We have our share of endangered species here at the museum: Red Wolves, Ring-Tailed and Red Ruffed lemurs all fall into that category. All three are pretty well known so I thought I would introduce you to a lesser known species: the Pangolin! The Pangolin is a mammal covered in overlapping scales made from keratin. They are often called the “scaly anteater!” There are eight different species of pangolin all of which are endangered. They can be foundRead more
Posts filed in: Education
2015- AAZK Rummage Sale
In years past I have posted about our Rummage Sale that we have for AAZK. This year is no different! The sale will be held Saturday May 23, 2015 from 7am until 11am at the NC Museum of Life and Science Picnic Dome at 433 Murray Ave, Durham NC 27704. If you would like to donate any items for the sale please come to the NC Museum of Life and Science Picnic Dome on Friday May 22 from 5pm toRead more
Ferrets
If you have read our blog for any extended amount of time, you will notice we have a lot of posts pertaining to our ferrets.Have you ever entertained the idea of having one of your own? Before you go out and obtain one, there are a few things you should know. One of the most common things I hear about people talking about ferrets is their odor. Ferrets are have scent glands and although domestic ferrets are de-scented, they stillRead more
Alligator Noises!
Did you know that juvenile American alligators have a specific sound they make to call their moms? Female alligators are very protective of their babies and will guard or relocate them for at least several months and possibly as long as 2 years! Here’s Troy, our education gator, chirping: [youtube]http://youtu.be/7q9D2tdIVKw[/youtube]Read more
AAZK Conference
This post is long over due, but like most aspects of life things come up. In September, Autumn and I went to the AAZK conference in Florida at Disneyworld. Yes, I said Disneyworld! We were both very excited to not only go to the conference but also to experience everything that Disneyworld has to offer. The AAZK (American Association of Zookeepers) conference provides keepers from all over the country to come together and share information on the various tasks that makeup theRead more
Big Word of the Month: Refraction
Check out this photo Keeper Elaina took of our mud turtle and water snake! Notice something odd about the turtle’s head? There’s nothing wrong with our little mud turtle, he didn’t get decapitated just prior to this photo being taken! His head looks detached from his body for another –less macabre– reason: refraction. Refraction is why, when you look through or into water, objects aren’t exactly where you expect them to be. Light travels at different speeds through solids, liquidsRead more