Frozen Zoo

You can’t get good photos of animals at the frozen zoo … but if you’re interested in endangered species, this is the place where they are.

In each canister are hundreds of genetic samples … living stem cell lines of critically endangered AND extinct species.

I got to visit with some of the scientists who work there and, while I am not allowed to share any photos from inside, I can tell you that I got to see a living stem cell line of a Northern White Rhino that had died decades before. If there is any hope to preserve even a small slice of what we’re losing every day, it’s going to come from here and its associated facilities.

Originally posted at stories.starmind.org.

New Guinea singing dog (Canis lupus dingo)

The New Guinea singing dog is a wild dog from (shock of shocks) New Guinea. They have a special method of howling that is more melodic than the dogs you’re used to. They are hard to see in the wild but, since they are dogs, they breed decently in captivity.

And if you are a zookeeper, you get to play pattycake with them.

Originally posted at stories.starmind.org.

Giraffe and Raven

Turns out that giraffes and ravens like the same food.

Also turns out that ravens aren’t comfortable around giraffes and will just flap around until the giraffe has had its fill.

Originally posted at stories.starmind.org.