The Urban Pantheist

Here is my wonderful entomologist friend rockbalancer taking us on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Natural History Museum. She's holding an insect with astounding cryptic shape and color making it look like a damaged leaf. These are in the same group as walking sticks--us bug nerds call them all "phasmids."
( more NHM )

I wonder how long it's been since there was a dik-dik at the zoo?
( click for g'rillers! )

I should have a tag for Little Joe since he appears so often in this journal. Suffice it to say you can click the "gorillas" link below and see lots of Joe and his family. Joe is about to turn 20 years old, and is the largest gorilla at the Tropical Forest at over 420 lbs.

He was a lad of only 10 (but a large animal to be sure) when he became the most famous gorilla in New England when he briefly left the zoo. I'm enjoying telling guests who bring it up (there are many) that the event is now a decade in the past. A multi-million dollar redesign has ensured that no future exploits will occur.



Kambiri is the youngest gorilla in the exhibit, a female born in November of 2010. Here she's scaled a large fake fallen tree trunk in the exhibit, dangling about ten feet over the ground. Zookeepers watch helplessly and nervously as she tests the limits of her own agility.

I think this is the best shot I got of Stone Zoo's new gibbon baby and its mom, but that won't stop me from posting a whole bunch of other ones too!

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Zookeeper Brandi trains Little Joe.

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Dan McLaughlin, President of the New England chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers (AAZK) and a Senior Zookeeper at Franklin Park Zoo, will rock in a rocking chair for 24 hours to raise awareness about ape conservation. Dan will rock in front of the gorilla exhibit and will talk about ape conservation and answer questions from the public.

In addition to raising awareness about ape conservation, the New England AAZK chapter also hopes to raise money to support the Association of Zoos and Aquariums new Ape Taxon Advisory Group (TAG) Conservation Initiative. Visitors will be able to make contributions at the event. AZA's Ape TAG Conservation Initiative will be comprised of different zoological institutions and other zoo-related groups who will commit to paying yearly dues, which will support wild ape conservation programs. The ape family includes bonobos, chimpanzees, gorillas, gibbons, orangutans and siamangs. In the wild, apes face a host of deadly threats including illegal hunting, habitat loss as a result of mining, logging and agricultural conversion, disease and the pet trade.

On January 9, he will read animal-related stories at 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to excite the next generation of conservationists.

Come down to Franklin Park Zoo's Tropical Forest between the hours of 2pm and 4pm on January 8th and between 10am and 2pm on January 9th to see Dan and show your support!

I’ll be the first to admit this is a strange fund raiser. As I told Dan, since he’s throwing himself out there, I’ll support him. It is a very important charity. Even as the zoo struggles financially, the zookeepers are committed to wildlife conservation, and it only seems right to support the taxon we belong to. Our closest relatives are some of the most endangered animals in the world.

I will accept pledges here, via paypal, and write a check combining them all (along with my donation) to contribute. Please consider giving any amount toward this worthy cause.

If you prefer to donate by check, please send it to Zoo New England c/o Dan McLaughlin AAZK, One Franklin Park Road, Boston, MA 02121. Checks can be made out to New England Chapter of AAZK.

On Friday I’ll get some pictures of Dan as he begins rocking, and then I’ll come back on Saturday to see what’s left of him and photograph that as well.

GOOD LUCK DAN!

Event description from yelp, which I totally stole.

Event description from the Zoo’s website.

Who is AAZK New England?

What is the Ape TAG?

Conservation issues that apes face>

Photo by urbpan. Location: Boston Common.

Urban species #365: Human Homo sapiens
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