I’m finally getting back to you about the end of the red wolf master plan meeting. There were about 30 people in Chattanooga discussing a variety of issues having to do with red wolves. Two different veterinarians presented information. Dr Keller from Chattanooga discussed ectoparasite (like fleas and ticks) issues and best ways to treat. (Luckily for us, we are not having big issues in this area with our wolves). Dr. Reed, from Tacoma, talked about different veterinary protocols, diets,Read more
Posts tagged: #museum
Creature Feature: Squealer the pot-bellied pig
Yes, his name is Squealer, but the keepers just call him Pig! You can probably guess how he got his name, though. Pot-bellied pigs often times react by squealing when they are petted or touched. This is one reason why you might want to think twice about having a pot-bellied pig as a pet, because you will not be successful at cuddling with it like you would a dog or cat! Pig was born in April of 2000, and wasRead more
It’s been busy
I’ve been trying to write up my notes from the red wolf master plan meeting last week and update you on things learned and the status of our two brothers and where they might be next year, but it has been so busy. I promise I will write about the wolf meeting in my next post, but let me tell you a little about yesterday: A Keeper was out sick. I went to pick up a new chest freezer forRead more
Big Word: Microclimate
This month’s Big Word of the Month is not really that big. You can probably figure out what it means even if you have never heard it used. A microclimate is simply a small area that has different temperature and/or moisture conditions than the surrounding area. Many factors can contribute to microclimatic conditions within an organism’s habitat. For instance, south-facing hillsides (in the northern hemisphere) receive more solar radiation than nearby north-facing slopes. Therefore, southern exposures tend to be warmerRead more
Red Wolf Master Plan update
I’m in Chattanooga and I am getting ready for day two of the red wolf master plan meeting, which I wrote about a month or so ago. We covered a lot of important topics yesterday and had interesting discussions. We learned which types of contraception we should, and more importantly should not use, if we have to contracept red wolves. Most of the time, for red wolves, we are able to use separation of males and females during the shortRead more
Lightning plays fetch
We don’t usually have much time to play with the animals because we are busy cleaning their exhibits and feeding them. However, when the opportunity arises, we always try to take full advantage! Check out this video of me and Lightning playing fetch. Watch how Lightning actually does a lot more with the ball than just “fetch” it; he swings it around in his mouth, runs it down the fence railing, plays tug-of-war with me, and even picks up hisRead more