Camera Critters: Babies!

I've been visiting the Houston Zoo while the weather is cooperating --

not too hot or too cool.

My first stop is always the Chilean Flamingo habitat to see the flamingo chicks.

"When I grow up, I want to look just like you!"

"Hey, look at me! I can stand on one leg, too. Yoga, flamingo style."

"Come on in. The water is fine."

It is so exciting to see the flamingo chicks.

You can read more about the flamingo habitat and the changes that were made here.

A big thank you to Misty for hosting Camera Critters each week.

Wishing all of YOU well and much joy.

Just Look At That Face!

Just look at that face!

I bet you are smiling.

I've been waiting for years to get a decent photo of the Golden Lion Tamarins.

Their move into the Natural Encounters building allowed me to finally get that shot.
Breakfast had just been served.

Lion tamarins take their name from their impressive manes.

The Golden Lion Tamarin my be the most beautiful of the four lion tamarin species.

Critically endangered, the tamarins live in Brazil's coastal rain forests.

These rain forests are disappearing due to ever-expanding logging, agriculture,

and industry.

Thanks to Misty for hosting Camera Critters each week.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Have a fun filled weekend.

To my Canadian friends: Happy Thanksgiving weekend!

Camera Critters: Jaguar

After a big meal, there is nothing like a nap!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Camera Critters: Cougar

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Camera Critters: Ivy

This is Ivy, the black leopard living at the Houston Zoo.

Ivy is a beautiful lady.

Like many older women, she has bad joints.

She recently had stem cell therapy to treat her joint disease.

Thank you to Misty for hosting Camera Critters.

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a fun filled weekend.

Chilean Flamingos

Today I'm taking you to the Houston Zoo and the newly refurbished
Chilean Flamingo Habitat.

The Chilean Flamingo pool and waterfall opened in 1926 and it became
the centerpiece of what was then the Zoo's main entrance.
At the time, the exhibit and pool design were state-of-the-art for zoo exhibits.
Failing infrastructure of the pool, new innovations in avian husbandry
and a desire to enhance guest viewing of the flamingos prompted the recent decision
to perform a complete renovation of the area.

The updated space features a 20,000 gallon filtered pool, 

a separate feeding pool,

new animal holding facilities,

and lush new vegetation. 

The renovated habitat also includes a large nesting island that

will allow the Zoo's flock of flamingos to grow into the future.

The original exhibit concrete decorative work was designed and built by

Mexican-American artist Dionicio Rodriguez.

Mr. Rodriguez specialized in "faux bois" artwork, which is the use of cement to create

the look of wood.

During the renovation of the Zoo's flamingo exhibit, 

the artificial trees that were designed and built by Mr. Rodriguez have been cleaned and repaired.

I hope you enjoyed this visit to the Chilean Flamingos at the Houston Zoo.

Detailed information about the Flamingo exhibit provided by WILDLIFE published by the Houston Zoo.

Thank you to Misty for hosting

and to Mary for Mosaic Monday.

Thanks for stopping by.

Wishing YOU well and much joy.

Splash Time!

I've spent a wee bit of time at the zoo lately -- especially with the Asian Elephants.

This is Mithai.

She celebrated her 44th birthday earlier in May.

She is the matriarch of the herd and spends a lot of time keeping the youngsters in line.

A little Spa time before dealing with the kids.

Mithai with Baylor.

He gets a little rambunctious and picks on little Tupelo.

Mithai decided Baylor should just stay in the pool!

Splash time!

Tess (Tupelo's Mom) and Shanti (Baylor's Mom) let Mithai discipline Baylor.

Looks like fun!

Baylor really does think he is the star of the show.

He is named after the Baylor College of Medicine.

BCM and the Houston Zoo have joined together to do research on the

Elephant Herpes Virus which is deadly to Asian Elephants in captivity and in the wild.

They've made progress -- especially in finding new treatments. 

Thank you to Mary for hosting Mosaic Monday

and to Misty for the wonderful Camera Critters.

Thanks for visiting and don't forget to check out my

Blog-O-Birthday celebration.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Camera Critters: Crowned Lemur

I had a lovely time at the zoo's Spring Fling despite the cloudy weather.

It didn't really rain -- it spitted. 

The primates were the featured species that morning.

I love visiting the lemurs.

They are always entertaining!

Mrs. Lemur

"There's the crazy woman with the camera .... again."

"Quick -- turn your back."

"Maybe she'll go away."

Mr. Lemur

The crowned lemur is found in  the dry deciduous forests of northern Madagascar. Its diet is made up mostly of flowers, fruits and leaves. It is a medium-sized lemur with a distinctive chestnut-orange crown pattern on their head. They have pseudo-opposable thumbs, binocular vision, are highly intelligent and are on the endangered threatened list. The forests in Madagascar are being destroyed by mining, farming and some lemurs are killed for food or kept as pets. 

Thank you to Misty for hosting Camera Critters for 5 years!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Happy Easter!

Camera Critters: Okapi

I've previously shared with you the beautiful Okapi at the Houston Zoo.
Not long ago, I was fortunate enough to meet Kwame in a behind the scenes tour.

The Okapi has always been my favorite animal at the zoo.

It is a beautiful and unusual looking animal.
Shy, graceful, magical!

With the stripes (great camouflage) the Okapi looks like he might be related to the zebra.
Looking at his face, you can see the resemblance to the giraffe and indeed,
the Okapi is the only living relative of the giraffe.
Like the giraffe, the Okapi has big ears (better to hear you coming) and a long dark prehensile tongue.
The tongue feels like sandpaper -- great for stripping leaves from trees,
not so great for kissing humans!
The tongue is long enough to clean his eyelids and ears!
Only the males have the horns (ossicones).

They are a solitary and shy animal.
Their home is the dense Ituri Rainforest in the Congo.
Their fur feels like velvet and is also quite oily providing them with a natural raincoat.
Petting an Okapi will turn your hand red from the oil on the coat.

They are a threatened animal and I can't imagine Mother Earth without this gorgeous creature.

Thank you to Misty for hosting Camera Critters.

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a magical weekend!

Teddy

As you know, Teddy is the man of the house now.

He will be nine years old soon.

On his annual exam earlier this month the vet found a heart murmur.

Further testing shows that Teddy has HCM - hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

HCM causes the heart muscle to thicken making moving the blood more difficult.

It is the most common heart disease found in cats - especially in middle aged male cats -

just like Teddy.

There is no cure for HCM.

It can be treated - in Teddy's case with a beta blocker.

Hopefully, Teddy will be with me and the girls several more years.

He will be checked by his vet every 3 months.

He Came

He Purred

He Conquered all the hearts in this house.

Let this be a reminder.

Be sure you take your pet to the vet annually,

and, as they get older consider visits every 6 months.

Teddy and I wish YOU well and much joy!

Camera Critters: Mina

Doesn't Mina look sweet and innocent?!!! 

She likes her *house*.

It's a good place to hide and wait for her brother and sister to pass by.

Then -- watch the fur fly!!!!!

Thank you to Misty for hosting Camera Critters.

Wishing you well and much joy!

Camera Critters: Methai

Asian Elephant - Eye of Methai -- Houston Zoo


"I often ask myself at what point can a man and a beast that cannot talk recognize each other.
From the early paradise, at the dawn of creation, runs the path where their hearts meet.
Although their connection has long been forgotten,
traces of their continuing association has not been erased.
And, suddenly, in a wordless harmony,
a dim memory awakens and the beast looks on the face of the man with tender trust
and the man casts his eyes upon the beast with an amused tenderness.
It is as if two friends, both wearing masks, meet
and vaguely recognize each other through their disguises."
~ Rabindranath Tagore

Wishing YOU well and much joy.

Camera Critters: Celesto

Celesto was born at the Houston Zoo in 1990 to parents Bruno and Kili 

who arrived at the zoo with a third lion, Lindi, after being confiscated by authorities 

from a Kansas farm.

 

Earlier this week, at 22 years of age, Celesto passed away from kidney disease.

She was among the oldest lions in the country.

Lions in zoos generally live into their late teens.

Her health had been declining over the last few years.

Knowing that her time was limited,

the zoo started a successful search for young lionesses to be added to the lion family.

Jonathan has three girls to keep him company.

But, I'm sure, like us all -- he will miss Celesto. 

Celesto was feisty and strong-willed.

Jonathan is the King, and Celesto was the Queen.

She ruled wisely and well.

A big thank you to Misty for hosting Camera Critters.

Camera Critters: Mina

You may remember that I adopted Mina from a local no kill shelter.

Every few months Friends for Life sends an email to me asking how she is doing.

I run around with the camera and take pictures of the little Princess

and send them off with a report that states 

"she has pretty much taken over the house".

Here are a few of the latest Mina shots.

Mina stretching

Mina sleeping/cat napping ... NOT!

I'm convinced she can hear the camera lens cover coming off even in her sleep!

Mina sitting on her favorite lapghan -- the Black Cat!

A big thanks to Misty for hosting Camera Critters each week.

Okay, Mina. Time to go nap!

You did such a good job this morning supervising Mummy while she worked in the back yard.

Have to take advantage of the cool mornings.

Tomorrow summer will be back!