Home » Wildlife Blog

Wildlife Blog

Oakland Zoo Welcomes New Tiger Rescue

Posted on September 1, 2026 by admin

Oakland Zoo welcomed a new female tiger named Sitara in July! Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Oakland Zoo in California welcomed a new female tiger in July! The new addition is named Sitara, which is Hindu for “star”.

Sitara was one of five tigers rescued by the zoo. These tigers were abandoned at a private facility, and they all had physical ailments like blindness, arthritis, or spinal disease.

Sitara was one of five tigers transferred to the Oakland Zoo for treatment. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

One of the tigers, seen here, was a white tiger who suffered from blindness. She was transferred to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge as her forever home after she was treated. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Oakland Zoo vets treated the tigers, then three of the tigers were transferred to other facilities for lifelong care. One of the tigers had health issues that were too extreme and had to be euthanized.

Sitara will stay on at Oakland Zoo as her permanent home. The Animal Care staff is training her so she learns how to navigate pools, a waterfall, raised platforms, grass, and vegetation in her new habitat. These are all features she’s never experienced before!

Sitara is adjusting to her new habitat at Oakland Zoo. Animal Care staff is training her how to navigate new features like pools and waterfalls. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Photo by Oakland Zoo.

For thirty years, Oakland Zoo has rescued big cats who have been impacted by private ownership and the commercial wildlife trade. They work with government agencies and other accredited organizations to provide care and forever homes to big cats who have been mistreated.

To learn more and to support Oakland Zoo’s efforts, see their website.

For more information about tigers, see our article, Siberian Tiger.

Rescued Manatee Returned to the Wild

Posted on August 19, 2026 by admin

Ralston, a rescued manatee, returned home to the Halifax River in Florida in August. Photo by SeaWorld Orlando.

After months of rehabilitation, SeaWorld Orlando recently released Ralston, a Florida manatee, back to the wild!

Ralston was brought to SeaWorld Orlando by Florida Fish and Wildlife Service after he got severely injured by a crab trap. His left pectoral flipper had to be amputated, but with daily care from SeaWorld’s Animal Team, his health recovered, and he was ready to go back home.

Ralston was transported by van to the Halifax River in Florida, where his rescue was originally made.

Using a crane, the Animal Team was able to lift Ralston into the van gently. Photo by SeaWorld Orlando.

Ralston was transported by van back to the Halifax River, where he was found. Photo by SeaWorld Orlando.

After months of rehabilitation, Ralston was ready to return to the wild! SeaWorld vets microchipped him so if he finds himself at another rescue facility in the future, the vets there will be able to access all of his veterinary history and information. Photo by SeaWorld Orlando.

To learn more, see the SeaWorld Orlando website.

For more information about manatees, see our article, West Indian Manatee.

5 Cool Facts about Snakes for World Snake Day

Posted on July 13, 2026 by admin

Pssssst! World Snake Day is celebrated every year on July 16! Photo by Cavan Images / iStock.com.

Did you know World Snake Day takes place every year on July 16? To celebrate, here are five fun facts about these slithery reptiles:

1. All snakes are carnivores.

That means all snakes eat meat. In particular, they may eat mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, eggs, worms, and insects. Watch this video of an egg-eating snake swallowing a large egg whole:

2. There are over 3,000 species of snakes.

Some species, like the Barbados threadsnake, are as small as 10 cm (4 in.) fully grown. Others, like the reticulated python, can grow to be over 6 m (20 ft.) long.

Some snakes, like this Barbados threadsnake, are tiny! Photo by Velatrix, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

3. Some snakes are venomous.

That means they produce a toxic saliva. Usually, the venom is injected into their prey through their fangs, though some species spit the venom.

King cobras are venomous. They have sharp hollow fangs that inject venom into their prey. Photo by DikkyOesin / iStock.com.

4. Baby snakes are called snakelets.

Some baby snakes hatch from eggs their mothers lay. Some snakelets hatch from eggs inside their mothers’ bodies. And some snakelets are born live (with no eggshell).

These Taiwan beauty snakelets will hatch from eggs their mother has laid. Photo by Jean Valjean de la Valdieu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

5. Snakes can’t blink.

They do not have eyelids. Instead, they have a clear membrane that covers their eyes called a brille.

Snakes, like this green anaconda, can’t blink. Photo by nikicruz / iStock.com.

We hope you enjoyed this roundup of cool snake facts! To learn more about snakes, read our articles, King Cobra, Green Anaconda and Burmese Python.

Endangered Grevy’s Zebra Born at Lincoln Park Zoo

Posted on July 6, 2026 by admin

A baby Grevy’s zebra was born on June 22 at Lincoln Park Zoo! Photo by Lincoln Park Zoo.

A baby Grevy’s zebra was born on June 22 at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago! The newborn foal and her mama, Adia, are doing well and are being monitored by the zoo’s Animal Care and veterinary staff.

The foal is Adia’s sixth offspring. She will live with Adia, two-year-old sister Yabelo, and adult female Delrie. While the foal was able to run just an hour after birth, she will remain dependent on her mother for the first seven months.

The zebra foal will be dependent on her mother, Adia, for the first seven months. Photo by Lincoln Park Zoo.

The baby zebra has reddish-brown stripes that will only turn black once she is older. She weighed about 45 kg (100 lb.) at birth and will grow to be around 385 kg (850 lb.) as an adult.

In the wild, Grevy’s zebras inhabit Ethiopia and Kenya. They are an endangered species, with only around 2000 wild Grevy’s zebras alive today.

According to Curator Dan Boehm, “We’re proud to play a part in conserving the Grevy’s zebra population through important births like this one.”

Grevy’s zebras are listed as endangered by the IUCN Redlist. There are only around 2000 Grevy’s zebra in the wild. Photo by Lincoln Park Zoo.

Photo by Lincoln Park Zoo.

To learn more about the newborn zebra, visit the Lincoln Park Zoo website.

For more information about zebras, see our article, Plains Zebra.

50th Bison Calf Born at Oakland Zoo!

Posted on June 29, 2026 by admin

Oakland Zoo welcomed the fourth bison calf of the season in June! The birth also marked a major milestone: the 50th bison calf born since the start of a program in 2016 to restore bison back to the wild. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Oakland Zoo welcomed an adorable baby bison earlier this month! Affectionately called a “red dog”, the calf sports a reddish-brown coat and is very playful.

This was the zoo’s fourth bison calf birth this season and the 50th bison birth since the start of Oakland Zoo’s partnership with Blackfeet Nation and Indigenous LED in 2016. The goal of the program is to restore bison to free-ranging herds roaming Blackfeet Territory and Glacier National Park in Montana.

Affectionately called “red dogs”, bison calves sport a reddish-brown coat when they’re born, and they’re very playful. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

In May, the program transported five zoo-born bison by trailer to a free-ranging herd in Montana. The additions to the herd will promote genetic diversity and will help bolster the population of bison in the wild.

The program transported five zoo-born bison by trailer in May to their natural habitat in Montana to join a free-ranging herd. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

In the early 1900s, American bison (also known as buffalo) nearly went extinct due to the surge of settlers moving west. Currently, bison numbers are improving but the populations still lack genetic diversity. The partnership of Oakland Zoo, Blackfeet Nation, and Indigenous LED aims to address that issue with captive breeding.

“With the birth of its 50th calf, the Oakland Zoo is helping bring home far more than buffalo to the Blackfeet Nation. Together, we are restoring threads that were once severed—between people and place, culture and identity, memory and future—showing what becomes possible when restoration is rooted in relationship,” says Cristina Mormorunni, Executive Director of Indigenous LED.

Bison calf and mama. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

The bison calf will eventually join a free-ranging herd in Montana. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

To learn more about the bison restoration project, see the Oakland Zoo website and the Indigenous LED website.

For more information about bison, see our article, American Bison.

New Giraffe at Oakland Zoo

Posted on June 22, 2026 by admin

Meet Joann the giraffe, the newest member of the giraffe herd at Oakland Zoo. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

Say hello to Joann the giraffe, the newest member of the giraffe herd at Oakland Zoo! Joann is two years old, and she just moved to Oakland Zoo from The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in April.

When she first arrived, she was introduced to Maggie, a 14-year-old resident giraffe to help her get acclimated to her new habitat. The two giraffes stayed behind the scenes in the giraffe barn.

Joann was welcomed into the herd at Oakland Zoo. Here she is with fellow herdmate, Nuru. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

After a few weeks, Maggie led Joann out to introduce her to the rest of the herd. After smelling one another, Joann the herd began grazing and foraging together.

Joann is very sweet, and visitors can now see her with the rest of the giraffe herd in the habitat. Photo by Oakland Zoo.

“Joann is incredibly sweet and seeks out connections with the other giraffes and her new Animal Care Keepers. She is very brave, and her curiosity grows every day,” said Jessica Parke, Oakland Zoo Animal Care Keeper.

To learn more about Joann, see the Oakland Zoo website.

For more info about giraffes, see our article, Giraffe.

Aww! New River Otter at Lincoln Park Zoo

Posted on June 15, 2026 by admin

Come see Mystie, the new North American river otter at Lincoln Park Zoo! Photo by Lincoln Park Zoo.

Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago welcomed a new female North American river otter in May! One-year-old Mystie joins Tucker, a seven-year-old otter already living at the zoo. The two will be companions.

“North American river otters are full of energy, and Mystie is no exception. This is a playful species, and we’ve already seen her utilizing all the landscape and water features at Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo,” said Curator Dan Boehm.

Mystie, the new river otter at Lincoln Park Zoo

Mystie enjoying her new habitat at Pritzker Family Children’s Zoo at Lincoln Park Zoo. Photo by Lincoln Park Zoo.

North American river otters are semi aquatic. They live in areas where there are permanent water sources, like rivers, creeks and streams. In the wild, some river otters live alone, while others live in groups.

Learn more at the Lincoln Park Zoo website.

VIDEO: Baby Bactrian Camel at Toronto Zoo

Posted on June 8, 2026 by admin

A baby Bactrian camel was born on April 29 at Toronto Zoo! After just two hours, with some encouragement from his mother Suria, the little calf stood on his own.

This camel calf is the third offspring of mother Suria and father Zip. His coloring is similar to his father’s, with a very white-blond coat.

Watch a video of the adorable baby camel and his mama here:

Learn more at the Toronto Zoo website.

Vulture Chick Hatches at Lincoln Park Zoo

Posted on June 1, 2026 by admin

A cinereous vulture chick curled in a towel

A cinereous vulture chick was born at Lincoln Park Zoo in May! It was the first successful cinereous vulture birth in 13 years at the zoo. Photo by Lincoln Park Zoo.

Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago welcomed a cinereous vulture chick on May 7. It was the first successful cinereous vulture birth in 13 years at the zoo!

The baby vulture was born to parents Virginia and Leon. However, because Virginia and Leon are inexperienced parents who have not incubated an egg in the past, the Animal Care team put the egg in an incubator after it was laid.

Parents Virginia and Leon. Photo by Lincoln Park Zoo

The Animal Care team then monitored the egg through a process called candling. This means they shined a light on the egg in a dark place so they could see inside. They also took radiographs of the egg to ensure the chick was ready for hatching.

The chick is currently being cared for by Animal Care staff. Later, the chick will be raised by an experienced foster vulture at a different zoo.

The cinereous vulture chick is currently being cared for by the Animal Care team at the zoo. Photo by Lincoln Park Zoo.

“While we’d love for Chicagoans to meet this vulture chick, we’re grateful to have a dedicated zoo community and the opportunity for this chick to be raised by fosters,” said Hope B. McCormick Curator of Birds Nicole Finch-Mason.

In the wild, cinereous vultures live in Europe and Asia. They can weigh up to 12 kg (27 lb.) with a wingspan up to 10 feet. This makes them one of the heaviest and largest birds of prey in the world!

Cinereous vultures are one of the heaviest and largest birds of prey in the world! Photo by Lincoln Park Zoo.

They are classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN, threatened by poisons and food scarcity.

Learn more at the Lincoln Park Zoo website.