Henry Doorly Zoo - Lizards, Bunnies, Pigthings and more!

[guppiecat]

Continuing highlights from my recent zoo set.

All of these photos come from the excellent desert dome. if you're near Omaha, this is a GREAT place to go when winter really starts getting to you. I'll probably make at least two trips there in the coming months.




Great Plains Skink (Eumeces obsoletus) - Apparently, we don't need these anymore.


Lizard - "Yesssss, my plansssss are nearly complete"


Swift Fox (Vulpes velox) - Not so swift, actually.


Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) - Apparently that rock has ears.


Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) - The twin ears, Orcrist and Glamdring glow brightly in the presence of lettuce.


Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu) - Evil pigthing from hell thinks the salad needs a nice vinaigrette.


Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) - Not. Amused.


Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) - I am not an owl.


Tawny Frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) - Are you an owl?


Gould's Monitor (Varanus gouldii) - What more proof do you need that humans evolved from small furry rodents than the fact that this picture is freaking scary?

Comments

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

These are great! Does the Tawny Frogmouth (AKA "Not An Owl") actually have a feathered beak? I can't really tell from the photo, even at the original resolution.

[guppiecat]

No, their beaks are like that of the other birds in the night jar family. However, there is a "burst" of feathers immediately above the beak that makes everything look sorta fuzzy.

You can see it better in the non-highlight here.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

Beautiful! Thank you. In that photo, it looks like the beak has at least of couple of layers, which I think in the other photo is what I interpreted as close-lying feathers.

I love that spray of feathers above the beak. So dramatic.