Oakland Zoo

Vet Tales Friday: We'd be lion if we said it wasn't an honor to treat such a magnificent patient Gandia is a 6 year old male African lion who hasn't been feeling good - nausea, not eating like his usual self. So, he came to the vet hospital for a full exam. Dr. Herman and her team took xrays and performed blood work that showed his kidneys are ok. Gandia weighs 467 pounds(!) so a team of 10 folks was needed just to transport him to and from the hospital.... A radiological specialist did an ultrasound of Gandia's abdomen to make sure he didn't swallow anything weird. A specialist came in with a scope to get biopsies to send to a lab, to test for other causes like pancreatic disease. Gandia also got his teeth cleaned and received anti-nausea medication. The vet staff ruled out a lot -- he didn't eat something he shouldn't have, his kidneys are good, no cancer. The pending lab results will give us more information. In the meantime this beautiful boy is recovering well, and should be back with his brothers soon!

Baby baboon update! M'Zuzi is now about a month and a half old. He’s getting stronger and clinging to mom's belly on his own now. He’s very squirrelly trying to explore...Mom has to use both hands to keep him contained photo: Laurie Kenny

What's sweeter than buying sweets for your Valentine? Helping wildlife at the same time, of course! You can help protect the habitats of Sun Bears, Gibbons, Hornbills, and other wildlife by purchasing candy that uses sustainable palm oil. More: ... https://www.oaklandzoo.org/p/understand-the-palm-oil-crisis photo: Steven Gotz

The soul, fortunately, has an interpreter often an unconscious but still a faithful interpreter in the eye. Charlotte Bronte Donna elephant : Keeper Lucas

A purrfect end to the week: Vet Tales Friday. Ginger tiger had her routine physical this week. The tiger girls are now 15 years old, so they have entered their senior years. Pending lab results, the good news is Ginger looked great during her exam. A specialist conducted an ultrasound of her abdomen and samples of her stomach and intestines were taken to make sure her gut looks healthy. Ginger weighed in at 336 pounds- a normal weight for an adult female tiger. As these rescued tigers age, we continue to give them the best possible care. They have come a long way from being abused as private pets in Texas!

Dearest Reader, The Town is abuzz with the latest virtual event for Saint Valentine’s Day, and so it is my honor to impart to you: Oakland Zoo’s ‘Wild at Heart’ Virtual Silent Auction ends tonight! ... I do hope to get my hands on one of the marvelous gifts for my loved ones this season! However, gentle reader, you must make haste! You have but until midnight tonight, the 10th of February, to bid on a gift, to set your beloved’s heart aflutter. Yours Truly, Lady Whistledown https://www.oaklandzoo.org/pro/wild-at-heart-silent-auction

A very special edition of #tongueouttuesdays for birthday girl Maggie! From Keeper Jessica: "As the oldest adult female, Maggie ensures the safety of the group and teaches the ropes to youngsters like Kijiji. Maggie is a very intelligent giraffe, enjoying problem solving and training games. Her favorite food is bananas. Maggie is quite social and gets along well with all the members of the savanna habitat."... Happy day, lovely lady!

Gotta love a volunteer who is also a talented photographer.....thank you Laurie Kenny for this magical "Warthog vs. Pumpkin" moment!

Live with the lemurs!

Our ability to help rescued animals like Goldie the mountain lion cub depends on your support! Help us reach our $100,000 matching challenge before time runs out on December 31. Donate now: www.oaklandzoo.org/cubs

Hey you....ready for your closeup? We'll be LIVE with lemurs today at 2pm Pacific. Join us!

I am not a horse, I am Beaker the Zebra. But I am related to horses! We're both in the Equidae family. Did you know? Male zebra + female horse = zorse female zebra + male horse = hebra... Zebra + donkey = zedonk! : Keeper Amber P #NationalDayOfTheHorse #DayOfTheHorse

In honor of the anniversary of the signing of the National Endangered Species Act (47 years ago!) we want to highlight the California Condor, a bird that has been on the U.S. endangered species list since 1967. We are currently treating this guy, Condor 602 from Pinnacles National Park, at our Condor Recovery Center onsite at Oakland Zoo, because the toxic lead levels in his blood are dangerously high. He will receive chelation treatments until his lead level is lower, then ...he will be rereleased back into the wild. More about our California Condor Recovery Program: https://www.oaklandzoo.org//california-condor-recovery-pro

You've heard of Elf on the Shelf, but what about... #glowfari #elfontheshelf

Q: Do camels like peanut butter? A: photo: Keeper Alyssa

Captain Cal, Goldie & Poppy meet Jessie, the resident cougar at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium!

We couldn't let this National Visit the Zoo Day go to waste, so we invited a couple of our education animal ambassadors (Archimedes the ferret and Scout the red-tailed hawk) to visit Glowfari. We can't wait to have YOU visit the Zoo (and Glowfari) again ASAP!

We are thrilled to announce this year's Quarters For Conservation recipients! Every year we choose three featured conservation projects to receive extra funding, paid for by a percentage of Zoo tickets and memberships. This year's recipients are: The Glacier National Park Passage Project, our Wildlife Rescue & Recovery Program, and The New Nature Foundation. ... You, our members and visitors, are part of this incredible team effort to take action for wildlife! https://www.oaklandzoo.org/conser/quarters-for-conservation

Feeling a little sleepy and lethargic this time of year? You might be part bear....they're in a state called "torpor" right now. What is that? Keeper Erin explains

The warthogs are cautiously curious about Keeper Virginia’s baritone horn version of Jingle Bells

Just another manic mane-day

Caltrans HQ had a spare culvert left over from a previous project and generously donated it to Oakland Zoo, where as you can see, it has become an enriching new element for our four brown bears Thanks Caltrans District 4 for this totally tubular addition to the grizzly bear habitat!

January 10 is Save the Eagles Day. Along with California Condors, Bald Eagles are getting sick and dying from scavenging animals shot by lead bullets. We encourage hunters to use non-lead ammunition for hunting. ... #SaveTheEaglesDay #BanLeadBullets #baldeagles photo: Steven Gotz

Still searching for that special gift for a special family member on your list? Treat them to a year of adventure at the Oakland Zoo, and treat yourself to 15% off gift membership with this special offer! Offer valid online only at the Dual level or higher. Use discount code 20GSF5F at http://bit.ly/2WGnFHj

Have a gourdgeous Halloween, everyone

How can you not FALL for Archie the ferret as he strikes this autumnal pose? Oakland Zoo has 2 ferrets who serve as animal ambassadors to educate the public on the dangers of invasive species. It's illegal to own ferrets as pets in California, because ferrets are capable of wiping out vast numbers of native species. photo: Keeper Eunice

Our Earth Agent families have been quietly doing their part to make an impact in their communities. Over the holidays, one of our Earth Agent families, the "Habitat Helpers," took action in their neighborhood and left us with inspiration. From the Habitat Helpers: "What better opportunity to take action as a Habitat Helper than on a day of gratitude like Thanksgiving. Keeping in mind that we are in a Pandemic with numbers currently skyrocketing and families social distancing,... I decided to take the smallest of our Habitat Helpers, my daughter Likuaht, to clean the creek at the Hacienda Peralta Park (in Oakland, CA). We took our rattles, sang a prayer of appreciation, put our capes on and got to work. I also invited other Habitat Helpers to simultaneously take their own time outside among the trees in the Bay to remind themselves of the eco systems that coexist around us that we all have a responsibility to protect. We passed out pins and cards to strangers passing by with their kids and made sure that our refreshments were in glass bottles avoiding the one time use of plastic. When I returned to work at the Native American Health Center after the holiday, I passed out random gifts with earth agent cards and gave little raccoon pins to friends and colleagues to place on beaded lanyards. I also packed earth agent info with tree sap and purple sage to make it more culturally Relevant to our Native Community. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as an Earth Agent!" https://www.oaklandzoo.org/programs-and-e/earth-agents-2020 The Association of Zoos and Aquariums #aza #earthagents #takingaction

Join us for the last Cocktails & Conservation of 2020 for a fun evening, as we feature some of the world’s most incredible conservationists. These heroes are working on the ground every day to save endangered species and their habitats. Tune in to Facebook Live to learn, ask questions, and be a part of the solution to preserve our planet’s rich and diverse wildlife. Our guest is Dr. Patricia Wright, one of the world's foremost experts on lemurs and founder of Centre ValBio - ...CVB in Madagascar. Pat has dedicated 30 years to studying the lemurs of Ranomafana National Parka park she helped establish and the site for her discovery of a previously unknown lemur species. Join Oakland Zoo and this award-winning wildlife hero! We are also pleased to feature a signature cocktail to imbibe while inspired! Make a delicious "Dreams of Madagascar" crated by Kingston 11: https://bit.ly/33vZ0LO This is a wonderful wildlife Happy Hour offering a shot of hope that we all need! See more

Wait! You're supposed to do the run first, then feast! The Bison Romp virtual 5K walk/run/bike starts Wednesday. Register now: https://www.oaklandzoo.org/programs-and-events/5k

A close enCROWNEDter with Horus & Tasherit for #WorldLemurDay. Big to our conservation partner Centre ValBio - CVB, saving lemurs in their native Madagascar!

Three's company! Our 3 rescued orphaned mountain lion cubs finally got to meet each other, paws to paws! Captain Cal and the two sweet females had their first in-person playdate, and as you can see, it was a heartwarming hit! As our VP of Veterinary Services Dr. Herman put it: "Rough and tumble, then a long snuggle."... Although these three sadly can't be re-released into the wild, they will have each other as we find them a permanent home. Follow all the rescued mountain lion chronicles here: https://www.oaklandzoo.org/blog/captain-cal

Called creepy, scary, and spooky, bats often get a bad rap. Out of the world's 1400 bat species, only *3* are actually vampire bats that feed on blood. Fruit & nectar bats spread seeds, pollinate flowers, and help regenerate forests. Let's hear it for these fantastic furry fliers! #Bat Appreciation Month... photo: Steven Gotz

If Oakland Zoo animals starred in classic horror movies.... Which ones did we miss? #Halloween

Happy birthday Carmella ferret, who celebrated turning 8 with a peanut butter-frosted cupcake and a beverage

And now, the mane event: our 3 lion brothers Mandla, Tandie & Gandia range in size from 430-490 lbs, are boisterous and playful, and are in the prime of their lives at 6 years old! Happy birthday, boys!

Whoop Whoop! It's #InternationalGibbonDay and we're fondly recalling last summer when we welcomed Rainer and Mei. These two white-handed gibbons have stolen our hearts! It's a double WHOOP for Rainer, who just turned 7 yesterday! More about gibbons:... https://www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/white-handed-gibbon See more

Mountain Lion rescue UPDATE: Both Captain Cal and the girls are doing really well. The two females (aka "Pink Nose" and "Black Nose") are learning to get on the scale voluntarily, so keepers can be sure that they are maintaining healthy weights. Follow #CaptainCal & the girls here: https://www.oaklandzoo.org/blog/captain-cal

Perfect costume for a chilly Halloween night: a shaggy bison! Wear a costume when you run during the Bison Romp 5k, use #OZBisonRomp for a chance to win prizes https://www.oaklandzoo.org/programs-and-events/5k... : Steven Gotz

Captain Cal UPDATE Here's our champ eating some meat kabobs lovingly prepared by our rock star hospital keeper Adam, who injects each meatball with antibiotics. Captain is gaining weight as he transitions from milk formula to a more meat-based diet. ... It takes perseverance to build trust with animals like this, and we thank you Adam and the entire Vet Hospital staff for your efforts to nurse this guy back to health! follow the Captain Chronicles here: https://www.oaklandzoo.org/blog/captain-cal

Hey you! Is your Halloween candy palm oil friendly? You can help protect sun bears, chimpanzees, tigers and other animals by buying Halloween candy that uses sustainable palm oil. Use this quick candy guide when you buy: ... https://bit.ly/3mb21YM See more

It's #ReptileAwarenessDay! Unfortunately this fish did not get the memo.