Connections

Yet another day at the Zoo!

Even polar bears love a swim on a warm day!

We have a couple of memberships that we keep up, ostensibly for "the grandchildren" but at the first hint of a warm day I dash the 1 1/2 mile from our home to the zoo for a camera safari.  There is always something new and different--including the photos that got away.  Just as we were passing the mesh fence the zebras began to run madly around their large enclosure.  The reason:  an aggressive ostrich was pursuing them.  Before I could get a clear shot, the zoo keeper had enticed the ostrich back into its enclosure and the action was over.

Siberian tiger just out of his rock pool. This feline likes water.

Sadly this magnificent animal is highly endangered.  I use a lot of digital memory on this guy.

Live Nautilus through the glass wall of its tank. 

We are fortunate to have Tropical Discovery in our zoo. This exhibit contains plants and animals from 5 tropical habitats:  Coral reef, tropical caves, estuaries, river pools and desert.

I have always loved the nautilus ever since I first read Anne Morrow Lindberg's Gifts from the Sea.  Long before I knew about how endangered they would become, I had collected two from shell shops in California and Mexico.  Now I content myself with watching these little water-propelled shells moving around their tank in TD.

Walking sticks in a tank in T.D. 

One of many examples of slow-moving animals or insects using camouflage to "hide in plain site" from their predators. If you look closely you can see several "baby sticks" staying pretty close to the adults.

Animals at the Boo!

Bat eared fox resting with vigilant eyes partially open

This big-eared cutie didn't seem to mind all the costumed children running past his/her enclosure.

Below I caught a dangerous wild animal in an almost loveable pose.

Two-year old zoo-raised male grizzly orphaned as a small cub.

I'm not quite sure how it happened but I just pointed my camera, sometimes right into sun and shadows, and something special was captured.  In this case it was a kangaroo eating.  When I uploaded my photos I realized there were two kangaroos eating--a mother and a joey.

Lorakeets

A pair of Lorakeets in the Denver Zoo

It's been slightly more than a year since the Denver Zoo Lorakeet Enclosure was completed, but I had never been inside.  Like we--as grandparents--often do, we used our enthusiastic granddaughter as an excuse, no-actually just a reason, to go see the lorakeets.  In this new enclosure we estimated, as it difficult to count a room full of flying color swatches, about 50 lorakeets lived, flew, preened and bounced their heads.  Clio was ecstatic, running from one to another.  I took too many photos and a few 6 or 7-second video clips (which I had hoped to post here but couldn't figure out how to do it without reading and researching and opening a ticket etc.). So, I'll just share a few of the still photos:

This one was very animated, bobbing up and down.

The red bird below made several flying circles before landing on the fence perfectly posed on the hypotenuse of two triangles in my lens.

A Pride for two brothers!

These two brothers are Co-Kings of the Denver Zoo Pride.

According to experienced feline zoo keepers, it is not unusual for brothers to share a pride while a lion stranger moving in would be the cause of a fight to the death with the victor winning the entire pride of lionesses. These two seemed quite comfortable with their shared position--and the pride is growing.  This year alone we've gained 5 cubs.

As with all wild animals born in captivity, their genetic history is carefully recorded by the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums and if any animal's genes become over-represented in the total captive gene-pool, the animal is either vasectomized or norplanted depending on the gender.    We once had a sign in our zoo that read, "computer Dating--Your zoo or mine?"  Apparently some parents did not like this explanation of the Species Survival Plan so the sign was retired, though thankfully the plan survives. 

Our zoo frequently receives "animals on loan" from other zoos for the purpose of infusing our captive  populations with genetic variety.  It certainly beats capturing them from the wild.  Unfortunately animals are still confiscated from poachers, and if, for some reason, it is not possible to return them to the wild, they become another source of gene variance.

I do so love the big cats and I support whatever can be done to insure they will not become extinct on the planet.

Animal Attitudes!

One of two new African Porcupines vying for dominance

Or, at least that's what I interpreted their chasing and confrontational behavior to mean.  It could also have been a courting ritual.  Without knowing the sex of the animals it is hard to tell the difference, but whatever it was, there was plenty of "attitude" involved.  It is so tempting to view their behavior and interpret it anthropomorphically.  I've often said I'd like to spend two minutes inside the mind of my dog or cat--just to know what on earth was going on in there. 

There are a few other animals whose minds I'd love to read:  crows, jays and other corvids, orangutans, red squirrels and lions and wolves (how do they plan a group attack on prey?)

What made this red squirrel decide to stake out the stroller parking at the Tropical Discovery building as his own private catering service.  I've photographed him before as he hunts through "goodies" left in the strollers while mom's take the kids inside to see the fish and reptiles of the tropical habitats.  This day he was happily munching some french fries left in the carrier pouch of one stroller.  Whatever else he may be thinking, he is definitely not thinking about weight or nutrition.

Junk food is not good for people--or animals!

Out of Africa

The zebra seems unfazed by frost on chin hairs...

....but I have a hard time getting my mind around a Grevy's zebra standing on a snowdrift.  I actually love the look of animals with a winter coat though they look a little comical when it starts shedding in early summer.

We went to the zoo on the day after the snow and the temperature got up to 40 degrees.  The polar bears and artic fox were content  and the sea lions were swimming in water with snow and ice inside. 

I got a really good photo of an artic fox.

They are so cute and cuddly looking that it is hard to remember that they are wild animals.

One reason that I went to the zoo is that I got a notice that they brought in a new male jaguar and he is beautiful.  Our current female is only 16 months, a bit young--so the zoo keeper said--for breeding. Note the distinctive markings:  large rosettes with multiple dots inside. 

Hats, Hardware and Humor

In addition to the nuts and bolts of transporting, feeding and preparing the cattle, horses, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, various poultry and fowl for judging, there is also a great deal of product marketing going on.  The exhibit halls are full of  both desirable and necessary items for sale.

Here are a few photos of typical booths:

Hats, all styles, can be steamed, blocked and sent to your home.

Whether you want a cowboy hat for form or function, it can be found in the exhibition hall.

Horsey hardware for managing animals in the Rodeo arena or Show ring

Metal chutes can be purchased with or without tracking capability.

It is now possible to have an animal herded into the chute and have the animal's age, weight, breeding history, medical and inoculation records appear on a screen attached to the chute. From a scan of an embedded microchip, the information is immediately accessible.

Of course, not all the wares for sale are serious in nature.  There are tooled-leather toilet seats, lamps with cartoons or waterfalls on them and bar-and-billiard-room plaques as well as wagon-wheel and antler furniture.

Slogans for sale!

There were also many examples of fine art and great skill exhibited in the various halls.  I fell in love with a $15,0000 sculpture that warmed my heart every time I passed by.  Sadly that kind of art is not in my budget.

The stock show provides me with an annual opportunity to get in touch with my roots. It's been 50 years since I have lived on a working farm/ranch, but it will always be a part of my history.  Though I reminisce and  give these memories a rosy color from a distance, I will never forget just how much hard work it takes to make a profit raising cattle.   

Cattle Judging

Spray-painted hoofs and hair-sprayed tails are common

One of the main reasons that those in the cattle business bring their bulls, cows, heiffers and steers of the stock show is to compete and win top prizes.  A Grand Champion Bull will command higher breeding fees.  A champion beef steer or heiffer will command a higher per-pound sales price and will increase the prestiege of the breed line they come from. 

Yesterday we walked through the barns on a morning when there was no judging.  All judging was delayed until after the big parade downtown.  That did not keep the people who would be showing cattle from their "beauty-shop" duties.  Below you see one man in the cow wash.  It is not uncommon to see four or five showers in use at a time just before several classes are to be judged in different arenas..

One of several Cow Washes in the cattle barns

Waiting their turn for judging

It is imperitive that people understand the complexities and demands of this business that is so important to our food supply--and our economy.

Being around the vocabulary and farm-culture-specific terms reminds me of a book I read on a recent trip, knowing that we'd have 3 hours in an airport.  I wanted something entertaining but not intellectually demanding and someone had recommended reading something by Nora Roberts.  Since I had spent my childhood on a cattle ranch I chose to read her book, "Montana Sky."  Now I know that most people will look at a herd of cattle and say, "Look at all those cows."  That is a common non-specific reference.  But when an author is describing particular procedures to prevent young bulls from fathering calves, a little bit of basic research would have revealed that on a cattle ranch one does not refer --more than once in this case--to "castrating cows."  Of course,  I'm being petty but I doubt that I will read another book by her, because I don't trust that she will have properly researched her characters or location,

Reminiscing!

Almost every January we take one day to treat ourselves to a day at the annual National Western Livestock Show Horse Show and Rodeo.  We walk through the show barns and remember our 4-H days.  Though Bob grew up on a dairy and wheat farm in North Dakota and I grew up on a cattle and horse ranch in Southeastern Colorado--where the blizzard of the last two weeks has resulted in airplane hay lifts to try to save the stranded cattle--the vocabulary, the farm/ranch culture and many of the memories are almost the same. And, the Stockshow Grill serves the best barbecued beef to be found anywhere.

Today we started in the sheep and goat barn and arrived just in time to see a demonstration of sheep-shearing.  There were at least two classes of elementary students gathered around to watch and from the look on their faces, some had never been near a farm nor a sheep.

Waiting to be sheared.

You're next!

Shearing the wool

Wool, bagged, judged for quality and ready to be sold

Both Bob and I raised sheep for 4-H but ours were meat-producing rather than for wool.

Rhino Artist

Mshindi the black rhino with paintbrush

Recently I visited the zoo on a very cold day and the rhinos, hippos and elephants were all inside the building where they share night quarters.  I walked through and saw once again the display of Mshindi's art so I took photos of the photos on the display wall. to share here.

In the wild, black rhinos spend most of their time browsing for food.  They strip leaves off branches with their strong and versatile prehensile upper lips.  In order to keep Mshindi from getting listless, one of his keepers at the Denver Zoo taught him to paint with tempera on a board that she held for him.  In addition to being an "enrichment exercise," it also taught him to trust his keepers and allow them to approach and touch him.  Mshindi's paintings have become so popular that each year at the annual zoo fundraiser one or more of his paintings are either sold or raffled off. 

This is only one example of animal enrichment activities:  The orangutans are given PVC pipe with cheerios stuck inside with honey so they must use a stick and work to get them out. The zoo has a standing committee of volunteers whose job it is to make or purchase tools to keep the animals occupied and challenged in captivity.

My favorite of Mshindi's paintings is his self-portrait.  I think it actually looks a bit like him.

Computer Dating for Zoos

This sign is posted in many places at the Denver Zoo.

Today, zoos save most of their space to house endangered animals.  Since animals are no longer routinely captured in the wild, animals in accredited zoos are either zoo-born, rescued because of illness or injury or confiscated from poachers.  To keep certain animals from being over-represented in the captive gene pool, DNA records are kept on all endangered animals and genetically appropriate partners are "loaned" to other zoos for breeding purposes.  Our zoo used to have a sign, posted below the one above, which read, "Your zoo or mine?"  but some parents complained so it was removed.  In some cases, such as elephants, artificial insemination may be used rather than try to transport an elephant cross country.

This is just one bit of interesting information I picked up while volunteering as a docent at the Denver Zoo.  Zoos have come a long way from the private menageries of animals " collected for display" in the middle 1900s.  Today's zoos are very involved in conservation and protection of the animals.   All training is done either for intellectual stimulation or to teach behaviors and trust that would allow keepers to take blood, check temperatures, treat hooves or do general health maintenance.

I will write tomorrow about one example of "Enrichment Training" to keep animals from getting bored in an environment where they don't spend time, energy and resources in foraging for food.

Winter Picnic

A squirrel takes advantage of an untended stroller.

Last week we took our granddaughter to the Tropical Discovery exhibit at the Denver Zoo.  Strollers are not allowed inside so they must be parked in a special area outside.  As we approached to park our small umbrella stroller, we saw a squirrel unashamedly enjoying potato chips from an opened package.  He was absolutely fearless.  It is unfortunate that people leave opened food around as each year the zoo staff finds animals dead from eating fatty "people" food or ingesting coins, straws or other items dropped on the ground or, from ignorance of animal behavior, thrown into water ponds.

I find squirrels fascinating.  Some of my neighbors have a vendetta against squirrels.  They buy squirrel-proof bird-feeders, squirrel-proof fencing for their gardens and practice other anti-squirrel behavior--some of them questionable or even illegal  I happen to like squirrels.  I know they are wild animals and not meant to be cuddled.  I have no illusions about keeping them around as pets.  I do, however, admire and respect their industry and ingenuity.

What's Real? What's Not?

The lion diorama at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

One of the advantages of living 1 1/2 miles from the Museum and Zoo is that frequent drop-in trips are possible.  I went by to check the Christmas sale at the gift shop where everything is 20% off to Members and, of course I took my camera.  I always go by some of my favorite dioramas.  This time I strolled through the Africa hall.  I am still amazed at how real the scenes appear.  My husband, a docent at the museum, told me that the tour committee had decided to discontinue a tour called "What's Real?  What's Not?"  Perhaps it was not considered "Scientific" enough but I liked hearing how the dioramas were made. 

The actual dioramas are only six to eight feet deep but the painted backgrounds make it look like you are viewing into the distance.  All of the materials used in the dioramas are man-made except the tanned skins of the animals. If real plants were used, they would decay and the gas would cloud the glass windows of the enclosure--as well as require constant cleaning and upkeep.   All plants are painted plastic or vinyl molded into the shapes of trees, rocks, leaves etc.  The backgrounds were all painted by professional museum artists.  Even the forms on which the animal skins are placed are man-made.  It was a very time-consuming and expensive process.  That is why the process is rarely used in newer museums.  This dioramas in this museum were built at a time when the process was more affordable and fewer animals were endangered.

Dioramas are a great teaching tool for classes and a wonderful opportunity to sketch animals that won't move while you are sketching.  We are indeed privileged to have this wonderful insitution just over a mile down the road.

Just a portion of the largest diorama in the museum--The Savuti Watering Hole.

Cat-in-the-Tree

Our cat Inka about 5 feet up in a 6.5 feet artificial Christmas tree

Last night Bob put up the christmas tree to let it "shake out" over night before we trimmed it this weekend.  I walked into the room and found it literally "shaking" and because it was dark and Inka is totally black, I couldn't see her until I walked near the tree.  She is an indoor cat so she seemed thrilled that she now had her personal indoor tree.  This is her first Christmas with us so I'm sure we're in for some tree training.  Just in case, we're not using breakable ornaments this year--for her but also for our sweet grand-daughter Clio who will celebrate her second December but first Christmas. 

Tiger Tiger!

Magnificent Siberian tiger at the Denver Zoo

Though I am basically opposed to rote memory of facts without conceptual background, I have to say I am grateful to all my English teachers who required me to memorize poetry when I was young.  I can still remember the entire body of some of them and enough of others that just hearing a few lines brings me closer to the subject.  One of the poems I was required to memorize was this one by William Blake.  Although I approach animal science from an evolutionary point of view, I still love the rhythm and imagery contained in Blake's poem.

                                              The Tiger

TIGER, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?
Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry? William Blake. 1757–1827

Vicarious Safari

Cheetahs in the Denver Zoo

Lately my heart and mind have been so full of the Hurricane Katrina tragedy, as my moods range from feeling pain and empathy to feeling powerless and eventually to anger at the response delays, as I watch, listen to and read the heart-breaking stories.  I have sought temporary diversion in my predictable places. Earlier this week I went to the zoo and caught these Cheetahs in repose.  Though these animals are most likely zoo-born as zoos no longer wild-catch endangered animals, they are such magnificent animals that I never tire of watching them.   Occasionally endangered animals are brought to zoos as a result of emergency rescue or confiscation from poachers.  I find a kind of peace knowing these animals are still around, even if their numbers are dwindling in the wild.

Last Friday our National Geographic Magazine arrived and this issue features Africa.  My husband read that National Geographic now has a 24-hour webcam in a Botswana game preserve.  I immediately connected and bookmarked it.  It is 8 hours ahead of our time zone so last night just before 11:00 it was just starting to be light in Botswana and I was really tired so went to bed before many animals appeared.  But this morning at 8:00 a.m. I checked in and caught a lot of late afternoon activity around Pete's Pond where the webcam is located.  So far I have seen plains zebras, ostriches, wild turkeys, cranes, springboks and one warthog as they came to the pond to drink. I haven't yet seen Cheetahs, lions, wildebeasts or elephants but there are video clips on the site of past visits by these animals.  I shall visit this place often as I take my daily vicarious safaris.

Exiled!

Jealous Jenny now has a new home!

Today we went to see Clio for the first time since their jet-lagged arrival.  She was more rested though she has contracted a cold and is recovering from that.  She more eagerly reached out to new faces in her world and by the time we left she was laughing and playing with both of us.

Jenny, the dog in the photo, was not happy about the addition to the family and on two occasions snapped at Clio.  When Clio's Mom , J, tried to intervene Jenny bit J.  I could see the anguish on both parents' faces.  We offered to take Jenny for a time-out, or permanently, if necessary.  They said they'd think about it.

About a half hour after we arrived home, D called to say they'd decided to take us up on the offer and he dropped Jenny off within the hour.  She is a sweet dog but needs to be the only dog (they have two other dogs, neither is ever aggressive) with someone who is home a lot.    When J goes back to work she didn't feel comfortable having Jenny there with only an unfamiliar nanny to check her jealousy.

So for now Jenny is with us, and except for a very wary cat, all is going well.  Though we hadn't planned on another dog, Jenny is a good size and except for dominance and jealousy issues, has a gentle temperament. 

Murder or Storytelling?

A murder of crows, or is it a Storytelling ?

Yesterday just before sunset over 30 crows loudly moved into our neighbor's large trees.  By the time I got my camera some had gone. As we were discussing them I remembered that when I was a Docent at the Denver Zoo we were given a list of collective nouns for groups of animals.  Thanks to Google I found a list with many more than I'd seen before.  Go here to see which animals live in pods, which in a pounce, a pride, a shrewdness, a tiding or an ostentation.  Enjoy!

Springtime Zoo babies

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep and newborn lamb

A visit to the zoo in March always is an introduction to new zoo babies.  Some, like the polar bear cubs were born earlier but kept 3 months in a den with Mom until they are ready to go outdoors.  The bighorn lamb and the baby giraffe, typically  prey, are born ready to run within a couple of hours. The geese are paired off and some are already nesting. Goslings will begin to appear soon.  I had little time at the zoo today but will return soon on a warmer day and capture more animals with my camera.

Strange Relations

Lia, a toy Yorkie and Inka a Bombay-mix kitten

While my son and daughter-in-law are in Brazil attending her sister's wedding, we are dogsitting their two dogs. Our animal population is currently three dogs--a Yorkie, a Spitz and a Springer Spaniel--and our eight-month old kitten. The two older dogs have been together often and are both famiiar with cats. The two youngsters in the group, however, were both curious and afraid of each other. In pre-trip trials, the relationship consisted of a lot of barking, hissing and chasing up and down the stairs with little face to face interaction. After one day of testing each other, night fell and reality set in: if either of them wanted her customary place on the family mattress, they would have to be civil. Originally settled on opposite corners of the bed, the two small heat-seekers were found in the morning nestled in the down comforter, sleeping with their noses less than five inches apart.

Now on their second day together they are almost inseparable. The biggest challenge is learning how to "play" together. So far they both enjoy chase and fetch.

Conservation!

After 20 years Denver Zoo now has two cheetahs.

It is worth the wait.  They are such magnificent creatures.  I understand why many zoos do not have them.  They are so endangered in the wild so accredited zoos, in the interest of conservation, only have zoo-born animals or those confiscated as illegally smuggled into our country.  When I worked as a docent at our zoo I met many people who said, "Oh, I don't believe in keeping wild animals in cages."  Most of these people have not visited an accredited zoo lately.  Most zoos today go to elaborate lengths and expense to create animal-friendly habitats that meet the needs of the animal.  Few are in "cages"  and those few do not need more space and are there for their protection.

I like that the mission statement of The Denver Zoo reads that the purposes of the zoo are conservation, education and enjoyment.  They always stressed that "people will not care about animals until they come to know them."

One of my favorite conservation programs of the Denver Zoo is called ZOOP!  Click here to read about it.

Goose Crossing!

This goose must know the train doesn't run on winter week days.

I don't know why I love Canadian Geese so much. They are not particularly beautiful or graceful birds.  They exhibit nasty tempers if they think you are threatening their nests or goslings. Yet they are gregarious birds and nurturing parents.  As we live just over a mile from the City Park Lake, golf course and zoo, we have many opportunities to see them gathered on the greens, clustered around the lake or flying to and from their feeding areas.  The grace they lack on the ground they gain in the air and while swimming in the lake.  I love to watch them--and photograph them--so I have hundreds of photos of geese.

Inka!

Our new six-month-old kitten, Inka, with her quickly adopted sleeping pal.

It was time.  It has been about a year and a half since our cat for 15 years died.  The vet had estimated her age at 3 years when we got her.  We have a dog that we love but there is nothing like cuddly-cat love.   We adopted her from the Dumb Friends League where we have gotten most of our animals.  We had planned to "interview" two cats but after we spent time with this little sweetie, we were sold. 

Just twenty-four hours after bringing her home she has investigated almost everything--with only one misstep so far.  She stepped off one of the top stairs, through the railing onto the top of a door which began to swing with her weight as she landed with two feet on either side and was  hanging on for dear life.  My husband ran down the stairs and plucked her from the top of the door and set her down on the floor.  She walked off as if nothing had happened. 

It's really good to have a cat again.

Predator Ridge

Lioness watching African Wild Dogs in Denver Zoo's new Predator Ridge

Denver Zoo's new habitat area opened June 22. Two days ago I was able to walk through it in entirety for the first time. Although the lions and wild dogs are separated by a deep concrete moat and electrical fencing, a viewer gets the impression that he/she is looking across the African plains, viewing the animals in their natural habitat. Predator Ridge, the first portion of The Denver Zoo Millenium Plan was launched in 1999 with a Bond Issue approved by voters to upgrade the feline quarters, the only remaining box and bar configurations at our zoo. With the opening of this new space, all the animals have the amount and quality of habitat that they require.

Tulivu

Tulivu, born May 2, cuddles with caretaker after her bottle.

Today I stopped back by the zoo at 4:00 p.m. Nobody was in the nursery so the caretaker turned the baby gorilla so that I could get a photo without a flash or window reflection. Her name, Tulivu, is a Swahili word meaning peaceful or calm. I learned from a docent that she will begin to have teeth at 3 months and will be mostly on solid food by six months. Still, she will need several bottles of milk each day until she is two years old. Once she is on solid food, she will be returned to her troup in the gorilla enclosure. The keepers feel that one of the three females in the troup will take responsibility for her. They believe they can actually train the mentor to take a bottle through the small window in the keeper-door and feed it to the baby.

Bighorn sheep

Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep at Denver Zoo

I went to the zoo to see the 10-day-old gorilla. She is being cared for in the zoo nursery because her first-time mother--also hand raised--did not nurse her for 48 hours. The baby had lost weight, so the zoo keepers made the decision to bottle feed her. The mother was holding and cuddling the baby but did not put her to breast. Each day the baby is put into an adjacent area with open but meshed windows so that the mother can see and smell her. When she is stronger, the zoo staff hope to reunite them. Another gorilla--a two-time mother--is pregnant and due in two weeks. It is hoped that her example will encourage the new mother to bond with and care for her little one. I took a picture of the little gorilla in the nursery but there was too much reflection from the window--even without the flash.

The zoo is full of babies this time of year: goslings everywhere, a new camel, a new cape buffalo and the new bighorn sheep in the photo above. Like most prey animals, the bighorn babies are born ready to run-- and climb. Within an hour they are following mom to the top of the rocks. This one is just a few days old. While the gorillas and other primates require holding, nurturing and bonding to thrive, the baby bighorn really only needs food and a little instruction on predator avoidance.

Dog By Committee!

Jenny, the "dog of mixed breed" we are dog-sitting

We are currently caring for Jenny, my son and daughter-in-law's dog. She has a gentle demeanor, is smart, athletic and interactive. She appears to be, however, in the colloquial speech of my upbringing: a dog put together by a committee. Her head and feet are clearly Jack Russell, her body shape is Italian Greyhound , her coat color, ears and tail are something else altogether. I've never seen a dog quite like her. We have offered to permanently adopt her but they won't hear of it, so we borrow her occasionally when they are out of town.

Strange Bedfellows!

Female howler monkey grooming female capybara

I grew up as a Country Kid on a farm/ranch 22 miles from the nearest town--one with a population of under 500. It has always surprised me how much I enjoy living in an urban environment. We live a little over a mile from the Denver Zoo and the Nature & Science Museum (both in City Park) and about 3 miles from the Botanic Gardens and the Bluff Lake Nature Center. We are also 15 minutes from the Symphony, theaters, art museums, galleries and baseball. Needless to say I'm quite comfy with my city life. It has become my habit to just pop in and see what's new at these places as I go about in the city.

Yesterday I had to go past the zoo while running errands so I stopped by--with my camera of course. I went into Tropical Discovery, a simulated rain forest housing many of the typical animals of five tropical habitats. One exhibit houses two very different species: the Black Howler Monkey and the Capybara. The female black howler, because of sexual dimorphism, is always a beigey-blond color while the male is black. In their natural habitat they usually spend their entire lives in trees while capybaras-- the world's largest rodents-- live on the ground below them, never interacting.

One of my first tasks as a Zoo Docent was to monitor the two sister capybaras because after several years of living together, one of them--the submissive one--had decided to change the dominance/submissive roles and had drawn blood in aggressive attacks. I was to observe and report to keepers by radio if I noticed any threat of violent behavior. Eventually, the dominance relationship remained as it had always been. During my many hours of observation these over-grown guinea pigs captured my attention with their quiet lumbering style--in exact contrast to the raucous loud calls of their howler roommates.

It was often observed at the zoo that habitat change, and living in captivity, can create unexpected inter-species interactions. It seems that one day Rosie the howler decided to groom 228. (Another zoo story: the capy keeper doesn't believe in giving wild animals "pet" names, so the sisters are referred to as 228 and 229.) Four years later and the behavior continues. They often curl up and sleep together while Rosie's mate Avery sleeps on the tree trunk and 229 sleeps alone behind a rock in their habitat home.