversity Conservation Area. The last time anyone saw evidence of tigers in the park was in 2007, when a paw print was found. Surveys and camera traps failed to find any sign of the big cats in 2008. Now it’s time for Cambodia to turn to the dogs for help. … Continue reading →

What’s Up with Zoos Considering Evicting Their Residents?

This week there’s been some disturbing stories in the news about zoos considering evicting some of their residents. In particular, the Los Angeles Zoo might evict it’s only elephant, Billy, and the Berlin Zoo is considering ousting what only two years ago was its superstar attraction, Knut the polar bear. Bye Bye Billy? Poor Billy is the center of one heck of a controversy and he doesn’t even know it. It all started when the Los Angeles Zoo started construction on a new enclosure for Billy. Nay, it was to be more than an “enclosure.” It was going to be … Continue reading →

Your Cat’s Tongue

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What does your cat’s tongue feel like? Sandpaper? Little pins? Unlike a dog’s tongue, a cat’s tongue has some very special features. A cat’s tongue has a special area in the center. In the center of your cat’s tongue are papillae — little hooked, hair-like growths that face towards the back of the mouth. These strong hooks are made from keratin (the same stuff found in human fingernails). What are papillae used for? Self-grooming. The hooks help clean and separate the cat’s fur. This doesn’t mean your cat won’t appreciate some help with grooming sometimes! Brushing your cat can help … Continue reading →

The Biggest Shadow in the Zoo – Jack Kent

“The Biggest Shadow in the Zoo” is the story of Goober, a circus elephant who thinks he’s very special. He lives on an a little island with a moat around it, but there’s another reason he thinks he’s special. Every day, children paid ten cents to ride on a box strapped to his back. That was pretty cool, but that wasn’t the only thing that made him special. As Goober looked around at the other animals, he noticed they all had shadows shaped like themselves. His shadow was the biggest of them all, and that is why he thought he … Continue reading →