Zoo Miami / August 31, 2014

Zoo Miami

Malayan Tapir

The Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus) has 14 hooves, a rubbery snout, and walks under water. They are the only Asian species of tapir. Its closest relatives are the horse and rhinoceros. Tapir's closest relatives are horses and rhinos and they inhabit jungle and forestlands in Central and South America as well as in Southeast Asia. (An unusual distribution, which can hardly be overlooked by anyone interested in geomorphology.) All four species are considered by one list or another to be endangered. The Malayan tapir is the species of tapir that lives in the Southeast Asia. The other three live in the Americas. Deprived of much of its former range by logging, war and human habitation, these strikingly-marked animals, built for survival and existing unchanged for millions of years, are now at risk for extinction. The Asian tapir is the largest of the tapir species, reaching about 800 to 900 pounds. The unique "saddle blanket" pattern of white midsection with dark front and rear quarters makes the tapir's outline hard to see in the moonlit shadows of the tropical forest. Status: Endangered --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Malayan Sun Bear

Those are some claws!!!! This is the first time I've seen two bears in this display. The other one is in the next photo.The Malayan Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) is nocturnal and escapes the sun's heat by sleeping in caves or trees by day. Bowed forelegs, curved claws, and great strength equip the sun bear for tree-climbing. Named for the golden crescent, or "U" shaped golden patch on their chest, sun bears are otherwise all black with smooth, short fur. Given the Sun Bear’s dependence on forest, it is clear that the large-scale deforestation that has occurred throughout southeast Asia over the past three decades has dramatically reduced suitable habitat for this species. Status: Vulnerable --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Malayan Sun Bear

The Malayan Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) is nocturnal and escapes the sun's heat by sleeping in caves or trees by day. Bowed forelegs, curved claws, and great strength equip the sun bear for tree-climbing. Named for the golden crescent, or "U" shaped golden patch on their chest, sun bears are otherwise all black with smooth, short fur. Given the Sun Bear’s dependence on forest, it is clear that the large-scale deforestation that has occurred throughout southeast Asia over the past three decades has dramatically reduced suitable habitat for this species. Status: Vulnerable --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Malayan Sun Bear

The Malayan Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) is nocturnal and escapes the sun's heat by sleeping in caves or trees by day. Bowed forelegs, curved claws, and great strength equip the sun bear for tree-climbing. Named for the golden crescent, or "U" shaped golden patch on their chest, sun bears are otherwise all black with smooth, short fur. Given the Sun Bear’s dependence on forest, it is clear that the large-scale deforestation that has occurred throughout southeast Asia over the past three decades has dramatically reduced suitable habitat for this species. Status: Vulnerable --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Malayan Sun Bear

The Malayan Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) is nocturnal and escapes the sun's heat by sleeping in caves or trees by day. Bowed forelegs, curved claws, and great strength equip the sun bear for tree-climbing. Named for the golden crescent, or "U" shaped golden patch on their chest, sun bears are otherwise all black with smooth, short fur. Given the Sun Bear’s dependence on forest, it is clear that the large-scale deforestation that has occurred throughout southeast Asia over the past three decades has dramatically reduced suitable habitat for this species. Status: Vulnerable --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Malayan Sun Bear

The Malayan Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) is nocturnal and escapes the sun's heat by sleeping in caves or trees by day. Bowed forelegs, curved claws, and great strength equip the sun bear for tree-climbing. Named for the golden crescent, or "U" shaped golden patch on their chest, sun bears are otherwise all black with smooth, short fur. Given the Sun Bear’s dependence on forest, it is clear that the large-scale deforestation that has occurred throughout southeast Asia over the past three decades has dramatically reduced suitable habitat for this species. Status: Vulnerable --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Malayan Sun Bears

The Malayan Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) is nocturnal and escapes the sun's heat by sleeping in caves or trees by day. Bowed forelegs, curved claws, and great strength equip the sun bear for tree-climbing. Named for the golden crescent, or "U" shaped golden patch on their chest, sun bears are otherwise all black with smooth, short fur. Given the Sun Bear’s dependence on forest, it is clear that the large-scale deforestation that has occurred throughout southeast Asia over the past three decades has dramatically reduced suitable habitat for this species. Status: Vulnerable --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Double-wattled Cassowary

This bird is so hard to capture. He doesn't stop moving!! He's also behind a very thick wire enclosure. The Double-wattled Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), found in New Guinea and northern Australia, is one of the largest birds in the world. Weighing as much as 128 pounds, only the ostrich is heavier. Flightless birds, Cassowaries are covered in coarse black feathers, with the exception of the skin on the head and throat which is brightly colored red and blue. One of the Cassowary's most distinguishing features is the large protuberance on the top of its head called the casque. It is believed that the casque assists the Cassowary in pushing through the dense tropical forest vegetation, and may also provide some sort of protection. In captivity, Cassowaries have been observed using their casques like a shovel to search for food on the ground. It is believed that the size of the casque may indicate dominance and age, since the casque continues to grow throughout the life of the bird. Another distinguishing feature of the Cassowaries is their wattles. Wattles are present in two of the three species of Cassowary. These brilliantly colored folds of skin hang from the bird's neck, and may act as social signals in the dark forest.Status: Vulnerable --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [NOTE: The site indicates that this bird is Least Concern; however, further down on the page, it shows it still as Vulnerable as of 2017.]

Double-wattled Cassowary

This bird is so hard to capture. He doesn't stop moving!! He's also behind a very thick wire enclosure. The Double-wattled Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), found in New Guinea and northern Australia, is one of the largest birds in the world. Weighing as much as 128 pounds, only the ostrich is heavier. Flightless birds, Cassowaries are covered in coarse black feathers, with the exception of the skin on the head and throat which is brightly colored red and blue. One of the Cassowary's most distinguishing features is the large protuberance on the top of its head called the casque. It is believed that the casque assists the Cassowary in pushing through the dense tropical forest vegetation, and may also provide some sort of protection. In captivity, Cassowaries have been observed using their casques like a shovel to search for food on the ground. It is believed that the size of the casque may indicate dominance and age, since the casque continues to grow throughout the life of the bird. Another distinguishing feature of the Cassowaries is their wattles. Wattles are present in two of the three species of Cassowary. These brilliantly colored folds of skin hang from the bird's neck, and may act as social signals in the dark forest.Status: Vulnerable --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [NOTE: The site indicates that this bird is Least Concern; however, further down on the page, it shows it still as Vulnerable as of 2017.]

Double-wattled Cassowary

This bird is so hard to capture. He doesn't stop moving!! He's also behind a very thick wire enclosure. The Double-wattled Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), found in New Guinea and northern Australia, is one of the largest birds in the world. Weighing as much as 128 pounds, only the ostrich is heavier. Flightless birds, Cassowaries are covered in coarse black feathers, with the exception of the skin on the head and throat which is brightly colored red and blue. One of the Cassowary's most distinguishing features is the large protuberance on the top of its head called the casque. It is believed that the casque assists the Cassowary in pushing through the dense tropical forest vegetation, and may also provide some sort of protection. In captivity, Cassowaries have been observed using their casques like a shovel to search for food on the ground. It is believed that the size of the casque may indicate dominance and age, since the casque continues to grow throughout the life of the bird. Another distinguishing feature of the Cassowaries is their wattles. Wattles are present in two of the three species of Cassowary. These brilliantly colored folds of skin hang from the bird's neck, and may act as social signals in the dark forest.Status: Vulnerable --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species [NOTE: The site indicates that this bird is Least Concern; however, further down on the page, it shows it still as Vulnerable as of 2017.]

Northern White-cheeked Gibbon [female with young one]

The Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is "frugivorous" (diet is primarily fruit) and spends most of its time in the forest canopy searching for food. Gibbons use a highly specialized mode of of locomoation called "brachiation." This hand-over-hand motion of swinging through the trees is their main pattern of movement. Gibbons are lesser apes, as evidenced by their lack of tails and opposable thumbs. The reason they are "lesser" is because of their diminutive body size in comparison with the great apes. They can cover nearly 40 feet in a single swing and the are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals. The average life span of the White-cheeked Gibbon in the wild is 28 years. This species is typically found in some parts of South East Asia, specifically Northern Lao People's Democratic (Laos) and Viet Nam. Status: Critically Endangered --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Northern White-cheeked Gibbon [male]

The Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is "frugivorous" (diet is primarily fruit) and spends most of its time in the forest canopy searching for food. Gibbons use a highly specialized mode of of locomoation called "brachiation." This hand-over-hand motion of swinging through the trees is their main pattern of movement. Gibbons are lesser apes, as evidenced by their lack of tails and opposable thumbs. The reason they are "lesser" is because of their diminutive body size in comparison with the great apes. They can cover nearly 40 feet in a single swing and the are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals. The average life span of the White-cheeked Gibbon in the wild is 28 years. This species is typically found in some parts of South East Asia, specifically Northern Lao People's Democratic (Laos) and Viet Nam. Status: Critically Endangered --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Northern White-cheeked Gibbon [male]

The Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is "frugivorous" (diet is primarily fruit) and spends most of its time in the forest canopy searching for food. Gibbons use a highly specialized mode of of locomoation called "brachiation." This hand-over-hand motion of swinging through the trees is their main pattern of movement. Gibbons are lesser apes, as evidenced by their lack of tails and opposable thumbs. The reason they are "lesser" is because of their diminutive body size in comparison with the great apes. They can cover nearly 40 feet in a single swing and the are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals. The average life span of the White-cheeked Gibbon in the wild is 28 years. This species is typically found in some parts of South East Asia, specifically Northern Lao People's Democratic (Laos) and Viet Nam. Status: Critically Endangered --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Northern White-cheeked Gibbon [male]

The Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is "frugivorous" (diet is primarily fruit) and spends most of its time in the forest canopy searching for food. Gibbons use a highly specialized mode of of locomoation called "brachiation." This hand-over-hand motion of swinging through the trees is their main pattern of movement. Gibbons are lesser apes, as evidenced by their lack of tails and opposable thumbs. The reason they are "lesser" is because of their diminutive body size in comparison with the great apes. They can cover nearly 40 feet in a single swing and the are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals. The average life span of the White-cheeked Gibbon in the wild is 28 years. This species is typically found in some parts of South East Asia, specifically Northern Lao People's Democratic (Laos) and Viet Nam. Status: Critically Endangered --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Northern White-cheeked Gibbon [male]

The Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is "frugivorous" (diet is primarily fruit) and spends most of its time in the forest canopy searching for food. Gibbons use a highly specialized mode of of locomoation called "brachiation." This hand-over-hand motion of swinging through the trees is their main pattern of movement. Gibbons are lesser apes, as evidenced by their lack of tails and opposable thumbs. The reason they are "lesser" is because of their diminutive body size in comparison with the great apes. They can cover nearly 40 feet in a single swing and the are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals. The average life span of the White-cheeked Gibbon in the wild is 28 years. This species is typically found in some parts of South East Asia, specifically Northern Lao People's Democratic (Laos) and Viet Nam. Status: Critically Endangered --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Northern White-cheeked Gibbon [male]

The Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is "frugivorous" (diet is primarily fruit) and spends most of its time in the forest canopy searching for food. Gibbons use a highly specialized mode of of locomoation called "brachiation." This hand-over-hand motion of swinging through the trees is their main pattern of movement. Gibbons are lesser apes, as evidenced by their lack of tails and opposable thumbs. The reason they are "lesser" is because of their diminutive body size in comparison with the great apes. They can cover nearly 40 feet in a single swing and the are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals. The average life span of the White-cheeked Gibbon in the wild is 28 years. This species is typically found in some parts of South East Asia, specifically Northern Lao People's Democratic (Laos) and Viet Nam. Status: Critically Endangered --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Northern White-cheeked Gibbon [male]

The Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is "frugivorous" (diet is primarily fruit) and spends most of its time in the forest canopy searching for food. Gibbons use a highly specialized mode of of locomoation called "brachiation." This hand-over-hand motion of swinging through the trees is their main pattern of movement. Gibbons are lesser apes, as evidenced by their lack of tails and opposable thumbs. The reason they are "lesser" is because of their diminutive body size in comparison with the great apes. They can cover nearly 40 feet in a single swing and the are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals. The average life span of the White-cheeked Gibbon in the wild is 28 years. This species is typically found in some parts of South East Asia, specifically Northern Lao People's Democratic (Laos) and Viet Nam. Status: Critically Endangered --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Northern White-cheeked Gibbon [male]

The Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is "frugivorous" (diet is primarily fruit) and spends most of its time in the forest canopy searching for food. Gibbons use a highly specialized mode of of locomoation called "brachiation." This hand-over-hand motion of swinging through the trees is their main pattern of movement. Gibbons are lesser apes, as evidenced by their lack of tails and opposable thumbs. The reason they are "lesser" is because of their diminutive body size in comparison with the great apes. They can cover nearly 40 feet in a single swing and the are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals. The average life span of the White-cheeked Gibbon in the wild is 28 years. This species is typically found in some parts of South East Asia, specifically Northern Lao People's Democratic (Laos) and Viet Nam. Status: Critically Endangered --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Northern White-cheeked Gibbon [male]

The Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is "frugivorous" (diet is primarily fruit) and spends most of its time in the forest canopy searching for food. Gibbons use a highly specialized mode of of locomoation called "brachiation." This hand-over-hand motion of swinging through the trees is their main pattern of movement. Gibbons are lesser apes, as evidenced by their lack of tails and opposable thumbs. The reason they are "lesser" is because of their diminutive body size in comparison with the great apes. They can cover nearly 40 feet in a single swing and the are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals. The average life span of the White-cheeked Gibbon in the wild is 28 years. This species is typically found in some parts of South East Asia, specifically Northern Lao People's Democratic (Laos) and Viet Nam. Status: Critically Endangered --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Northern White-cheeked Gibbon [male]

The Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is "frugivorous" (diet is primarily fruit) and spends most of its time in the forest canopy searching for food. Gibbons use a highly specialized mode of of locomoation called "brachiation." This hand-over-hand motion of swinging through the trees is their main pattern of movement. Gibbons are lesser apes, as evidenced by their lack of tails and opposable thumbs. The reason they are "lesser" is because of their diminutive body size in comparison with the great apes. They can cover nearly 40 feet in a single swing and the are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals. The average life span of the White-cheeked Gibbon in the wild is 28 years. This species is typically found in some parts of South East Asia, specifically Northern Lao People's Democratic (Laos) and Viet Nam. Status: Critically Endangered --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Northern White-cheeked Gibbon [female with young one]

The Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is "frugivorous" (diet is primarily fruit) and spends most of its time in the forest canopy searching for food. Gibbons use a highly specialized mode of of locomoation called "brachiation." This hand-over-hand motion of swinging through the trees is their main pattern of movement. Gibbons are lesser apes, as evidenced by their lack of tails and opposable thumbs. The reason they are "lesser" is because of their diminutive body size in comparison with the great apes. They can cover nearly 40 feet in a single swing and the are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals. The average life span of the White-cheeked Gibbon in the wild is 28 years. This species is typically found in some parts of South East Asia, specifically Northern Lao People's Democratic (Laos) and Viet Nam. Status: Critically Endangered --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Northern White-cheeked Gibbon [male]

The Northern White-cheeked Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) is "frugivorous" (diet is primarily fruit) and spends most of its time in the forest canopy searching for food. Gibbons use a highly specialized mode of of locomoation called "brachiation." This hand-over-hand motion of swinging through the trees is their main pattern of movement. Gibbons are lesser apes, as evidenced by their lack of tails and opposable thumbs. The reason they are "lesser" is because of their diminutive body size in comparison with the great apes. They can cover nearly 40 feet in a single swing and the are the fastest and most agile of all tree-dwelling, nonflying mammals. The average life span of the White-cheeked Gibbon in the wild is 28 years. This species is typically found in some parts of South East Asia, specifically Northern Lao People's Democratic (Laos) and Viet Nam. Status: Critically Endangered --> Status information found at The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species