Farewell to Kiva, the Giraffe I Loved

Very very sad today. Mourning the loss of Kiva the giraffe, who passed away this morning in the safe and excellent care of the Houston Zoo vet and hoofed stock staff. A very special being, the most charming and engaging creature I've ever known. Long-time readers of this blog will recognize him as "my boyfriend". He was the first animal I really bonded with when I began at the Zoo, and our little love affair carried on over the 4 years I was there-- and it will continue. So gentle for his size, and such a flirt... with only me, of course. 


You forever marked my heart, tall guy.


Here was the blog post I'd written about him back in September of 2008. You can read more about Kiva and his family by clicking the Giraffe category from the list to the right of this page.


I'm In LOVE!


Again. Used to be with the zoo's very handsome lion Jonathan, and though I'm still sweet on him, for the last 8 months or so I've been charmed away by the big, tall male giraffe. I've a huge crush on him and it seems like my affections are returned. In fact, I've been positively encouraged by him, I'm convinced of it. He pays me a lot of attention when I'm on the sidewalk, bats his huge brown eyes at me, and follows me until he can't see anymore (and at his height, that's a long way). Though in reality he's probably interested in a lot of folks, I'm in denial and am quite sure WE have a special relationship. Today was further proof of it.

The zoo was in dire need of help after the hurricane, so I went to pitch in for a few hours. There is just so much to do at home and so many others to help, but I'd been especially worried about the giraffes at 3 and 4 am when that storm was RAGING, wondering how they were getting through it. Their only shelter is a tall but narrow wooden house -- all they really need most of the time. But with 100 MPH winds, I could not imagine how they'd fare. I was so glad to see all five of them were there, with no injuries, happily watching their crew of humans tidying up their back yard.

I ended up helping rake and clear their habitat since I couldn't find anyone in carnivores. It did my heart good to be near them. Once I got close enough, my new boyfriend put his big face down to mine and got nose to nose with me. He stayed there breathing through his soft nostrils. His keeper, thinking I might be unnerved, said he might just want to smell me but I knew different.

He licked me and kept his face there for so long I felt forced to tear myself away so I would not look like I was slacking. I moved along, but he kept finding me. He's irresistable; I had to pet his face and coo to him. Around the fifth time I finally risked being totally unprofessional and whipped out my camera, handed it to someone and asked for a quick shot. I knew it would be a once in a lifetime pic. And this is what they got.He's pressing into my cheek and knocking my glasses askew, but clearly he loves me... for who I am, not how I look on clean up day! And I love him!

My niece pointed out that his head is 4 times bigger than my own and they are right. These beings are unspeakably beautiful and awe-inspiring. To have connected this much with one was a miracle, something that was a peak experience in my life, a life that has been chock full of big and amazing things. 


I love you Kiva, and I will never, even forget you.


You can read the details about his passing on the Houston Zoo website. 

ADORABLE BABY SQUIRREL

Need I say more? 

Me feeding a little orphaned Gray, with those little kneading paws.

 Just please sit down before you press play. 

You've been warned!

Great Horned Owl

Every year, the Wildlife Rehab Center, now called The Wildlife Center of Texas, has an Open House so folks who volunteer can enjoy themselves for all they give to the Center. 

It's also for others in the community who make the donations that keep this wonderful rescue center alive. It's the one day they can get a rare tour of the facilities and see just what kind of work is done behind closed doors. No one who drop animals off (over 9,000 animals in 2011) and who is not a volunteer or from the nearby SPCA (of Animal Planets Cops Houston fame), is allowed in where the animals are, because it's a serious "hospital".  

The atmosphere is one of healing and relative calm, so traumatized and orphaned animals can do the important work of recovering so they can hopefully be released back in the wild in ship shape.

A few of these animals would never survive if released, due to broken wings that make them unable to fly, etc... These animals often become ambassadors for their species in the many educational programs the Center does within the community. And they come out for some of the visitors to see from a safe distance on this special Open House night. 

I came into contact with my first Great Horned owl on Open House night about 5 years ago. I was stunned and still am every time I'm privileged enough to be this close to one, and remain fascinated by their giant blinking eyes. See for yourself:

If you're an animal lover, and I know you are if you're reading this, please LIKE the Wildlife Center of Texas' Facebook page HERE. You will see wonderful photos and stories of the tremendous rescue and releases they do there every day, 24/7, 365 days of the year!

Cheetahs and a Baby Impala

Someone sent this to me in an e-mail and I thought you'd like to see it too:

The law of the wild says kill only when you are hungry. Photographer Michel Denis-Huot, who captured these amazing pictures on safari in Kenya's Masai Mara in October last year, said he was astounded by what he saw:  "These three cheetah brothers have been living together since they left their mother at about 18 months old," he said. "On the morning we saw them, they seemed not to be hungry, walking quickly but stopping sometimes to play together. At one point, they met a group of impala who ran away. But one impala youngster was not quick enough and the brothers caught it easily." These extraordinary scenes followed:

I asked a Carnivore Supervisor from my local Zoo what could be going on here. He said the cheetahs are likely just too young to be doing much.... and who knows, it I'm sure is also because they're probably not hungry :-)

Heeeere Elvissss

Yep Elvis.

He's still around.

My Elvis at least. Living in the reflection pond at The Park.

I read somewhere that muscovy ducks live about 3-4 years, but it's been over 4 years since I first admired Elvis' fabulous jet black pompadour and the perfect, red, stitch- like adornment around it... and we became friends.

Over that time I've seen him hang with a changing group of guy ducks, sometimes one, sometimes three others. Once in awhile, he comes over to me and we have some time alone. I like that time.

I'll talk to him as he paddles steadily toward me, and hold out a piece of bread.

It's never anything less than amazing to commune with an animal. I always feel in my element.

Baby Black Squirrel

One special thing about the month February: it's just about time for squirrels to have their babies. They have them twice a year --  starting in February and again in early fall.

A few years ago I got to help two little black squirrel babies at the Wildlife Rehab Center and somehow fed this one with one hand while stealing a few seconds of footage with my other. It's such a rare sight (and of course, such a joy) that I wanted to capture it to have forever.

I came across the little video this morning and since I haven't published it before, I thought it would be fitting to celebrate the baby squirrels being born everywhere.

Boston Squirrel

I met this little guy in the Boston Commons. He ran up to me and climbed into my purse when I set it down to fetch him nuts. I would have taken him home except I don't have any trees in my apartment.

Frog Love

Yep, it's real. A teeny tiny frog to star off your New Year....

Animal Holiday Cheer - Times Ten!

Well, if you want to grin, and have that grow bigger and BIGGER into a huge SMILE, showing ALL your teeth, then turn into a chuckle to boot, press PLAY. This is sure to cheer you up. The fish, parrot, turtles, the ferret, the shark and a few of the dogs and cats -- their voices, the little pranks that creep into this will make anyone who is the least bit stressed or blue cheer up INSTANTLY!!!

PRESS PLAY - AND SHARE THIS LINK ON YOUR WALL to pass all that goodness along.



***There is a second of a squirrel***

The Best Job in The World?

You may have seen this on YouTube but if you haven't...

Hiccups

I have come to be known now as the squirrel lady. Someone got me a lunch bag with a red squirrel and acorns on it... and yes, I am using it today, and packed it with a smile on my face.

I got squirrel calendars for Christamas from my sister.

And people send me squirrel pictures and videos all the time.

Bring it.

I embrace it.

Let's face it: it's true.

Here's a YouTube vid by vivmus96 that I discovered today

after watching a different vid someone sent to me. Had to share.

Squirrels tend to jump and twitch a lot. But this one appears to have actual hiccups, as evidenced by the little squeak that comes out of him with each little convuslion. Enjoy.

Seeing Dalmation Spots

I have no words... Even the SOCKS match!

S-M-I-L-E

Fast Asleep

OK, I am completely slain by baby squirrels.

I know some people think they are tree rats and nuisances, building nests occasionally in someone's attic or eating all the food in the feeders folks put out to attract birds. But how can your heart not just swell to bursting with love when you hold sweet little sleeping babies in your hand like this? And he is sleeping because I just fed him warm milk... don't we adore our human babies in the exact same kind of moment?



I love how they sleep, with their skinny baby tails curled up over their face like we might pull up our quilts on a chilly night. And you can see him contentedly moving his mouth, as if he's savoring little dreams of his recent meal. He's so young his ears are still bent down to his little head. His fuzzy forearms! Those too-big hands and feet! His tiny shoulder blades as he hunts for his sisters to sleep! His wobbly attempts to navigate the blanket .... (I know, somebody stop me!). Even if you're not a squirrel lover, you've gotta admit, these babies are cute.

Here's an even smaller one -- just crossing over from being what we call a pinky (no hair at all, just born). You can see me put the milk nipple into the frame for a second to get an idea of how small, if not by seeing him compared to my thumb. I have a focus problem near the end, but his little black nose and whiskers become clear so hang in there.


A face like that just makes me smile, every time!

Are you with me yet?

Remember Elvis?

The Muscovy duck I named Elvis, I mean.

He says hi.

The Only Big Cat That Likes Water

Thursday we walked through the zoo, which is just past the park we usually walk around. We have a membership and decided it's an easy way to stretch our exercise time to just sail through the gates and circle around whatever interests us. It's a big motivator when the scenery offers elephants, flamingos, bears, seals, raptors and lions.

It had been sprinkling and overcast, so the place was blissfully quiet and cool, unpopulated save for a few families, and thus free of the attendant chaos. The live oak trees --common to this area --with their incredibly long, low reaching limbs with fresh, shiny new leaves of spring fully unfurled on every branch created a protective canopy over our heads. We kept up our pace past twin cheetah kittens and the giraffes. But we were stopped dead in our tracks by the sight of one of the two brother tigers swimming his little lake.


Seems no matter what time of day we visit, usually the big cats are all sleeping. But there was the gorgeous, regal head of this creature, with it's bright orange fur slashed by jet black stripes, gliding smoothly though the darkened water.

His eyes were bright and blue. His thick paws were visible, paddling rhythmically, pushing him along on a diagonal and very deliberate path from one end to the other. He then climbed out, slinked across the grass past rocks and around trees to return to his starting point. Again he'd climb right in, and all but his paws would disappear as his body sank into the depths. His shoulder muscles were further defined with every stroke. Amid all this majesty, something cute: his tongue stuck out as he did it.

(click picture to enlarge)

We positioned ourselves (where I took the pic above) right in his sight lines. Here he swam VERY close to us. On one pass he made direct, proplonged eye contact. It was nothing short of chilling! This ain't no kitty, but a beautiful beast with quite humbling power -- a killing machine -- and there was only a short flimsy fence and an electrical deterrent between us.

Black Cats Advantage.

Eagle Babies Cam

It's Spring again, and that means babies.... certainly baby birds. There's not much as special as being able to watch them in their nests, which is made possible by technology.

I am watching two adorable fuzzy bald eagles and a very good mom who tucks them under her when the wind blows... And the babies make sweet little chirps back to her.

MUST LOOK. So easy to keep open on one corner of your desktop while you TRY to concentrate on other things...

http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

The Cat and the Dolphin

Oh for joy. Joy is what you will feel three seconds into watching this video. I am completely envious of this cat. At first I thought -- oh, look at that. They are communing, because they both know they are animals (and somehow of kinship). I thought the cat was on a boat and here comes this random encounter with a friendly dolphin. Then I saw a human with a training whistle, and thought, oh, these are trained dolphins. None the less, it is still beyond delightful to watch. And then I thought - that cat likes them because they smell like FISH. Enjoy.

And you?

A bird does not sing because it has an answer.

It sings because it has a song

---- Chinese Proverb

Exactly

Some keep the Sabbath going to Church

I keep it, staying at Home

With a Bobolink for a Chorister

And an Orchard, for a Dome

--Emily Dickinson

Wanton Musings

Spring approaches here in Houston, even though it is still deep winter in many other places around the country. Alas, I have no garden to plant, so I am not pouring over seed catalogues or plotting out what will go next to what on graph paper or trying to make things sprout between moist paper towels under grow lights indoors in preparation. Someday though.

I do listen to gardening podcasts, buy way too many books about homesteading and devour magazines like Mother Earth, to make up for what I'd be learning if I were gardening all this time. If how stunningly I've failed in my efforts to keep the most basic container plants on my porch (I've even watched those bamboo shoots that require only a little water, no sun, no soil expire under my care) is any prediction of my abilities as a real gardener, then I would be among the pilgrims to die in the first winter in New England. I figure I will give myself 5 years once I get my hands in some soil to discover if I have what it takes or if I'm doomed to go to my grave a hopeless black thumb. So I need all the pre-study and experience that I can get.

It's not just gardening I'm interested in learning, but canning and preserving, bread baking, and other lost arts. There is a resurgence of interest in these things so I am hardly unique. But I claim to be apart from the hoards of former Yuppie urbanites who have cashed in their stilettos and nightclubs in search of a retro existence. They are mostly motivated by their babies, which certainly rips the needle off the record of the world that had been their formerly delicious, city life.

While my world may have consisted more of sparkly earrings, champagne and tall buildings, I have long been fascinated by people like the late Tasha Tudor, who had enough success to live as she wanted. She created her own world on her sprawling estate living with little or no electricity, cooking over a wood stove, sleeping in a cap, walking barefoot -- self sufficient well into her 90's.

And I am of the generation who read Little House on the Prairie and felt something shift when I read about their preparations for the winter: smoking, drying, cold storage, metering supplies to make it until the Spring came again. Those few long trips to the store in a town far away. Coming back with precious flour, sugar, coffee, a measure of fabric, and a few pieces of peppermint candy, among other treasures. Building fires that would burn all night, saving embers to start the stove in the morning. I still pull it out late in the Fall, between Thanksgiving and Christmas and read those parts and get completely lost in the pages.

Some people stick things in the ground, tend to it and harvest for the table, without much else to tell. I know several of these aliens. Their gardens burst forth with color and abundance. Everything they try - cumquats, persimmons, even cantaloup and corn by the walk - thrives. But I hear far more stories of the difficulties -- chronic destruction of tender shoots or worse -- of prized meager successes that are decimated just before harvest -- by one or another critter, bug or disease. Those with the best of intention to deal with these organically or by companion planting at the start end up in spraying the shit out of the everything with the strongest chemicals sold this side of the war or find themselves sitting in trees with night vision goggles and a rifle to finally kill the damn thing that ate all the corn/tomatoes/beans the night before picking.

Which, I wonder, will I be?

"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL

PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"

Making the Rounds Before Ice

We're hunkering down, waiting for our ice storm with 1-3 inches of snow. Sounds too good to be true to me. The Houston Zoo closed at 3 today and I just got the word that I have the day off tomorrow, so I've been posting announcements on FB and Twitter to let the public know we're closed. Not that anyone has been there the last two days because it's been about 32 degrees. Other places around town are shutting down and sending people home as well.

It's kind of funny that everyone's bracing for an inch of snow but if there is black ice, no one can drive in it... Even if you were used to maneuvering in snow, which Houstonians are not, ice sneaks up on any and everyone.

For the present, I have been reveling in the cold. If you dress warmly --a thin long sleeved tee with a cashmere sweater over, a down jacket, one of those hats with ear flaps, good socks and gloves, it's fine. I have been driving right from work to Hermann Park to take walks instead of being on a treadmill at the gym.

I've done this the last four days in a row, multi-tasking exercise with feeding squirrels and ducks while it's light, and at night I've swung by all the places I feed squirrels in the residential areas that have dog parks and wide green esplanades where squirrels live. I drive through those areas regularly and toss small, unshelled nuts, that are bio degradable and that the birds may end up enjoying as much as anyone.

Squirrel baby season has just begun and there are a lot of mothers about to deliver and maybe a few who have delivered early, so I want to be sure they don't have to go far looking for food when it's this cold. This is a picture of a clearly pregnant Fox Squirrel. Houston's squirrels grow a bit of a coat, but it was 70 on Monday and it will be back into the mid 50's by Saturday -- they are not used to 17 and 28 degrees.

As a testament to that, I saw none out at all on Tuesday, fed only one by hand on Wednesday, and there were about 5 across the entire park and golf course last night. Normally there are tons, coming from every direction. I figure they must be curled up in their nests with their tails wrapped around them, trying to keep toasty warm.

Anticipating the big storm, both yesterday and tonight I brought cracked corn and 4 loaves of wheat bread to feed the ducks and geese too, in addition to my bags and bags of nuts for the squirrels , because there is no one in the park when it's this cold (or when it's rainy). They can fend for themselves but have come to rely on people who go and feed them breadcrumbs. When I got there the ducks came swimming at top speed to the shore, hopped out enmass, then ran (waddling) up... all shapes and sizes. Amid them, reassuringly, were lots of regulars: the wood duck couple, many muscovys (Elivs is still there), the lone black duck, a few Indian Runner ducks, lots of mallards and various pairs of white pekin buddies (the Afflack ducks), masses of black bellied whistlers, and the old tan and white crew with the poofs on their heads. There was a huge group of black water fowl of some kind resting on the island in the lake but they were uninterested. Either truly wild or fish eaters.

That one egret I've written about stalked around in the shallows but was just observing the action. He's a fish man all the way. I also saw one or two Blue Herons. Also not interested.

The 4 Chinese geese were trying to get everyone else to back off, which they usually succeed at because they are the biggest, but tonight the crowd wasn't having any. When I'd feed Mr. and Mrs. Goose, the bigger of the other goose pair was pulling on my pant let with his beak. He knows I feed Mr. and Mrs. more because they are more tempermental. Mr. Goose insists his Mrs. gets fed while he shoos others away and he's so sensitive that he often will leave... and she always follows. Too funny. I still toss to the other two geese when Mr. Goose is not looking so they really aren't ignored but it's an awful lot like being a drummer. Each of my limbs seems to be engaged independently to juggle these feeding frenzies.

One bright-eyed little squirrel came down, drawn by the commotion (which usually means someone has food) and tried to take a nut from me when he was the smallest among all those fluffy bird breasts and webbed feet. He darted up and out around those beaks that were trying to take the nut I had in my hand. I finally walked to the nearest tree and got him to climb up it so I could give him the nut while he was hanging onto the trunk, far out of others reach. Success. Seriously, they are that tame!

I left a handful of nuts at the base of his tree while I distracted the birds by throwing bread in the opposite direction. When I left I saw he was sitting on that nut pile, munching comically. There is no sight that does my heart more good than that. I don't know why if I've fed an animal I get the best feeling... like I've done my work, or maybe earned my keep, on earth for another day. I feel that way when I take everything to recycling too. For all the work of pulling off labels, rinsing containers, tripping over sorting bins in the small apartment -- not to mention pulling items out of the waste basket that everyone else still tosses way -- and hauling sticky bags and heavy bundles of magazines and paper, I still feel it's the least I can do to clean up after the enormous amount of trash we generate each week. Anyway....

Can't feed everyone, but I went far further than I usually do, scanning the trees for nests, which are easy to spot now that the branches are bare, and tossing handfuls of nuts at the base of each trunk. I drove to the other side, near the train station and stopped in the Rose Garden's parking lot where I saw a squirrel nosing around the ground. I got out of my car slowly, and approached, and she perked up and ran to me once she saw I was offering a peanut. She ate with such vigor that I felt all warm and wonderful. She was hungry... and I was so glad I could help.

It'd been 90 minutes now. It was getting pretty dark by the time I covered the whole park. My fingers were seriously frozen, even with gloves, and I was clapping and moving my digits rapidly as I walked to finish. I just wanted everyone to have a full belly or something waiting at the bottom of the trees before the storm hits.

As I left, I tossed the last of peanuts in shells at each of the massive Oaks lining the golf course, scraping my tires on the lip of the road as I tried to get as close as possible. I keep the passenger seat open and have become quite good a flinging and driving, but I make sure no one is behind me if I do. I do it with the peanuts in shells, because they are are easier for the squirrels to spot, (even though scent plays a very big role in foraging).

I came home, took a very hot shower. I wondered if tonight the ducks would take more cover rather than just tucking their heads under their wing as they sit on the shore's edge. I made a mental note to research that if I can find anything.

As I pulled my fluffy quilt up around my chin, I thought of each little squirrel curled up in their nests with their tails for cover, riding out the night's storm, and I drifted off peacefully.

Thank you to C.A. Mullhaupt for the use of the pregnant Fox squirrel picture from Flickr!

Wow

This is pretty stunning to actually see -- these massive animals who resemble us so much, but not really, we think... until we see them like this:


http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2011/01/28/exp.am.vo.gorilla.upright.cnn?hpt=C2

I got the chills. How about you?

Love Baby Animals?

Apparently so does this little fella!




Happy New Year everyone!

You'll Love This

Heartwarming video

I wish I could embed this for you but it's from the National Geographic site. It's the story of some folks who are animal keepers of some kind in some far off land, because they have an elephant and an orangutan around... a hungry dog wanders in and becomes best friends with the orang, who shares her food with the dog and hugs him and holds onto him. This is one to share with kids or to watch if you need a heartwarming lift. I'd put this in the category of MUST SEE so please click!

http://5thworld.com/Paradigm/Postings/!Wisdom/OrangutanAndHound.html

PS: I want these people's lives!

Thanksgiving, Like Winter, Awaits

Have to share a beautiful post with you from the blog of a very talented man who lives in a little house on the river somewhere in Ohio. He goes by a grand monkier: the Grizzled-But-Still-Incorrigible-Scribe-Himself!

Every time I go to his blog, I get a sense of tranquility and peace. Somehow I can be restored and become centered in just that few minutes of reading, as if I've taken a walk in the forest or by the water's edge, in the snow or summer sun or brilliant falling leaves. How does he do that?

I highly recommend you scroll through and read his utterly lovely blog, and bookmark it to return all you want. He writes consistently, pieces of quality, thoughtful and thought provoking at times, entertaining and wry at others.

http://riverdaze.blogspot.com

Here is today's post, entitled: A Thankful Heart. I, for one, am printing it out to read over this Thanskgiving's meal. Emerson, Thoreau and Jefferson (Thomas, that is) -- you have company.

On the porch beneath a clabbered sky

I watch the day turn gold and slip away,

while gray squirrels rustle through leaves

browning beneath the big hackberry, and

chilled air carries a hint of woodsmoke.

Somewhere well upstream, geese are

honking on the wing, sharp yelps

marking their homeward passage

through twilight's steady gathering.

Another unveiled autumn plays out

as we rest in mild circadian confusion,

aware—though circumspect

in our affected silence—that November

will run its course and winter waits ahead.

Doesn't winter always wait ahead?

Isn't the still season of ice and cold and

keening wind always where years take us?

Is that why we make the time during

autumn's summation to gather 'round

a familiar table, bow our heads, and

declare our thanks before having our feast?

Do we celebrate in gratitude or prudence,

mindful that our lot is good, yet uneasy

we might have claimed too much credit

for the cornucopia we're about to enjoy?

The river is the color of old pewter in

the waning light, divided into many

small channels—a shredded ribbon,

whispering as it finds it way between stones.

Such beauty. And there, in the quiet eventide,

with a full moon rising to light the night,

I recount my blessings before the holy stars—

and pray I might always keep a thankful heart.

The Big King

As I have mentioned before, Jonathan, the majestic and regal African Lion at the Zoo is my self-proclaimed boyfriend.... that is, when I am not crushing on Kiva, the 18-ft tall Masai giraffe. But this is all about Jonathan.

Jonathan.....

Look at that face.

*sigh*

I wasn't kidding about him.

You can see it can't you?

They All Sleep This Way: Jonathan the Lion

We all know cats sleep a lot, and are nocturnal. Big cats are no different. Some of our lions sleep up to 20 hours a day. So I have seen our magestic, gorgeous male lion Jonathan dozing or outright snoring a LOT. However, he sleeps in a really comedic way.

At least in this picture he had the manners to have his head facing the window!

Are You Nuts?

Saw this and had to post it. Not sure if I like it or not, but let's face it, it's a squirrel thing, and they are rare. Someone out there likes squirrels enough to pay $89 for this lovely mango wood and pewter nut bowl.

But if it's for you, or someone on your list this holiday, you can find it at ORVIS.

Meow!

Worth Going Out For... a baby elephant

The weather has been gorgeous this week, and it's even been chilly in the mornings. After a hideous, humid, mostly triple-digit summer (about half the year here), it's a welcome relief. I have spent very little time out doors due to how incredibly uncomfortable it has been and because my allergies have made life a struggle, and what I'm allergic to seems to be the outdoors. That's right, the entire outdoors (and most living things, lol)

This has been a dilemma to say the least for someone who gets so much joy and calm from being in nature. I haven't ridden a bike, been in the pool, taken a walk, or visited the park for most of the year -- things I had been doing almost every day.

So when it began to feel like East Coast Fall outside, I took my sneezing, coughing, short-of-breath self for all of the above and more. This morning's activity was particularly wonderful thing to do in the cool air and sunshine... see Tupelo, our absolutely adorable new Asian elephant baby, take her first steps out into a protected area of the yard with her mom to meet the herd. She was only 3 days old.

Particularly cute was to see her older half brother, Baylor, just born 5 months ago touch her trunk with his. Until now, he was the littlest one. Born at 390 lbs, Baylor was still 90 pounds bigger than little Tupelo.

Check out the Houston Zoo's blog post to see a movie of her nursing for the first time!

And on the day I am speaking of, our talented videographers got a shot of her getting so sleepy after nursing she has to take a little nap. Warning: exceedingly cute baby feet...

Looking for a Wonderful Way to Pass the Time?

Someone sent me this link to a blog about a squirrel that made a nest right on their windowsill. The pictures are amazing and so are the stories. For all my time in raising baby squirrels I've wondered how the mom does it... how often and how long they nurse, and when -- and how-- she starts teaching them how to be squirrels, so I could follow suit.

Here's a picture from the blog, which also has videos, of the mama sleeping with her three kits on her belly.

I have to share this with you, it's just too great to not be seen: http://www.thesquirrelinourwindow.com/

My favorite book is named something very similar... I wondered if the blog was done by the same author but it's not. The book is called Squirels at My Window, by Grace Spruch. Short of having my own squirrel babies to look after, nothing brings a sense of peace and burst-my -heart- joy like reading the chapters of this book. A pure delight to read, and I highly recommend it.

photo credit to Kenneth Feldman and Michelle Dortignac from The Squirrel in My Window blog.

Cold, Hard Reality

So, I was driving home from work past the same little stretch of park I've mentioned before and at the very end, on a little strip of green sandwiched between a parking lot and the fast moving, 4 lane road I was on, I saw something black. And big -- about the size of a high top sneaker. Sometimes I spot moss in a bundle and think it's a squirrel until I get closer but there is nothing jet black like this in the park. I knew in a second something was off, and as I got closer it was confirmed: what I'd spotted was a large, back rabbit with very long ears, munching on greens sprouting out of a faded flower patch.

I was planning on hitting the treadmill at home, but instead I parked. I figured if I walked up to it slowly and it didn't spook, it had been owned by humans. He moved as I approached but didn't go more than one hop, or lose interest in the tender greens.

It was obvious someone had dropped their former pet off. I thought through the scenario of putting him in my carrier and getting him to the Wildlife Rehab Center, a few times. They were closed. Would I have to do this in the morning, then be late to work? I guess I could go on my lunch time. But, I'm terribly allergic to bunnies, and I'd be paying for a week to do this... BUT I remembered I knew a spot in the outdoor mews at the Center where I could place the carrier and he'd be safe for the night, so I could drop him off. I'd have to put lettuce and water in with him, so I'd have to go home and get that first. BUT that was OK. So I went back to the car, opened the carrier, got my large net, and went back.

Where the bunny had let me get very close before, now he was uncomfortable. He eyed me, stopped eating. I was not moving any faster or erratically, and had the net flush to my body so it was not poised above him; maybe I was emitting a different scent...

I waited for him to relax and start nibbling again, but when I got close enough he'd hop. Because of the lay of the land, I was in a pickle. If I positioned myself in front of the dense bushes that lined the parking lot (a perfect rabbit hideaway), his only choice was to head into traffic. If I kept him from traffic, he'd of course end up in the bushes, where I couldn't reach him. Torn between the two, I stood between him and the traffic and long story short, I eventually lost him to the leafy cover.

I could have sat down and waited much longer so he could get used to me again before I'd tried to reach out for him. I could have waited for him to come out of the bushes. But I figured the temps have dropped so he'd be comfortable by day and through the night. He had food nearby, and though there was no water, he'd be OK until I came back the next day to try it again.

I admit, some of why I didn't succeed in catching him is because I was grappling with doubt that crept into my head when I told about the duck or they see the carrier, net, gloves and all kind of food and water in my car. If I were on Animal Cops, no one would blink an eye. But without a badge you get a few, boarder-line- crazy animal-lady looks. As a result, I wasn't as patient as I could have been with the net, and I didn't wait at the bushes to see if he would come out. I tried to think about it like other people might -- he'll be fine.

24 hours later, I was driving back and didn't see him. I parked and went to the flower patch by the bushes. A quick visual scan made it obvious he wasn't there... but as I looked up into the road, I saw something flat and dark. I probably said aloud what I was thinking, as my steps quickened. It was too flat and seemed too big to be him. I was sure it was someone's hoodie crumpled and flattened by tires.

But I was wrong. He wasn't fine. I'll spare you the close up.

I try to keep it happy here but nature has many sides, and all aren't always happy or fair. I've had to take those things in, process and accept them in my own way, if I wanted to work and play in it. I even try to respect it. But this is one example of man's failure, though, not nature's.

Lessons learned:
1. I will never feel doubt again when I see an out-of-place animal and try to do something about it. I am a sub-licensed wildlife rescuer and rehabilitator.

2. People who can't take care of pets (not to mention those who only want bunnies or ducklings --whose feathers they dye in pastel colors --for a few weeks after Easter), should NOT take animals on. When they don't want it anymore, they should not drop animals off in the park and hope for the best. They aren't necessarily able to adapt to the wild. If folks are going to do it anyway, then at least drop them deep within, away from traffic.

Maybe they tried to find someone to take it, maybe they thought it'd get euthanized if they gave it to a shelter, maybe in these hard times they had to decide between pet care and food on their own table. Maybe.

Perfect

Any glimpse into the
life of an animal
quickens our own
and makes it so much
the larger and better
in every way.

--John Muir

Baby Aminals!

Yesterday at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums convention, which the Houston Zoo is hosting, I sat and chatted for a bit with marketing master and science whiz Andrew Bleiman and portrait painter (fall-off-your-chair talented) and photographer Chris Eastland, the creators behind Zooborns.com.

If you've never gone to this website, YOU NEED TO, immediately (well, as soon as you finish reading this of course). There you'll find a daily dose of pictures, videos and news of baby animals born in zoos all over the world. It's a great way to show the good work is being done in zoos and conservation, but it's also just good squee.

Not long ago, they featured the pictures of the Houston Zoo's 6 tiny meerkat kits.The only pics I've seen that were cuter were of the baby hippo (click link to see) and the baby otters (below), both found in these fabulous books.

Simon and Schuster made the smart decision to publish their material; as a result Zooborns have have two new books coming out. Zoo Borns!, a book for kids age 2 and up, on sale starting October 19th, and ZooBorns, a picture book with animal facts, available November 2. But, you can order them now, right here on Zooborns.com through Amazon.

10% of the sale profits go to the AZA's Conservation Endowment fund, which makes a good thing better. And they were so kind as to give me a signed copy of each to auction off at the Wildlife Rehab and Education Center's Open House in Houston, on October 15. Good Karma and great success is clearly in line for these two guys.

Look for the books --At $12.99 each (even less at Amazon.com), they are perfectly priced for all those kiddie birthday parties your child is invited to, for your Godkids, nieces and nephews, for holiday gifts, baby showers or sweet 16-- and it's not just for kids. As we well know, just about everyone swoons over baby animals. It will cheer a friend in the hospital or anyone you know who's blue; it could be a hostess gift or be an original way to say thank you, or just make any average day that much brighter...

I'll be stocking up on a few to keep in my gift arsenal.

You can also follow Zooborns on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo credits: Zooborns.com

Guess the Flea Circus was the First....

I have never seen something like this. It's amazing how the longer I study animals, the more I find examples of how those "things" have more consciousness going on than they are normally given credit for. We love our dogs, we love our cats. But chickens are just chickens, right? Lambs, cows, horses. I know, horse lovers know that horses are amazing, but non-horse people like myself, someone who has spent some time around them but just see them as big, unpredictable, potentially scary large muscled beings. Who knew this is how a horse would react to a big green ball:




Seems every few years we suddenly realize that dolphins are terribly intelligent and complex, then whales, then... what's next? Makes you wonder what other animal you've been underestimating!

DOLPHINS!!!

Thank you to commenter (and pal of course) Meb for another of these great animal vids. This one has dolphins, which I think I've never posted on the blog before -- mostly because I usually only post things I have shot myself and I live in scalding hot, non-oceanside Houston.

Dolphins are the BEST! Check out what their Sea World keepers saw them doing one day...

http://wimp.com/dolphinbubbles/

Joy

Well, I can't seem to embed this video but it's a must see. A black lab playing with a young deer. Watched it twice myself. Here's the link at least:

http://www.wimp.com/oneball/

It reminds me of another video I put up on a prior post of an elk playing in the middle of the forest in a little pond probably made by a recent rain. This one splashed and danced around, took a break and did it again. It is just the most magical moment that someone (I assume with a camera mounted on a tree) happened to catch. Please check it out if you have a moment.

Love and protect ALL animals, please.

Owlet hatched!

Last night the first egg hatched, and the chick was making itself known with the sweetest little peeps, though buried under Molly's abundant feathers. It's name is Ashley, I believe after a niece or granddaughter in the Royal family... The second egg should hatch anytime tomorrow, Monday....

Guess it will be hard for many to get any work done tomorrow! :-)

Molly the Owl -- Surprise News!!!

For anyone who had been watching the Owl Cams from my links this spring, just as the babies flew the nest, MOLLY had a surprise second clutch of eggs -- 6 in all. She and McGee are such good parents, I guess it's not that much of a surprise, but there was a nice piece about the owls and Carlos and Donna Royal -- the couple who happened to set up the owl house with cameras in it in their back yard -- were on the TODAY show this morning.

They started out with 5 viewers, all family members, and as we who have checked it out (and could not stop watching) know, they have had over 15 million views from people like us all around the world. It's so compelling -- there is always something happening, especially at night, when Molly starts to vocalize. We know McGee is on his way. He flies in and they interact in very dramatic ways, as he brings her dinner. She dozes but never really sleeps as she carefully tends to the eggs, rotating each of the six again and again, tucking them under her with her beak and so on. They the eggs hatch, one by one -- which is as riveting and stomach churning as any final game of your favorite sports team or season cliffhanger of your favorite TV show. The chicks get named and we watch them grow --and grow and grow -- as McGee starts to fly in with meals more and more. Mom teaches the babies how to eat. Then they get bigger and bigger but they're all crowded into the little box. And finally, one day, each baby steps outside and flaps it's wings. One of those times it takes flight and lands on a nearby stand that may have been set up for that very thing. Then they become able to land on the owl house roof, which looks pretty cool. Eventually the nest is empty... but not anymore!!

Back to addiction watching, owlaholics! Here's the direct link again:

http://www.ustream.tv/theowlbox

For more personal stories of my own little visits with owls, you can click OWLS from the categories on the right.

PS: I haven't fact checked these but considering the source, I'm sure someone has. Here's a bunch of general info about owls from the Early Show website:

OWLS
Owls are nocturnal hunting birds. They are carnivores and closely related to hawks. Owls sleep during the day and emerge at night to hunt small prey. It is believed that there are a little over 200 species of owls in the world, inhabiting a huge variety of ecological niches, from rainforests to tundra. Owls have a large head and large eyes that face forwards (unlike other birds, whose eyes are on the sides of their head). This eye placement gives them binocular vision and very precise depth perception. Also, there are circles of radiating feathers surrounding each eye, giving them a wide-eyed, alert look. Owls cannot move their eyes within their sockets like we can. In order to look around, they have to move their entire head, which has a range of movement of about 280 degrees. They use their keen sense of sight to find prey in the dark (owls see mostly in black and white). They have an acute sense of hearing which also helps in finding meals. Owls are stealth hunters, they can easily sneak up on their prey since their fluffy feathers give them almost silent flight.

Barn Owls
The Barn Owl is one of the most widely distributed birds in the world, found on all continents except Antarctica. It is a medium-sized owl. White or mostly white underside. Heart-shaped, white face. Back tawny, marked with black and white spots. Long legs. The Barn Owl is one of the few bird species with the female showier than the male. The female is more heavily spotted. The spots may signal to a potential mate the quality of the female. The Barn Owl has excellent low-light vision, and can easily find prey at night by sight. Its ability to locate prey by sound alone is the best of any animal that has ever been tested. The Barn Owl is the best pest control, eating approximately 1,000 mice a year. These owls are often associated with ghost stories because they fly silently, their white coloring makes them appear to be floating in the night, and their call sounds like chains rattling. The Barn Owl dwells beyond the forest and lives in manmade structures such as barns.

Screech Owls
These small owls are widespread and common. The Screech Owl is found in nearly every habitat throughout the eastern United States and southern Canada. It is common in urban as well as rural areas and readily nests in nest boxes. It is one of the smallest species. It has feathered ear tufts and is highly camouflaged. Gray, brownish gray, or reddish-brown. Screech Owl pairs usually are monogamous and remain together for life. Found in most habitats with trees, including urban and suburban areas. They are great insect control, and also eat crayfish, earthworms, songbirds, rodents. A screech owl was featured in the Harry Potter movies as one of the Weasley's pets.

Barred Owls
A large owl of extensive woodlands, the Barred Owl is familiar for its distinctive "who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all" hooting. Head round with no ear tufts. Great Horned Owl is the most serious predatory threat to the Barred Owl. Although they often live in the same areas, the Barred Owl will avoid parts of its territory occupied by a Great Horned Owl. They eat small mammals, rabbits, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates. They live in forested areas, from swamps and riparian areas to uplands. Barred Owls typically hunt at night or at dusk by sitting on a high perch and looking and listening for prey, which they catch with a short flight or drop to the ground. Barred Owls can be aggressive, flying at and fighting rivals at the edges of their territory.

Great Horned Owls
Found from the Arctic tundra to the tropical rainforest, from the desert to suburban backyards, the Great Horned Owl is one of the most widespread and common owls in North America. It is a large owl with prominent ear tufts widely spaced on head. These feathered ear tufts are not ears, but are part of the owl's camouflage. Although they are one of the largest species, they are not heavy because they have hollow bones. The Great Horned Owl is one of the only animals that regularly eats skunks, because they don't have a sense of smell and their eyes have built in goggles that protect them if they get sprayed. They will take large prey, even other raptorial birds, even regularly killing and eating other owls. Broad diet of animals, from small mammals to rabbits, geese, and herons, amphibians, reptiles, and invertebrates, but mostly mammals. Uses a variety of nest sites, including trees, cliffs, buildings, and the ground. Does not make its own nest. Typically takes over nests in trees made by other bird species. They have a traditional hoot.

Thanks to earthsky.org and Shireen Gonzaga for the photo of Molly and babes.