Henry Doorly Zoo - Budgies, Black Footed Ferret, Owl

[guppiecat]

Continuing highlights from my recent zoo set.

At the Henry Doorly Zoo, there is a moderately sized aviary in which people can walk around and play with budgies. On my last trip, they had started selling "budgie food" on sticks for a dollar. Thus, lots of kids were trying to feed the budgies. Hence, these photos have people in them. Sorry, I know it's a bit of a shock.

Also, if you were not previously informed, it would help to know that black footed ferrets are one of the rarest mammals in North America. It's been thought extinct at least twice and the population has dropped as low as 17. It's doing better now, but still VERY rare. I got to see one.




Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) - Worth two in the bush.


Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) - This is hilarious, because EVERYWHERE in the exhibit, you can walk up and get a really close look at a budgie. For some reason, the one on the stick is so much more fascinating than all the others.


Kid and bird - "What do I do with it now?"


Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) - Happiness is...


Scary kid - Check out the three birds in the air. I'd love to find a way to do a shot like this against a cleaner background.


Black Footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) - When I saw the black-footed ferret was out, I had to take some photos. This may be the only chance I'll ever have.


Black Footed Ferret (Mustela nigripes) - One of the rarest tongues in the world.


Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) - "On the day we take over the world, you'll never hear us coming."


Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) - Really, 12 licks? You're certain about that?

Comments

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

I LOVE the bottom picture of the owl--it just looks so DUBIOUS! (And gorgeous. I love the colors of the feathers--like a winter sweater.)

[pameladean]

Wonderful owls.

It's a pity the black-footed ferret couldn't just escape with the prairie dogs and thrive as well. I guess prairie dogs are necessary but not sufficient.

P.

[guppiecat]

There's only one black-footed ferret. It'd likely be difficult to sustain a breeding population that way. :)

[pameladean]

Oh, poor guy. Some organization is nurturing a small colony somewhere, but obviously it's not at Henry Doorly.

P.

[carbonel]

Black-footed ferrets have received a great deal of press (and money) over this past year because of Cassie Edwards' plagiarizing of parts of a nature article about black-footed ferrets for a steamy romance novel.

[guppiecat]

I had no idea.

I guess conservation does make for strange bedfellows. :)