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Ringtail

Physical Description

Ringtails are an average of 12 to 18 inches long with a tail of about the same length, and they weigh less than 3 pounds. The body is buff to dark brown in color with white underparts and a long tail with alternating bands of black and white fur. Ringtails’ feet have short, straight, semi-retractable claws and opposable digits.

Predators

Common predators they may encounter include great horned owls, coyotes, bears, and bobcats. To defend themselves, ringtails will let out a high-pitched screech and emit a foul-smelling secretion from their anal glands to discourage predators.

Lifespan

In the wild, their average lifespan is 7 years, but in human care, they can live up to 14 years.

Reproduction

Ringtails are a more solitary species and generally only come together to mate from February to May. After a 51-54 day gestation period, the female will give birth to 1 to 4 cubs in a den like a rock crevice or tree hollow that they have lined with moss. Their young are born helpless and won’t even open their eyes until they are a month old. They will be weaned at about 10 weeks old and will reach maturity at about 10 months old.

Fun Facts

  • Their tails lack prehensile ability, which would allow them to grip trees like other primates. They use them for balance.
  • Even though they have been called “ring-tail cats, civet cats, and miner’s cats,” they are not actually cats; they are a member of the raccoon family.

Conservation Messaging

Ringtails are considered a species of least concern according to the IUCN Red List. Sometimes, they are viewed as pests by farmers because they can damage orchards and hunt poultry.

But since Ringtails are skittish by nature and will retreat if people are near, they are not a threat to humans. Even the most pesky animals play an important role in their ecosystems so it’s best to try and coexist with them!

Canada Lynx

Physical Description

The Canada lynx is a medium-sized cat with an average body length of 35-43 inches, weighing approximately 20-40 lbs. They can reach up to 2 feet tall but have small tails that are only 2-5 inches long. Their hind legs are longer than their front legs which gives them a sloped-forward appearance. Females will be slightly smaller than males. Their fur is very thick, light brown or grey with light black spots, and can have white tipped fur that gives a frosted look.

Predators

Being a top predator themselves, not many other species will prey on the lynx, but some predators could include cougars, wolves, and wolverines.

Lifespan

Their average lifespan is 15 years.

Reproduction

Their gestation period is about 9-10 weeks and will result in a litter of about 1-6 kittens. The male will not help raise their offspring. Kittens will be weaned at about 3 months old but will stay with their mother until they are about a year old.

Fun Facts

  • There is a lynx-hare cycle which shows an increase or decline in snowshoe hare populations about every 10 years which is then followed by an increase or decline in the lynx population
  • Large paws covered in fur act like snowshoes and make it easy for the lynx to travel over snow and ice.

Conservation Messaging

As an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited facility, the Lehigh Valley Zoo is proud to play a role in the conservation community through participation in Species Survival Plans, or SSPs. This means our Canada Lynx are part of a breeding program where we help to maintain captive populations that are both genetically diverse and demographically stable.

By visiting the Lehigh Valley Zoo and other AZA member institutions, you’re supporting the highest level of animal care and welfare, along with the promotion of conservation of animals such as the Canada Lynx.

North American Porcupine

Physical Description

Porcupines can be 2-3 feet in length and weigh around 30 lbs. They have a thick underfur that’s brownish-yellow to black in color with long, wiry guard hairs. They are covered in around 30,000 quills on their back, sides, legs, and tail! These quills will be 2-3 inches long, hollow, and loosely attached to their skin. Having hollow quills actually makes them quite buoyant and is one of the reasons they are good swimmers.

Predators

Predators they may encounter include fishers, mountain lions, lynx, bobcats, red fox, coyotes, great horned owls, wolves, and wolverines. They do have vulnerable bellies that do not have quills, but they will warn predators by erecting their quills or rattling their tail quills to try to deter them.

Lifespan

In the wild, they have been known to live an average lifespan of 10-18 years.

Reproduction

Porcupines typically mate in the late summer and early fall and have an elaborate courtship ritual. They will have extensive vocalizations, a courtship dance, and the male will usually shower the female with urine before mating. After a 7 month gestation, the female will give birth to 1 porcupette. Their quills will be soft when they are born but will harden quickly. They will be weaned at about 6 months old and leave their mother.

Fun Facts

  • Like other rodents, they have two large incisors that will grow throughout their lifetime. Their constant gnawing helps keep them wear them down to a useable level. These incisors are bright orange!
  • It is a myth that they are able to “shoot” their quills. Because the quills are only loosely attached, they are able to come off easily when they come in contact with a predator.

Conservation Messaging

Porcupines have a wide natural range but prefer forest and woodland habitats. They are considered natural developers of the forest and play an important role in these ecosystems. They will prune and trim trees often causing seeds, nuts, and fruits to fall providing food for the wildlife below. By thinning the branches of the trees it allows sunlight to filter through the understory increasing the diversity of plant life on the forest floor.

The most important thing that we can do to help porcupines and sustain their habitats is to “Leave No Trace”. Once you leave nature, no one should know that you’ve been there. This means bringing out anything that you’ve brought in. Additionally, leaving the environment unaltered is equally important. To learn more about the Leave no Trace initiative and their 7 principles for minimum impact practices, visit: www.lnt.org.

Desert Iguana

Physical Description

Desert iguanas are typically 10-16 inches long and have a tail that is about 1 ½ times longer than the length of their body from snout to vent. They are pale, grey-tan to cream in color with a light brown reticulated pattern on their backs and sides.

Predators

Predators they may encounter include birds, foxes, and snakes.

Lifespan

Their average lifespan is 7-10 years though some have been known to live longer in human care.

Reproduction

During breeding season in early spring, the desert iguanas sides become pink colored in both sexes to show they are receptive to breeding. The female will lay 1 clutch of approximately 3-8 eggs which will hatch in early September and will not need any parental care.

Fun Facts

  • Desert iguanas are active during the day and are able to withstand extremely hot temperatures of even up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • They will burrow underground to hibernate during the winter when temperatures are too cold for them.

Conservation Messaging

In our Reptile and Amphibian (RAD) center you will find many different reptiles and amphibians including venomous and poisonous species of snakes and frogs. Many of these animals fall victim to habitat loss in the wild. Many of the species here are found in South American habitats which are subjected to deforestation, damming of rivers, water pollution, and poor agricultural and management practices.

Amazon Tree Boa

Physical Description

The Amazon tree boa is a more slender snake that can reach lengths of 5-7 feet. They have a wide variety of colors and patterns which can include yellow, gray, red, tan, or black.

Predators

Predators they may encounter include the Harpy eagle and saddleback tamarins.

Lifespan

They live an average of 15-20 years.

Reproduction

This is a solitary species that typically only gets together during the mating season. They are ovoviviparous, which means that the female produces eggs she carries and hatches internally and gives live birth. Their gestation will be 6-8 months with 4-14 snakes being born.

Fun Facts

  • The Amazon tree boa is a non-venomous snake but is known for being very aggressive. They will often hang from trees in an S- shape in order to strike at prey.
  • They have heat sensing pits on each side of their face that they use to sense heat when hunting at night.

Conservation Messaging

In our Reptile and Amphibian (RAD) center you will find many different reptiles and amphibians including venomous and poisonous species of snakes and frogs. Many of these animals fall victim to habitat loss in the wild. Many of the species here are

found in South American habitats which are subjected to deforestation, damming of rivers, water pollution, and poor agricultural and management practices.

Matamata Turtle

Physical Description

Matamata turtles can grow to be 12-18 inches long and can weigh up to 27 lbs. Their heads and necks are large and flat with many protrusions and skin fringes, and they have fleshy jaws unlike other turtles. The carapace will typically be black or brown with some orange, be bumpy and rough, and have keels running down it.

Predators

This species doesn’t encounter too many predators because of their excellent camouflage and protective shells.

Lifespan

They have an average lifespan of 15 years, though some have been known to live into their 40’s.

Reproduction

Males will court the females by extending their head toward the females and open and close their mouths. The females will build nests near the edge of a forest and lay 12-28 eggs, which will incubate for around 200 days.

Fun Facts

  • These turtles are ambush predators that will spend long periods of time camouflaged on bottoms of muddy, slow-moving, shallow bodies of water.
  • They use their mouths like a vacuum to quickly suck in any prey that swims by and then expel water in order to just swallow their prey.

Conservation Messaging

In our Reptile and Amphibian (RAD) center you will find many different reptiles and amphibians including venomous and poisonous species of snakes and frogs. Many of these animals fall victim to habitat loss in the wild. Many of the species here are found in South American habitats which are subjected to deforestation, damming of rivers, water pollution, and poor agricultural and management practices.

Leopard Tortoise

Physical Description

Leopard Tortoises can grow to be 2 to 2.5 feet long and weigh around 28 lbs, though some have been known to weigh as much as 90 lbs. They get their name from the yellow and black patterns on their shells. These marking are more distinct in younger individuals because they fade as they age.

Predators

Because of their size and protective shell, they do not have many predators as adults. Eggs, however, will be preyed on by a wide variety of smaller predators.

Lifespan

On average, they can live anywhere from 75-100 years.

Reproduction

This species can get very aggressive during mating season when competing for mates. Females will dig a nest and lay 5-30 eggs which will incubate for 240-400 days.

Fun Facts

  • The leopard tortoise is the 4th largest species of tortoise in the world and the most widely distributed tortoise in Africa.
  • To avoid dehydration and excessive heat, they will burrow underground during hot or dry seasons and stay dormant until the weather improves and the rains return.

Conservation Messaging

The Leopard Tortoise is native to the arid savannas of Central and Southern Africa. While leopard tortoises are considered a species of least concern according to the IUCN Red List, they have been heavily exploited by the pet trade. Leopard tortoises are increasingly being bred in captivity, but many are still taken from the wild to be sold as pets. All animals, even tortoises, play an important role in their ecosystem and one more exotic pet in captivity is one less animal in the wild. The easiest way to ensure we’re not supporting the illegal pet trade is by just saying no to exotic animals as pets.

Spotted Turtle

Physical Description

Spotted turtles are semi-aquatic and grow to be 3-5 inches long. Their carapace is smooth and black with yellow spots. Males will have dark pigment on the hard portions of their jaws, while the females will have yellow coloring on their jaws.

Predators

Some of their most common predators are raccoons and muskrats.

Lifespan

This species has been known to live 30 years or more.

Reproduction

Spotted turtles begin breeding in mid-spring, when the males begin pursuing females. The female will search for a meadow or field to dig her nest where she will lay 3-7 eggs which will hatch in 70-80 days.

Fun Facts

  • Hatchlings will only have 1 spot on each scute, while adults will have over 100 spots.
  • Temperature during incubation determines what gender hatchlings will be. Warmer temperatures produce females, while cooler temperatures produce males.

Conservation Messaging

In our Reptile and Amphibian (RAD) center you will find many different reptiles and amphibians including venomous and poisonous species of snakes and frogs. Many of these animals fall victim to habitat loss in the wild. Many of the species here are found in South American habitats which are subjected to deforestation, damming of rivers, water pollution, and poor agricultural and management practices.

Eastern Hellbender

Physical Description

Hellbenders can grow to be 12-29 inches long and weigh 5-6 lbs. They have a sleek, flattened head and body; short, stout legs, long, rudder-like tails; and loose flaps of skin that run along their sides. Their color varies from grayish-brown to olive-brown, and less commonly black.

Predators

They can be preyed on by raccoons, river otters, fish, turtles, birds, and even larger hellbenders.

Lifespan

In the wild, they live an average of 30-35 years, but in human care they have been known to live 50 years or more.

Reproduction

During late summer and early fall, males will dig a nest under a rock to attract a female who will lay 200-400 eggs. Females will then leave the nest, so sometimes multiple females will lay eggs in the same nest. Males will externally fertilize the eggs and then stay to guard the eggs until they hatch in about 68-75 days.

Fun Facts

  • The hellbender is split into 2 subspecies: the Eastern and the Ozark. They are the largest salamanders in North America and are the third largest salamander in the world.
  • Hellbenders have lungs, but they use capillaries in the folds of their skin to absorb oxygen from water instead of breathing air. Because of this, it is very important for them to live in clean water.

Conservation Messaging

In our Reptile and Amphibian (RAD) center you will find many different reptiles and amphibians including venomous and poisonous species of snakes and frogs. Many of these animals fall victim to habitat loss in the wild. Many of the species here are found in South American habitats which are subjected to deforestation, damming of rivers, water pollution, and poor agricultural and management practices.

Kordofan Aoudad

Physical Description

The average height is 2.5-3.5 feet at the shoulder with males weighing around 200 lb and females around 100 lb. Their hooves are designed to be upright on their feet (as if they are walking on their tiptoes). This allows them to travel over rocky and steep surfaces. Some of their most distinctive features include long fringe-type hair from their throat and forequarters as well as horns that are built for ramming.

Predators

In Africa, Aoudad predators include leopards, caracals, and coyotes. In the US, their main predator is mountain lions.

Lifespan

In the wild, Aoudads will live an average of 10 years, but in human care, they can live up to 20 years.

Reproduction

Aoudads have small family groups. The gestation period is approximately 5-6 months. They may give birth to 1 or 2 lambs in March through May.

Fun Facts

  • Wild populations are decreasing because of habitat loss and hunting. For the people of the Sahara, the Aoudad has served as an important meat source as well as being used for their hide, hair, and sinew.
  • They will often take refuge on steep slopes to avoid human disturbance or predation. Thankfully, they are excellent climbers and jumpers.

Conservation Messaging

As an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited facility, the Lehigh Valley Zoo is proud to play a role in the conservation community through participation in Species Survival Plans, or SSPs. This means our Kordofan Aoudad are part of a breeding program where we help to maintain captive populations that are both genetically diverse and demographically stable.

By visiting the Lehigh Valley Zoo and other AZA member institutions, you’re supporting the highest level of animal care and welfare, along with the promotion of conservation of animals such as the Kordofan Aoudad.