#Oakland Zoo

[beardedmrbean]

Pagi the Sun Bear over at the Oakland Zoo bringing us the best of existential Tuesday

[hemorrhage]

Froggies at the Oakland Zoo!

[goodgrammaritan]

Oh to be a sun bear relaxing in a hammock

[23rdhunter]

Oakland Zoo, October 2022

(Pictured: White-Handed Gibbons, Siamang, Sun Bears, Red-Rumped Agouti, Hamadryas Baboon, Slender Tailed Meerkat)

[mizelaneus]

From Oakland Zoo: “Last month, Oakland Zoo and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife rescued an eight-month-old female tiger from private ownership. After performing an exam, CT scan, and bloodwork we found that Lily had ten pathological fractures, muscle atrophy in her legs, and a metabolic bone disease. These injuries happened during a critical period in her development and have prevented her from performing instinctual behaviors like running and climbing. Over the last few weeks, our team has provided Lily with specialized care and enrichment catering to her unique needs so she can regain her strength and mobility. As she continues to improve, we remain optimistic that she will make a near-full recovery under our care.”

[panicfable]

Oakland zoo 2024

[woodelf68]

From 1969 - 1989, this cast terrazzo hippo sculpture stood outside the entrance of the Hudson's department store in Oakland Mall in Troy, Michigan. The work of Russian-born artist Samuel Cashwan, and cast by Italian immigrant Aldo Bernardi, the sculpture entitled Sleeping Hippo was a replica of another that had been in Northland Mall since 1954. In 1989, the Dayton Hudson Co. donated the sculpture to the Detroit Zoo, where it stands outside the front gates to welcome visitors to this day and charm new generations of children, having benefited from some restoration work in 2012 to fill in cracks that had developed over the years. (source)

For @nostalgiamonth

[isra47]

[why-animals-do-the-thing]

I promised you some lions! Let's talk about manes, males, and management.

This is Tandie, the current male lion at the Woodland Park Zoo.

Notice anything odd about him? He's got one of those hilarious awkward teenager manes. Except... this cat is nine years old.

I was, of course, immediately curious.

Manes serve a lot of purposes for male lions, including being an indicator of health and fitness - it's actually a sexually selected trait and a social signal. Mane texture / hair quality / length is dependent on nutrition and the body having energy to grow (and carry around!) that much hair! The color is also a signal: males with darker manes have been found to have higher testosterone levels.

In one research report, wild males were much more likely to avoid a lion decoy when it had a longer or darker mane - but the girls really loved a dark mane. It's thought this is because a long, dark mane is an indicator of mate quality. Males with longer, darker manes have higher testosterone and were pretty healthy: meaning they had more energy for fighting, had a better chance of recovering if they got injured, and generally had a higher rate of offspring survival. Manes matter!

So, back to Tandie. He was actually born at the Woodland Park Zoo in 2014 alongside two brothers, to dad Xerxes and mother Adia.

This was Xerxes (rip).

Obviously, a very large, dark, lush mane on Xerxes here. So where did these blond muttonchops come from on his son?

I asked the zoo docents and got an answer that didn't make a lot of sense. They told me that after the three cubs grew into adolescents, they were moved to the Oakland Zoo together. But living together suppressed his testosterone, and he never grew a mane.

Hmmmm.

Here's a photo from 2016, when the brothers debuted at Oakland. They're a year and a half old in this photo.

(Photo Credit: Oakland Zoo)

And here's from an announcement for their third birthday.

(Photo credit: Oakland Zoo)

Okay, so these dudes obviously all were growing manes as of 2017. I think Tandie is the one on the left in the first photo, and laying down in the middle on the second. What happened?

I was just in the Bay Area for a zoo road trip, of course I went to Oakland and tracked down a docent to ask some questions.

It turns out that shortly after the brothers turned three, they started acting like adult male lions: they started scuffling regularly. It's a normal social thing for male lions to live in groups, called coalitions, but according to my lion experts there's generally a baseline level of some social jostling within them. It wasn't quite clear from what the docent said if they couldn't manage the boys together, or if they just wanted to avoid the scratches and small wounds that result from normal lion behavior. Regardless, they put all three of the boys on testosterone blockers in order to be able to keep them together as a social group.

Now, I don't know a lot about the use of hormone alteration as a form of captive animal management, except in the case of birth control. I don't think it's something that's unethical - there was just a webinar on it that I saw go by - but I don't think it's commonly done with big cats. Lions have kind of complicated reproductive cycles, and for instance, we've been learning that female lions can take much longer to come into estrus again than expected after coming off hormonal birth control.

In males, testosterone blockers (or being neutered) means they lose their manes. This is why a lot of rescues will do a vasectomy on their males instead of a neuter - it allows them to keep their mane and the social signals that accompany it.

Tandie returned home to Woodland Park Zoo after Xerxes passed in early 2022, and the docent told me all of the lions had been off their blockers "for while." I'd guess those things happened around the same time, since bringing the trio down to a duo at Oakland would reduce some of the social tensions.

Hormones are such interesting things, though. One of Tandie's brothers has a full mane again, and the other is still totally mane-less.

As for Tandie, his mane is growing back in, and it looks like he might rival his dad for length and coloration.

He started here, in February:

Yesterday:

What a difference four months (and maybe proximity to a girl) makes!

[feather-bone]

Spotted hyena! They’re very social animals and exhibit complex rituals for courtship, greeting, and dominance. Their vocalizations are pretty varied. Vocal communications include squeaks, whines, growls, whoops, chatter, and their characteristic nervous/excited “laughter”!

[ID: an illustration of a hyena facing to the left in a three quarter forward view. It is on a salmon pink background with bones and teeth. End.]

Check out these yeens from the Oakland Zoo!

[todaysbat]

Zoos you can see bats at:

last updated: july 27, 2024

Have a zoo to add? Please send an ask, submissions in replies and reblogs get lost amid the numerous notes this blog gets.

-This blog is not affiliated with any zoos listed here

-A question mark next to information indicates missing or unverified information (and send an ask if you can fill in or verify information, please)

-Please send an ask if there are broken links.

**Guide to Accreditation Organization abbreviations**

AZA: Association of Zoos and Aquariums

APGA: American Public Gardens Association

WAZA: World Association of Zoos and Aquariums

IMATA: International Marine Animal Trainers Association

HC: Humane Conservation

ZAA: either the Zoological Association of America or the Australasian Zoo and Aquarium Association

BIAZA: British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums

AMMPA: Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums

EAZA: European Association of Zoos and Aquaria

CAZA: Canadian Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (AZAC in French)

BGCI: Botanic Gardens Conservation International

AAM: American Alliance of Museums

**

**

Arizona (US)

Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (AZA) - Tucson - Pallid Bat? - https://www.desertmuseum.org/

**

Colorado (US)

Denver Zoo (AZA, WAZA, HC) - Denver - Common Vampire Bat - https://denverzoo.org/

**

California (US)

San Diego Zoo (AZA) - San Diego - Rodrigues Fruit Bat - https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/

Oakland Zoo (AZA) - Oakland - Island Flying Fox, Malayan Flying Fox - https://www.oaklandzoo.org/

**

Florida (US)

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (WAZA, AZA) - Jacksonville - Seba's short-tailed bat, Straw-colored fruit bat, Common Vampire Bat - https://www.jacksonvillezoo.org/

Lubee Bat Conservancy (AZA) - Gainesville - Malayan Flying Fox, Variable Flying Fox, African Straw-colored Fruit Bat, Rodrigues Flying Fox, Evening Bat, Little Golden-mantled Flying Fox, Indian Flying Fox, Gray-headed Fruit Bat - https://www.lubee.org/

Animal Kingdom at Disney World (AZA) - Orlando - Malayan Flying Fox - https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/destinations/animal-kingdom/

Zoo Tampa/Lowry Park Zoo (AZA, WAZA) - Tampa - Malayan Flying Fox, Straw-colored fruit bat - https://zootampa.org/

**

Idaho (US)

Zoo Boise (AZA) - Boise - Indian Flying Fox, Ruwenzori Long-haired Fruit Bat - https://zooboise.org/

**

Illinois (US)

Brookfield Zoo (HC, AZA) - Brookfield - Rodrigues Fruit Bat - https://www.czs.org/Brookfield-ZOO/Home.aspx

Lincoln Park Zoo (AZA) - Chicago - Egyptian Fruit Bat - https://www.lpzoo.org/

**

Kansas (US)

Sedgwick County Zoo (WAZA, AZA) - Wichita - Indian Flying Fox - https://scz.org/

Topeka Zoo (AZA, WAZA) - Topeka - Indian Flying Fox - https://topekazoo.org/

**

Kentucky (US)

Louisville Zoo (AZA) - Louisville - Common Vampire Bat, Rodrigues Fruit Bat - https://louisvillezoo.org/

**

Louisiana (US)

Audubon Zoo (AZA) - New Orleans - Seba's short-tailed bat, Common vampire bat - https://audubonnatureinstitute.org/zoo

BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo (AZA?) - Baton Rouge - Indian Flying Fox - Currently in the process of regaining AZA accrediation, expecting an update in Spring 2024 - https://brzoo.org/

**

Massachusetts (US)

Capron Park Zoo (AZA) - Attleboro - Rodrigues Fruit Bat, Indian Flying Fox - https://capronparkzoo.com/

Franklin Park Zoo (AZA) - Boston - Straw-colored Fruit Bat - https://www.zoonewengland.org/franklin-park-zoo/

Stone Zoo (AZA) - Stoneham - Seba's short-tailed bat - https://www.zoonewengland.org/stone-zoo/

**

Michigan (US)

Detroit Zoo (AZA, WAZA) - Royal Oak - Straw-colored fruit Bat - https://detroitzoo.org/

**

Maryland (US)

Maryland Zoo (AZA) - Baltimore - Seba's Short-tailed Bat - https://www.marylandzoo.org/

**

Minnesota (US)

Minnesota Zoo (AZA, WAZA, IMATA) - Apple Valley - Egyptian Fruit bat, Straw-colored fruit bat, Long-haired fruit bat - https://mnzoo.org/

**

Nebraska (US)

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium (AZA, WAZA) - Omaha - Short-tailed Fruit Bat, Common Vampire Bat, Egyptian Flying Fox - https://www.omahazoo.com/

**

New York (US)

Bronx Zoo (AZA) - Bronx - Rodrigues Fruit Bat - https://bronxzoo.com/

Prospect Park Zoo (AZA) - Brooklyn - Rodrigues Fruit Bat - https://prospectparkzoo.com/

Central Park Zoo (AZA) - New York City - Short-tailed Fruit Bat, Rodrigues Fruit Bat - https://centralparkzoo.com/

**

North Carolina (US)

North Carolina Zoo (AZA) - Asheboro - Common Vampire Bat - https://www.nczoo.org/

**

Ohio (US)

Akron Zoo (AZA, APGA) - Akron - Rodrigues Fruit Bat, Seba's Short-tailed Bat, Straw-colored fruit bat - https://www.akronzoo.org/

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden (AZA, BGCI) - Cincinnati - Indian Flying Fox, Common Vampire Bat - https://cincinnatizoo.org/

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (AZA, ZAA, AMMPA) - Powell - Large Flying Fox - https://www.columbuszoo.org/

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (AZA) - Cleveland - Straw-colored Fruit bat, Egyptian Fruit Bat - https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/zoo

**

Oklahoma (US)

Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Gardens (AZA, BGCI, AAM) - Oklahoma City - Seba’s Short-tailed Bat - https://www.okczoo.org/

**

Oregon (US)

Oregon Zoo (AZA, WAZA) - Portland - Rodrigues Fruit Bat, Straw-colored Fruit bat - https://www.oregonzoo.org/

**

Pennsylvania (US)

National Aviary (AZA) - Pittsburgh - Malayan Flying Fox - https://www.aviary.org/

Philadelphia Zoo (AZA) - Philadelphia - Rodrigues Fruit Bat, Common Vampire Bat - https://www.philadelphiazoo.org/

Pittsburgh Zoo (ZAA, HC, AMMPA) - Pittsburgh - Jamaican Fruit Bat - https://www.pittsburghzoo.org/

**

Texas (US)

Cameron Park Zoo (AZA) - Waco - Jamaican Fruit Bat - https://www.cameronparkzoo.com/

Dallas World Aquarium (AZA, WAZA) - Dallas - Common Vampire bat, Seba's Short-tailed bat - https://dwazoo.com/

Houston Zoo (AZA) - Houston - Seba's Short-tailed Bat - https://www.houstonzoo.org/

**

Tennessee (US)

Memphis Zoo (AZA, WAZA) - Memphis - Common Vampire Bat, Seba's Short-tailed Bat, Egyptian Fruit Bat, Bulldog Bat - https://www.memphiszoo.org/

**

Utah (US)

Hogle Zoo (WAZA, AZA) - Salt Lake City - Species? - https://www.hoglezoo.org/

**

Virginia (US)

Metro Richmond Zoo (ZAA) - Moseley - Straw-colored Fruit bat, Indian flying fox - https://metrorichmondzoo.com/

**

Wisconsin (US)

Henry Vilas Zoo (AZA, WAZA) - Madison - Seba's Short tailed bat - https://www.henryvilaszoo.gov/

Milwaukee County Zoo (AZA) - Milwaukee - Common Vampire Bat, Straw-colored Fruit Bat - https://milwaukeezoo.org/

Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary - Green Bay - Not a zoo, included here because they are open to the public; it is the largest park in the Green Bay Park System and the home of the second largest wildlife rehabilitation program in the state; Accreditation unclear, Sanctuary is run by the city government - Various species native to the area - https://greenbaywi.gov/1418/Bay-Beach-Wildlife-Sanctuary

**

Washington (US)

NO LONGER ANY BATS ON EXHIBIT IN ANY ZOOS IN THIS STATE

**

United Kingdom

Northumberland Zoo (BIAZA) - Morpeth, Northumberland - Livingstone’s Fruit Bat - https://www.northumberlandzoo.co.uk/

Chester Zoo (BIAZA, WAZA, EAZA) - Upton-by-Chester, Cheshire - Rodrigues Fruit Bat - https://www.chesterzoo.org/

West Midland Safari and Leisure Park (BIAZA, EAZA) - Bewdley, Worchestershire - Rodrigues fruit bat, Seba's short-tailed bat - https://www.wmsp.co.uk/

Jersey Zoo (BIAZA) - Jersey - Livingstone's Fruit Bat - https://www.durrell.org/visit-jersey-zoo/

ZSL London Zoo (EAZA, BIAZA) - London, England - Rodrigues fruit bat - https://www.londonzoo.org/

**

Australia

Taronga Zoo (ZAA) - Sydney, New South Wales - Ghost Bat - https://taronga.org.au/sydney-zoo

Perth Zoo (ZAA, WAZA) - Perth, Western Australia - Ghost Bat - https://perthzoo.wa.gov.au/

Tolga Bat Hospital - Atherton, Queensland - Not a zoo, they are included here because they do tours of their facilities; They are accredited by different organizations than zoos. - Various species native to Australia - https://tolgabathospital.org/

**

Czechia

Prague Zoo (EAZA) - Prague, Czechia - Straw colored fruit bat - https://www.zoopraha.cz/en

**

Canada

Toronto Zoo (AZA) - Toronto, Ontario - Straw-colored fruit bat - https://www.torontozoo.com/

Biodôme (CAZA, WAZA, AZA) - Montreal, Quebec - Jamaican Fruit bat, Seba's Short-tailed bat, Pallas's Long-tongued bat - https://espacepourlavie.ca/en/biodome

Vancouver Aquarium (AZA, CAZA, AMMPA, HC) - Vancouver, British Columbia - Jamaican Fruit Bat - https://www.vanaqua.org/

Assiniboine Park Zoo (AZA, WAZA, CAZA) - Winnipeg, Manitoba - Seba's Short-tailed Bat, Indian Flying Fox - https://www.assiniboinepark.ca/zoo/visit/hours-and-rates

**

Croatia

Zoo Zagreb (EAZA?) - Zagreb - Egyptian Fruit Bat - https://zoo.hr/english/

**

[beardedmrbean]

The kittens over at the Oakland zoo look to be doing quite well

[newromesweirdest]

Octavian Relationship Headcanons - PJO/HoO

Yep, we're going *there*. I suddenly had some inspiration and decided to go for it. You can either interpret this as general headcanons or as a x reader, whichever you prefer!

Headcanons below the cut :)

Octavian has probably never been in a relationship, so once he does get into one.....oh boy......prepare for the awkwardness. He doesn't live under a rock so he knows how flirting works in principle, but he's rarely done it, so he's definitely awkward and I can almost guarantee that he stumbles over his words a LOT at first.

Has Octavian ever kissed anyone? Probably not, unless it was a game of Spin the Bottle and he entered on a dare or was forced to be there. Considering this, I feel like he would be over the moon when he finally gets to kiss his s/o for the first time. He is also probably bright red throughout the entire thing, but that has nothing to do with the kiss and it's obviously just due to the heat or the cold, or so he would say....

Once Octavian and his s/o have their first kiss, I feel like he goes a little feral. I'm talking constant kisses when they're in private. Octavian is in the temple and he has just finished reading the auspices when his s/o walks in? It's time for kisses with a side of polyester stuffing. Octavian and his s/o take a rare trip away from Camp Jupiter to go on a real date in Oakland? Citizens of Oakland, prepare to witness PDA. Octavian and his s/o find a moment of peace after a war game? Roman armor kisses.

However, does PDA occur in the eyes of Camp Jupiter? Absolutely not! I think that Octavian would be too skittish for that at first, and then soon it morphs into a habit, and later it becomes a sort of "professionalism" thing. However, Octavian totally goes to his s/o for comfort throughout the day, whether it be after a stressful Senate meeting or a draining prophecy.

A personal headcanon of mine is that Octavian occasionally sleeps in the temple, especially when New Rome is facing conflict and the prophecies and omens are rolling in. Octavian is essentially a divine mailman, and sometimes the mail gets a bit overwhelming, so I can totally see him camping out in the temple in case a late night "message" comes in.

After Octavian and his s/o have been together for a while, his s/o sometimes joins him in his "temple camping adventure." They probably store a few folding cots or an air mattress in a quiet corner of the temple, and they camp in the shadows close to the altar. His s/o definitely gets some weird looks from the other campers after that, so they had better be prepared to face the camp at the next meal or training exercise.

I feel like despite Octavian's wealth, he probably takes his s/o on "cheaper" dates (fast food, movies, beach trips, zoos). Octavian gave so much of his childhood to the legion, and I feel like he would yearn for "teenage" experiences, so he and his s/o go on a lot of cutesy, silly adventures.

However, if his s/o did want a fancier date, Octavian definitely knows the nicest restaurants in the area and will 100% book an expensive reservation at the drop of a hat.

I have a very specific idea of what Octavian would do for an anniversary, and I feel like he would take his s/o to a fancy restaurant, followed by something simpler like a trip to the San Francisco zoo. Fancy and simple! The best of the both worlds!

If they are both able to get away from their duties in New Rome, Octavian and his s/o occasionally borrow one of the legion's SUVs and go on a joy ride around Oakland. It drives Reyna up a wall, but she does allow it on occasion.

Overall, I think Octavian would be awkward but very sweet in a relationship. He can be a manipulative public speaker and a vicious politician, but he does have a heart and I think deep down he yearns to have someone who understands and truly supports him. Octavian is 100% a mushy romantic at heart and I will take no criticism on this one.

About a month into the relationship, Octavian is obsessively reading auspices while trying to figure out if he and his s/o are soulmates. 100% makes sacrifices to Venus before going on a date, and he's definitely putting all of his hope into this being a long-term thing.

Octavian believes in soulmates

[animalsandanimals]

“Two very young, orphaned mountain lion siblings were rescued and transported to the Oakland Zoo yesterday morning by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.” Both kittens are female and approximately 6-10 weeks old. Their mother had been hit and killed by a car.

zooborns.com Nov 15, 2023

[stabbyfoxandrew]

Mer roadtrip? They have just met each other and I am frothing at the bit to see where you take it text (I love it)

-💖💖

WIP Wednesday (7/3) | Mer Roadtrip AU (Part 36)

“Santa Monica.” Andrew repeats. Until now, he hadn’t had a clue where he was. All he knew was he was far from Las Angeles, farther from Oakland. And across the country from his home.

“Yeah,” Gray Shirt says. “What did you do, run the whole way?”

“Most of it.” Andrew answers. Running has never been a strong suit, but when properly motivated Andrew can fucking move. Oh and he stole a skateboard that was on someone's porch steps. That helped.

“Are you going to tell me how you got away?”

With a sigh, Andrew rolls onto his stomach again, twisting his tail until his spine pops, then starts to doodle in the wet sand with a clawed finger as he speaks.

“My captor had no idea walkers existed, let alone that I was one. So I bided my time and waited for an opening. A few weeks ago, he threw himself a party for all his asshole friends. I was the main attraction. Imagine! A real, live merman swimming in the pool for all to point and gawk at. Why, it was the event of the summer!” Andrew snarls as memories of that day flash through his mind. 

“Sounds terrible.” Jean Shorts says. It’s an understatement.

“It was.” Andrew agrees miserably. Dozens of strangers all chittering about how pretty his tail was, how beautiful his hair looked, how they wished they had a tank of their own… People taking selfies near the pool with him in the background, trying to get him to pose with them-

“What happened?”

“I waited for a distraction.” Andrew says, as if he wasn’t the one who created it. Really, he got lucky. Because, finally, someone got too close. Some idiot woman held out an hors d'oeuvre to him as if he were a goat at a petting zoo. Andrew remembers the screaming. A loud splash. Water turning red. 

Perhaps they should’ve muzzled him, he thinks, running his tongue over his teeth.

“What kind of distraction?” asks Dirty Red Shoes.

Andrew swallows. “A woman got drunk. She fell into the pool. While everyone’s eyes were on her I changed, slipped out of the water, and escaped through the house. And he we are.”

“All that, naked?” Freckle Boy says, looking unconvinced. Andrew doesn't blame him. It would be quite a feat.

“Not completely. I stole a beach towel off one of the pool chairs on the way out. It’s buried up there,” Andrew says, pointing to the heaped up sand at the cave’s entrance.

“And… You’ve just been here ever since?”

“Pretty much.” Andrew says with a sigh. He’s left the cave exactly twice, wrapped in that ugly towel. Once to make the sign and once to rummage through unattended beach bags looking for money.

He’d managed to get score twenty bucks that day, but he also got caught and chased by an irate mother of three. So he didn’t try again. And the twenty didn’t last long. Maybe he shouldn't have blown it on a pack of cigarettes, a Mountain Dew, and several gas station hot dogs.

[fledglingdoodles]

Drew a quick ‘gator at the Oakland Zoo today :)