This antelope is perfectly adapted for the life in desert and semi-desert areas. Its large splayed hooves help walk on sand. Addax obtains sufficient moisture from its diet, which consists of grasses, herbs, leaves and small bushes. The main predators are lions, leopards and huenas. Addax live 10 years in the wild and up to 25 years in captivity.

 

 

 

 

Aoudads, known also as Barbery Sheep, are exceptionally well adapted to the arid rocky and mountain habitats. Their jumping power helps them clear a 6.6 feet (2 m) obstacle from a standing start. even newborns are able to climb rocky terrain within hours of birth. Their diet consists of sparse grasses, bushes, acacia and lichens. Aoudads live 10 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity.

 

 

 

 

 

The Yellow Baboon is one of 5 species of baboons. They are active during the day and spends most of its time on the ground foraging. The group size of the Yellow Baboon depends on food availability and the level of predation in the area. They mostly feed on grasses and insects, but their diet also includes seeds, fruits and small mammals. They are opportunist feeders and will eat whatever foods are most abundant.

Yellow Baboons can live 30 years in the wild and up to 45 years in captivity.

 

 

 

Black bears are classified as carnivores, but over 75% of their diet is vegetation which includes grasses, herbs, fruits, berries, honey, nuts and seeds; and a small percentage of the diet is insects, fish, small mammals and carrion. Black bears communicate with body and facial expressions, sounds, touch and through scent marking.

They average life in the wild is up to 20 years and have lived to be over 30 years in captivity.

Second only to polar bears, brown bears or grizzly bears are the largest land carnivores. Most grizzly bears are medium brown but they also come in every shade from sandy blonde to mahogany. The male and female bear are often referred to as a "boar" and a "sow" and the young are called "wobs".

The grizzlies have lost almost 1/4 of their Canadian range while 99% of the grizzly bears in the lower 48 US states are now gone. Their diet consists of a variety of food depending on the time of the year feeding largely on plant material, but also consuming lichen, fungi, insects and grubs as well as meat. Most of their diet is dictated by whatever is seasonally available.

Grizzly bears live 15 - 34 years in the wild and as long as 47 years in captivity.

Plain's Bison live mainly in prairies. They feed on prairie grasses, lichen and mosses. Despite their large size, bison are able to run at speeds of 37 mph (60 km/h). They also can swim rivers over 0.6 miles (1 km) wide. Bison live 20 years in the wild and 40 years in captivity. Their main predators are humans.

 

 

 

Blackbuck is one of the fastest land mammals and can speed up to 48 mph (80 km/h). This antelope had the ability to outrun its predator Asiatic Cheetah, which became extinct in India in the 1960s. Currently, their predators are tigers, wolves, jackals and wild dogs. Blackbucks inhabit woodlands and clearings, while feeding on grasses, leaves and buds. They live 10-12 years in the wild and 18 years in captivity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The boa constrictor is a non-poisonous tropical snake belonging to a specialized group of reptiles - the first vertebrate class completely independent of water. Found in Central and Southern America and often reached lengths of up to 4 m (13 f). They belong to the same family as the python and anaconda, which reach lengths of up to 9 or 10 m.

Some boas live in underground holes while others live in trees. Their prey consists mainly of birds and small mammals such as rats and agoutis. Boas size their prey in their jaws, then entwine them in their coils and kill them by suffocation.

Boa constrictors live 10 - 20 years in the wild and up to 40 years in captivity.

 

Bactrian Camels have two humps composed of fat, serving as storage for energy. They can go without water for months at a time, but when available they can drink up to 57 litres at once. Bactrian Camels live in dry steppe and semi-desert areas along rivers. They feed on leaves, grasses and shrubs. Their main predators are tigers and humans. Bactrian Camels live 40 years in captivity.

 

 

Dromedary Camels were domesticated 4000 B.C. for travel, meat, milk and running, and became extinct in the wild around 2000 years ago. They live 40 years. Dromedaries have no known predators. They feed on leaves, grasses and shrubs in deserts and steppes. Being thirsty, dromedaries can drink up to 100 litres of water in 10 minutes, what would be lethal to any other animal.

 

 

 

The capybara is the largest rodent in the world. Capybaras live in the forest and on grasslands, around lakes, rivers, swamps, marshes and streams. They make little beds in shallow parts of dirt. Capybaras feed on grasses, aquatic plants, grains, melons and squashes. They live 8 years in the wild and 12 years in captivity. Their main predators are humans, jaguars, anacondas, ocelots, pumas, eagles and caimans.

 

 

Ankole-Watusi have the largest horns of any cattle breed, sometimes growing to a lenght of 5 feet (1.5 m). They are an ancient hybrid of long-horned, domestic cattle from Egypt and longhorn Zebu from Pakistan and India. They live on grasslands and feed on grasses and leaves. Their main predators are big cats. Ankole-Watusi cattle live 20 years.

 

 

 

These close relatives of raccoons inhabit coastal mangrove forests, lowland savannas, deserts and interior dense tropical forest areas. Coatis feed by using their long noses, poking them under rocks and into crevices. Their diet consists of fruits, nuts, leaves, as well as insects, eggs, fish and even small animals. In turn, coatis are an important food source for large predators. In the wild, they live 8 years; whereas in captivity their life span extends up to 18 years.

 

 

Cougars (also known as Puma or Mountain Lions) live where there is abundant prey, from sea level to 10,000 feet (3,050 m) elevations. They can jump from the ground to a height of 18 feet (5.5 m). Their favorite prey is deer, elk, moose, peccary and bighorn sheep. They cover their kill with leaves and visit for additional meals later. Their main predators are humans and other mountain lions. The life span is approximately 12 years in the wild and over 20 years in captivity.

Black-tailed deer live in the forest near dense low-lying shrubs. They feed in the edge areas, on fresh green leaves, twigs, lower branches of trees and various grasses. They also like blackberry and rasberry vines, grapes, mistletoe, mushrooms and ferns. Their main predators are mountain lions, cougars, eagles, wolves, bobcats and occasionally coyotes. Black-tailed deer live 22 years in captivity and around 10 years in the wild. male deer grow a new pair of antlers each summer.

 

 

 

These flightless birds inhabit plains, scrublands and open woodlands. The male builds the nest and incubates the eggs after the female lays them. Emus are omnivores. Their diet includes grasses, seeds, leaves and fruits, as well as caterpillars, beetles, crickets and even lizards. Lizards, in turn, are major predators on emu eggs. Other main predators are dingoes, eagles and cats. Emus live up to 15 years in the wild and 25 years in captivity.

 

 

 

These goats (also known as capricorns) live on mountainous pastures at 10,000 feet (3,000 m). During late afternoon and evening hours, they descend into the lower alpine meadows and eat grasses, shrubs, leaves and roots. They spend the rest of the day in the higher altitude of the cliffs and hills, to avoid predators, such as wolves, bears, lynxes, jackals and foxes. Alpine Ibex live 10-14 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mia was kidnapped May 7/08 and her mate Jocko was murdered. Mia and Jocko had been a couple at the Greater Vancouver Zoo for the last 15 years. For further details on this heart breaking story please visit this part of our website http://www.gvzoo.com/node/214 

Please HELP US find our dear Mia....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Raccoons are most common along stream edges, open forests and coastal marshes. They feed on grapes, nuts, grubs, crickets, small mammals, birds' eggs and nestlings. While washing their food, raccoons actually taste the matter that should be rejected because the wetting of the paws enhances their sense of feel. In captivity, raccoons live up to 20 years; while in the wild it is much shorter approximately 7 years. Their main predators are owls, foxes, coyotes, bobcats and unfortunately humans due to their valuable fur.

While inhabiting arctic tundra and northern boreal forests, this species ia among the most migratory of all animals. They feed on lichens, mushrooms, grasses, horsetails and willow. Reindeer are great swimmers. They also can run up to 50mph (80.5 km/h). They have the spongy foot pads, which provide traction on summer tundra. In the winter pads harden and become covered with tufts of hair, to prevent slipping. Their main predators are wolves, bears, people and wolverines. Reindeer live up to 15 years in the wild and 20 years in captivity.

 

These sheep live in alpine meadows near rocky cliffs. Their hooves are hard on the outside and soft on the inside, which hepls them climb and jump. They use avalanche chutes and talus slopes to escape from predators, such as wolves, mountain lions and bears. Bighorn sheep feed on grasses, leaves, herbs, twigs and shoots. In the wild they live around 12 years, while in captivity the life span extends up to 20 years.

 

 

 

This stork inhabits dry open savannas near lakes and rivers. Its diet consists of carrion, insects, fish and small mammals. In turn, marabou is a prey for larger carnivores. In addition to hollow leg bones, marabou storks have hollow toe bones. For one of the largest flying birds (males stand 1.5 m tall and weighs 9 kg, females generally smaller), this is an important adaptation for flight. Marabou live 25 years or more.

 

 

 

Picture coming soon