The Pygmy Marmoset is a tiny monkey native to the western Amazon basin. It is the smallest of all true monkeys and one of the smallest of all primates. Body weight of wild adults averages only about 4 ounces. Well-fed zoo animals may be a little bit heavier. Total length (head, body and tail combined) is usually 13-14 inches. More than half of this is tail, with the head and body only about 5 inches long combined. In the wild, Pygmy Marmosets rely heavily on gums and saps (exudates) from trees and vines. These exudates may be an important source of protein, carbohydrates and calcium. Wild Pygmy Marmosets also eat insects and other arthropods and small quantities of fruits and other plant parts.

The Pygmy Marmoset is found in the upper Amazon Basin in western Brazil, eastern Peru, eastern Ecuador, southern Colombia, and northern Bolivia. The Pygmy Marmoset is not considered under any threat of endangerment. Because they reproduce rapidly, have relatively small space requirements, and are found over a large geographic area, Pygmy Marmosets are in better shape in the wild than many other South American primate species.

You can find this fist sized primate in the small mammals house at the Philadelphia Zoo.

For more information on visiting the Philadelphia Zoo see their web site at http://www2.philadelphiazoo.org.

I blended several background texture layers purchased from Distressed Textures in order to try and isolate the Marmoset and eliminate the distracting background. Thanks for the great texture sets Jewell !

Humboldt penguin checks himself out at the Philadelphia Zoo.

In the wild, the Humboldt penguin is found on the west coast of South America along the coast of Chile and Peru in the region of the cold water Humboldt current.

Humboldt penguins nest on islands or on rocky stretches of mainland coast, especially in areas with cliffs. They average a ten year lifespan but Humboldts in zoos have been known to live up to twenty years. Humboldt penguins are intensely social and gregarious and are usually found in groups. They have superb swimming skills, which rivals seals and porpoises. In the wild, Humboldt penguins eat small schooling fish like anchovies and sardines. In the Zoo, they receive five types of fish. Their diet is based on the calories needed for different stages of life along with a variety of supplemental vitamins. They are fed three times a day at the Zoo. Trout and silversides seem to be their favorite fish, although their preferences do change at different times of the year.

From my Monday 1-18-2009 trip to the Philadelphia Zoo. For information on visiting the zoo, please visit their web site at www.philadelphiazoo.org

The Philadelphia zoo has four Amur Tigers including Kira the Mother pictured here and her cubs Changbai, Koosaka and Terney who were born at the zoo on May 24th, 2007. Kira sat by herself while two of the cubs roughhoused in the background.

The Amur Tiger is the largest of the world’s big cats. The tigers’ famous stripes help them camouflage themselves from their prey while hunting. No two tigers have the same stripe pattern. Amur tigers are better known as Siberian tigers, but their native range has shrunk so much due to habitat loss, they are now known for the Amur River. The species is listed as “critically endangered”.

I’d like the thank the staff and volunteers at the Philadelphia Zoo for the time each took with me explaining behaviors and characteristics of each of the animals. Everyone there was very pleasant and seemed to genuinely care about the animals they were caretakers of. It was uplifting to experience a zoo so well run. Like so many other zoos, they are hurting for funds and would appreciate your help. You can find out how you can help support the Philadelphia Zoo by visiting their web site at http://www2.philadelphiazoo.org.

I shot this back on 12-20-2008.

his fellow walked up to me at the fence line, checked me out, decided he wanted to play and walked all the way back to his housing area to retrieve a toy. He then walked back to the fence and offered the toy to me, tempting me to play a game of sorts. He looked lonely and just wanted someone to play with. With the 21 degree temperatures on the day I took this, the zoo was pretty empty so these Hornbills weren’t getting much attention.

The Southern Ground Hornbill is the largest and the heaviest of all the Hornbill species. They can grow to 35-40 inches tall and weigh an average of 10.5 lb for males and 7.5 lb for females. They are native to the southern African continent and feed on both plants and animals. In the wild these birds consume a variety of prey including small snakes, lizards and mice as well as a variety of fruit.

I’d like the thank the staff and volunteers at the Philadelphia Zoo for the time each took with me explaining behaviors and characteristics of each of the animals. Everyone there was very pleasant and seemed to genuinely care about the animals they were caretakers of. It was uplifting to experience a zoo so well run. Like so many other zoos, they are hurting for funds and would appreciate your help. You can find out how you can help support the Philadelphia Zoo by visiting their web site at http://www2.philadelphiazoo.org.

Taken on 12-20-2008.  Shot through a chain link fence…ah the magic of the Nikon 70-200mm F2.8 :–)

Scottish Highland Cattle at the Philadelphia Zoo on 12-20-2008. These animals are a beautiful orange/rust color. The breed was developed in the Scottish Highlands and western coastal regions of Scotland, and breeding stock has been exported to the rest of the world, especially Australia and North America, since the 1900s and is used as grazer in nature reserves in the Netherlands.

These two Amur Tigers were a lot of fun to watch. The one on the right would walk up to the one on the left and continually pat him on the head over and over again, taunting him until the one on the left would lash out and slap the one on the right upside the head. Then they would start mixing it up on two feet only to calm down and then a minute later the taunting would begin again. It was like watching two young brothers on a playground taunting one another.

Philadelphia Zoo, December 21st, 2008.

Although once thought to be related to giant pandas, recent chromosome studies place the red panda in the raccoon family and the giant panda in the bear family. Modern molecular data suggests the raccoon and bear families diverged from a common carnivorous ancestor 35-40 million years ago

Red pandas are small with an overall length of three to three-and-one-half feet and weigh approximately 10 to 12 pounds. On the 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the red panda is listed as Endangered. In the wild and in zoos, red pandas can live up to 14 years.

Red pandas are mainly vegetarians and will forage on the ground and in trees. In the wild, they eat fruit, roots, bamboo shoots, acorns, berries and lichens and–at times–insects, mice, birds and bird eggs. The red panda often will sit upright to eat and feed like a squirrel.

A huddle of three Ring-Tailed Lemur at the Philadelphia Zoo on 12-20-2008.

The Ring-tailed Lemur is highly social, living in groups of up to 30 individuals. It is also matriarchal, a trait common among lemurs but uncommon among other primates. To keep warm and reaffirm social bonds groups will huddle together forming a “lemur ball”. The Ring-tailed Lemur will also sunbathe, sitting upright facing its underside, with its thinner white fur towards the sun.

Ring-tailed lemurs are the best-known of all the lemurs, and the most common in zoos, but they are considered vulnerable to extinction in their wild habitat in Madagascar. In the wild, ring-tailed lemurs eat a wide variety of foods, including fruit, leaves, flowers, bark, sap, herbs, insects and other small animals. At the Zoo, lemurs eat a specially-formulated primate chow, as well as fresh produce such as carrots, oranges and brussel sprouts. The lemurs are also occasionally given other enrichment chows, raisins and yogurt.

Ring-tailed lemurs keep their tails high in the air to signal others in their group to follow them. Male lemurs compete amongst themselves by secreting a perfume and rubbing it onto their tails. They then point their tails at other males in what are known as “stink fights.”

I’d like the thank the staff and volunteers at the Philadelphia Zoo for the time each took with me explaining behaviors and characteristics of each of the animals. Everyone there was very pleasant and seemed to genuinely care about the animals they were caretakers of. It was uplifting to experience a zoo so well run. Like so many other zoos, they are hurting for funds and would appreciate your help. You can find out how you can help support the Philadelphia Zoo by visiting their web site at http://www2.philadelphiazoo.org.

It was twenty eigtht degrees on Saturday and the skies were completely overcast so it seemed like a good day for my first trip to the Philadelphia Zoo. Because of the cold, the crowds were nowhere to be seen and I didn’t have to wait to take photos while throngs of tourists walk in front of you like in the warmer months. There are two kinds of Winter photographers, those that stay warm and those that come home with photos ! LOL.

This is a male Indian Peacock. They are native to the Asia continent but are commonly found throughout the world now. This is India’s National Bird. Peafowl are omnivorous and eat ticks, termites, ants,locusts, mice, plant parts, flower petals, seed heads, scorpions and other arthropods, reptiles, and amphibians.

I’d like the thank the staff and volunteers at the Philadelphia Zoo for the time each took with me explaining behaviours and characteristics of each of the animals. Everyone there was very pleasant and seemed to genuinely care about the animals they were caretakers of. It was uplifting to experience a zoo so well run. Like so many other zoos, they are hurting for funds and would appreciate your help. You can find out how you can help support the Philadelphia Zoo by visiting their web site at http://www2.philadelphiazoo.org.