Woodland Park Zoo Assigment by Azeem Jimoh
Azeem Jimoh’s Woodland Park Zoo Adventure
By Azeem Jimoh
When I went to the Woodland Park Zoo on 2/26/2018, I started off at the hippo
lot and after paying a king’s ransom for parking I went in to buy my ticket.
lot and after paying a king’s ransom for parking I went in to buy my ticket.
Figure 1: The photo shows Azeem Jimoh(me) in front of the south Plaza Entrance
Figure 2: Photo of the receipt for the ticket purchased to enter
After buying my ticket I noticed that the weather was unreasonably cold.
This might of not been the best time to go since some of the animals
weren’t there due to the cold but, it was too late as I already bought my ticket.
The reason why I chose Woodland Zoo was because I’d rather look
at terrestrial animals than aquatic ones since I think they are more diverse
in terms of characteristics. The other reason why I decided to go to the zoo was
it seemed like it would be a more tame experience than the snow shoeing trip.
This might of not been the best time to go since some of the animals
weren’t there due to the cold but, it was too late as I already bought my ticket.
The reason why I chose Woodland Zoo was because I’d rather look
at terrestrial animals than aquatic ones since I think they are more diverse
in terms of characteristics. The other reason why I decided to go to the zoo was
it seemed like it would be a more tame experience than the snow shoeing trip.
The first animal I saw was the Gray wolf. When I went Gray wolf exhibit,
there was a stand that had different furs from different animals, including
the Gray wolf. From that stand I learned that the Gray wolf’s pelt is layered
with long hairs and short hairs. The short hairs were for keeping in warmth
while the long furs were for keeping water such as rain off the wolf’s body.
After the stand, I went to see what the Gray wolves were doing.
Unfortunately they weren’t too active and I only saw them lounging.
there was a stand that had different furs from different animals, including
the Gray wolf. From that stand I learned that the Gray wolf’s pelt is layered
with long hairs and short hairs. The short hairs were for keeping in warmth
while the long furs were for keeping water such as rain off the wolf’s body.
After the stand, I went to see what the Gray wolves were doing.
Unfortunately they weren’t too active and I only saw them lounging.
Figure 3: Photo of three gray wolves lounging in the sun.
If I were to see a gray wolf’s skull, I would likely see it’s eyes positioned to the
front to be able to zone in on prey. Also it would most likely have nasal turbinates
to be able to smell and locate prey. In addition to that, I would expect to see
auditory bullaes as hearing is very important aspect to a Gray wolf as howling is an
integral part of Gray wolf social structure. On the topic of howling, the main
reasons that Gray wolves howl is to be able to locate each other, have a method
of warning strangers to leave and to build friendships as Gray wolves are pack
hunters so a good relationship would be beneficial to the group. Gray wolves act
as pack hunters, moving in groups of 6-12. This combined effort allows Gray
wolves to secure animals as large as moose. This method of pack hunting eases
the burden of feeding, as a the average Gray wolf will need to eat four to seven
pounds of meat every day. With this high demand for each pack member to eat
this much food, one would think that that they must catch almost every moose
they meet, but in fact Gray wolves statistically only catch 1 out of every 16 moose
they chase. If one were to compare the Gray wolf to type of canine, for example
the Canis Iatrans, the coyote some similarities between the two would be their
color of fur as they both can come in a variety of colors, including gray and brown.
Aswell both canines use howling to communicate between pack members and
to ward off strangers. Some differences would be when a Gray wolf runs, it’s tail
is straight out, however coyotes have their tails down when they run. Currently
in the PNW the Gray wolf only resides in the upper region of the North. One
question that can be answered using these signs is “In Gray wolves, pack hunting
is a tactic that is integral to their success. However in the spring, they choose
to hunt alone. Explain why this change in behavior would occur.
front to be able to zone in on prey. Also it would most likely have nasal turbinates
to be able to smell and locate prey. In addition to that, I would expect to see
auditory bullaes as hearing is very important aspect to a Gray wolf as howling is an
integral part of Gray wolf social structure. On the topic of howling, the main
reasons that Gray wolves howl is to be able to locate each other, have a method
of warning strangers to leave and to build friendships as Gray wolves are pack
hunters so a good relationship would be beneficial to the group. Gray wolves act
as pack hunters, moving in groups of 6-12. This combined effort allows Gray
wolves to secure animals as large as moose. This method of pack hunting eases
the burden of feeding, as a the average Gray wolf will need to eat four to seven
pounds of meat every day. With this high demand for each pack member to eat
this much food, one would think that that they must catch almost every moose
they meet, but in fact Gray wolves statistically only catch 1 out of every 16 moose
they chase. If one were to compare the Gray wolf to type of canine, for example
the Canis Iatrans, the coyote some similarities between the two would be their
color of fur as they both can come in a variety of colors, including gray and brown.
Aswell both canines use howling to communicate between pack members and
to ward off strangers. Some differences would be when a Gray wolf runs, it’s tail
is straight out, however coyotes have their tails down when they run. Currently
in the PNW the Gray wolf only resides in the upper region of the North. One
question that can be answered using these signs is “In Gray wolves, pack hunting
is a tactic that is integral to their success. However in the spring, they choose
to hunt alone. Explain why this change in behavior would occur.
The next animal I was was the River Otter. When visiting the exhibit, there
was a viewing area where you could see both the land and the water that
River Otter inhabits. From the exhibit I learned that a River Otter spreads
natural oils over its fur to allow itself to dive without getting water on their fur.
Also their fur traps air and helps insult the otter. In a River Otter’s skull,
I expect to see nasal turbinates as that would help them locate prey,
forward facing eyes as they are predators. Also I would expect to see sharp
canines as they are carnivores who would need to be able to tear flesh.
In my trip I did see a River Otter taking a dive in the pool.
was a viewing area where you could see both the land and the water that
River Otter inhabits. From the exhibit I learned that a River Otter spreads
natural oils over its fur to allow itself to dive without getting water on their fur.
Also their fur traps air and helps insult the otter. In a River Otter’s skull,
I expect to see nasal turbinates as that would help them locate prey,
forward facing eyes as they are predators. Also I would expect to see sharp
canines as they are carnivores who would need to be able to tear flesh.
In my trip I did see a River Otter taking a dive in the pool.
Figure 4: A photo of a River Otter levelling out from diving into the pool.
River Otters belong to the family Mustelid. When they are born, they are
not natural swimmers but instead learn from their parents how to not be
afraid of water and how to catch prey. River otters can live as found along
the coastline in the PNW. River Otters usually live in dens, made by semi
aquatic animals such as beavers, muskrats, and beavers. When comparing
River Otters to say a Pteronura brasiliensis, or the Giant Otter, both have
a brown coloured fur that is water repellent. However fitting of their name,
the Giant Otter dwarfs the River Otter as their length can be up to 2 meters
while the River Otter only reaches up to 1 meter on average. A question that
could be answered with the signs provided is “ The River Otter is a predator that dives into the water to search for food. To compensate for this their fur must be water repellent. Is this hydrophobic fur a trait that can be passed off to their offspring?”.
not natural swimmers but instead learn from their parents how to not be
afraid of water and how to catch prey. River otters can live as found along
the coastline in the PNW. River Otters usually live in dens, made by semi
aquatic animals such as beavers, muskrats, and beavers. When comparing
River Otters to say a Pteronura brasiliensis, or the Giant Otter, both have
a brown coloured fur that is water repellent. However fitting of their name,
the Giant Otter dwarfs the River Otter as their length can be up to 2 meters
while the River Otter only reaches up to 1 meter on average. A question that
could be answered with the signs provided is “ The River Otter is a predator that dives into the water to search for food. To compensate for this their fur must be water repellent. Is this hydrophobic fur a trait that can be passed off to their offspring?”.
Next on my zoo trip, I saw the mighty Brown bear. An interesting thing
about the Brown bear exhibit was the open field with a large flowing river.
On my visit, I did see a Brown bear but for the time I was there, it was mostly
lounging
about the Brown bear exhibit was the open field with a large flowing river.
On my visit, I did see a Brown bear but for the time I was there, it was mostly
lounging
Figure 5: Picture of a Brown bear basking in the sunlight.
A characteristic of the Brown bear that is that they eat more fruits and
vegetables than they do meat and fish. If a Brown bear skull were to be present.
I’d expect forward facing eyes as they are a predator. I would also expect to see
a mixture of molars and canines as they are omnivores. I would also expect
to see a strong sagittal crest as they can drag a corpse larger than them,
so a strong bite would be needed for that. Brown bears can be found all
over the PNW but the region near the Cascades is where a high concentration
of them can be found. From my visit one way you can tell a male Brown bear
from a female was weight, as a males weigh more than their female counterparts.
On average a mother Brown bear will give birth to twin cubs which weigh less
than a pound. A Brown bear’s diet usually consists of plants such as blueberries,
grass, and starchy roots and animals such as fish. A bear that is very similar to
the Brown bear is the Ursus americanus, or the American Black bear. Both bears
are omnivores that eat more vegetation that meat. However Black bears are more
darker having black fur and on average are smaller than Brown bears in weight.
One question that can be formulated is “ When the winter time comes, many
say that Brown bears hibernate. This fact however is not true. Explain why
someone might mistake their sleep for hibernation and why their sleep is
not hibernation.
vegetables than they do meat and fish. If a Brown bear skull were to be present.
I’d expect forward facing eyes as they are a predator. I would also expect to see
a mixture of molars and canines as they are omnivores. I would also expect
to see a strong sagittal crest as they can drag a corpse larger than them,
so a strong bite would be needed for that. Brown bears can be found all
over the PNW but the region near the Cascades is where a high concentration
of them can be found. From my visit one way you can tell a male Brown bear
from a female was weight, as a males weigh more than their female counterparts.
On average a mother Brown bear will give birth to twin cubs which weigh less
than a pound. A Brown bear’s diet usually consists of plants such as blueberries,
grass, and starchy roots and animals such as fish. A bear that is very similar to
the Brown bear is the Ursus americanus, or the American Black bear. Both bears
are omnivores that eat more vegetation that meat. However Black bears are more
darker having black fur and on average are smaller than Brown bears in weight.
One question that can be formulated is “ When the winter time comes, many
say that Brown bears hibernate. This fact however is not true. Explain why
someone might mistake their sleep for hibernation and why their sleep is
not hibernation.
The next animal I saw was the Porcupine. An interesting thing from
the exhibit was the arrangement of sticks and logs in the habitat.
A characteristic of the Porcupine that I saw was the quills it has,
most likely for self defense. Unfortunately I could not snag a picture
of the porcupine as it hid before I could take a picture.
the exhibit was the arrangement of sticks and logs in the habitat.
A characteristic of the Porcupine that I saw was the quills it has,
most likely for self defense. Unfortunately I could not snag a picture
of the porcupine as it hid before I could take a picture.
Figure 6: Picture of area where Porcupine was before it left the field of view.
The closest to the Porcupine is the Beaver which shares a similar shape of the
front teeth.
If a skull of a Porcupine were to be examined, I would expect them to have
molars and no canines since they are herbivores. I would also expect lateral
eyes since they are a prey animal. I would also expect to see semi large
auditory bullae to aid in hearing predators. In the PNW they can be found
near the coastline. When Porcupines feel nervous or disturbed they release
an odor which would explain why the exhibit was so smelly. The Porcupines
in the PNW like to reside in the treetops. When plant matter is scarce the
Porcupine can eat natural bark in the winter. Porcupine needles are softer
than needles and only harden when the porcupine is threaten where as needles
are always hard. A question that could be answered from the signs provided is
“As seen in zoos, animals often get stressed when raised in captivity. What
would be present in a Porcupine’s exhibit if this were the case, what would
be present?”.
front teeth.
If a skull of a Porcupine were to be examined, I would expect them to have
molars and no canines since they are herbivores. I would also expect lateral
eyes since they are a prey animal. I would also expect to see semi large
auditory bullae to aid in hearing predators. In the PNW they can be found
near the coastline. When Porcupines feel nervous or disturbed they release
an odor which would explain why the exhibit was so smelly. The Porcupines
in the PNW like to reside in the treetops. When plant matter is scarce the
Porcupine can eat natural bark in the winter. Porcupine needles are softer
than needles and only harden when the porcupine is threaten where as needles
are always hard. A question that could be answered from the signs provided is
“As seen in zoos, animals often get stressed when raised in captivity. What
would be present in a Porcupine’s exhibit if this were the case, what would
be present?”.
The last animal I saw in Northern Trail was the Great Gray Owl.
The most interesting thing I saw in the exhibit was how high it rose up.
It gave them a lot of room to move which was cool. I saw two owls perched on
a branch and while I was looking at them, I saw a characteristic which
allowed them to rotate their head a lot more than the average organism.
The most interesting thing I saw in the exhibit was how high it rose up.
It gave them a lot of room to move which was cool. I saw two owls perched on
a branch and while I was looking at them, I saw a characteristic which
allowed them to rotate their head a lot more than the average organism.
Figure 7: Two Great Gray Owls perched on a brand turning their head to the left.
Also in comparison to the Snowy Owls the Great Gray Owl has dark feathers
than the Snowy Owls. If a Great Gray Owl’s skull was examined, there would
most likely be front facing eyes as they are a predator. The eye orbits would
most likely be small since their hearing means they don’t need as large eyes.
I would also expect to see large auditory bullae as occasionally they can hunt
off sound alone. In the PNW, Great Gray Owls can be found in upper Canada
and in the Cascades. The reason why Great Gray Owls faces are shaped in the
way they are is to guide sounds to their ears to make it easier to locate prey.
On average Great Gray Owls are 2 ft tall with a wingspan of 5 ft and an
average weight of 2-4 pounds. Besides warmth, the Great Gray Owl’s
specialized feathers allow them to swoop down silently on prey without
them hearing. One question that can be made is “ Besides their keen eyesight,
name two ways that Great Gray Owls have an advantage over their prey”.
than the Snowy Owls. If a Great Gray Owl’s skull was examined, there would
most likely be front facing eyes as they are a predator. The eye orbits would
most likely be small since their hearing means they don’t need as large eyes.
I would also expect to see large auditory bullae as occasionally they can hunt
off sound alone. In the PNW, Great Gray Owls can be found in upper Canada
and in the Cascades. The reason why Great Gray Owls faces are shaped in the
way they are is to guide sounds to their ears to make it easier to locate prey.
On average Great Gray Owls are 2 ft tall with a wingspan of 5 ft and an
average weight of 2-4 pounds. Besides warmth, the Great Gray Owl’s
specialized feathers allow them to swoop down silently on prey without
them hearing. One question that can be made is “ Besides their keen eyesight,
name two ways that Great Gray Owls have an advantage over their prey”.
While going through the zoo, I noticed that where were two different types
of otters located in the zoo. The first otter I saw was the River Otter and
the second one I saw was the Asian small-clawed Otter. When looking at
the differences between the two, the first difference is the hands as small-
clawed Otters have small nimble fingers while the River Otter has webbed
fingers. The reason behind this might relate to the food they eat, as small-clawed
Otters eat crabs, snails, and frogs so fingers would make catching the food easier.
As for the River Otter, they mostly eat fish so fingers would not be as useful
as having webbed hands, which would allow the otter to swim in the water faster.
This development of fingers might have been a derived trait
for the small-clawed Otters as other otters possess webbed hands and feet.
Also while looking at the fur of both otters, they both have fur that interlocking.
This interlocking fur helps trap oils to make the fur water repellent and to insulate
air, this is most likely to help the otters as they both reside near rivers and
streams, so being able to dive in and out more freely would help the otters
thrive. This interlocking fur would most likely be an ancestral trait shared between
the two otters.
Overall this field trip was pretty fun. It was nice having a connection to class,
seeing the animals moving around and having the signs that tell you more
about the organism. Probably the most interesting I saw was the bird room
in the Savannah area as you could walk and and see the birds fly up next to you.
Seeing so many birds so close to me was actually really amazing and I wish the
birds liked me enough to land on my body. Also, it was nice to see
different organism of the same family as seeing how they differed relates back
to speciation and how organism in different environments change.
This field trip didn’t really change my perspective on animal biology,
only heightened it as now I want to learn more on animal biology
from this field trip. Final verdict 9/10
seeing the animals moving around and having the signs that tell you more
about the organism. Probably the most interesting I saw was the bird room
in the Savannah area as you could walk and and see the birds fly up next to you.
Seeing so many birds so close to me was actually really amazing and I wish the
birds liked me enough to land on my body. Also, it was nice to see
different organism of the same family as seeing how they differed relates back
to speciation and how organism in different environments change.
This field trip didn’t really change my perspective on animal biology,
only heightened it as now I want to learn more on animal biology
from this field trip. Final verdict 9/10
Hey Azeem,
ReplyDeleteI went to Woodland Park zoo as well! It's awesome that you got see the owls in action because the time I was there, the gray owl was not in the mood to do anything at all. It was standing still on the branch. Overall, great post and nice pictures!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI really like your post! The day I went to the zoo it was super cold as well, and it did have a great impact on animal activities. I am very impressed that you actually saw the two owls standing next to each other, I can barely see one. For the river otter, I was listening to the worker at the zoo, she said the otter is very sensitive to whats going on behind the glass, so as she was swimming back and forth, the otter was trying to interact with the people looking at it. Great post!
Hi Azeem,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that these days might not be the best time to explore the zoo since it is so cold. I could only imagine what it would have been like for those who went snow shoeing. I also went to the zoo for the field trip and I must say it was a fun experience for me too. I feel like after learning about animals in the class, I have more enthusiasm to see these animals live and observe them closely.
Great post!
It sounds like you had a really positive experience at the zoo! I wonder if wolves have to secrete some kind of oil to prevent the water on their longer fur from getting into the shorter fur meant for warmth? Also, if the porcupine exhibit smelled bad I wonder if the environments they're in at the zoo aren't ideal for their well being, since they normally produce an odor under stressful conditions. It's interesting to think about how zoos may influence populations of different species. Do zoos interfere with natural evolutionary processes when we try to breed an endangered species in captivity? I bet a lot of the population genetics stuff we covered at the beginning of the quarter could be applied here!
ReplyDeleteHey Azeem!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post! I also went on a field trip to the zoo, so it was interesting to compare how the animals were behaving from when you observed them to the way they were behaving when I was at the zoo. For example, it sounds like the grey wolves were pretty sleepy when you went. However, from what I saw, they were running around and carrying meat in their mouths that was given to them by one of the zookeepers. Also, I didn't know that there were two different kinds of otters at the zoo! Your comparison between the river otter and the Asian small-clawed otter was very insightful. When I went to the zoo, I learned that one of the river otters is pregnant with four otter pups, and once she gives birth, she will have to teach her young to swim!