All posts by Demetrius Tatum

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Ambassador Animal Paintings

Ambassador Animal Paintings

It’s the holiday and gift giving season! Do you know an animal lover and are looking for a one-of-a-kind gift you cannot get anywhere else? The Lehigh Valley Zoo team has been working hard over the last few months to provide animal paintings for guests to purchase as holiday gifts. Our Ambassador Animal Paintings are a form of enrichment that enhances animal welfare here at the zoo. The zoo’s animal enrichment program focuses on five different types of enrichment – Social, Physical, Cognitive, Food, and Sensory. The education team can provide almost all our animal enrichment categories in just one painting session.

  • Social – The animals are experiencing socialization with their keepers, trainers, and the education staff.
  • Physical – The animals will either walk across the canvas in some way or hold onto a paint brush, both will involve the animals using muscles and movement to participate in the painting.
  • Cognitive –The animals need to use their brain to problem solve and focus on the task and behavior being worked on.
  • Food – As a form of reinforcement for training, receiving food at different times during the day and in variety of ways will change up any normal routine and increase their welfare.
  • Sensory – As the animal walks across the paint, they experience new touch and smell sensory experiences. We can also change up their sense of sight by using different colors that they might not be exposed to in their habitats. Bright pinks and purples are not as common in their habitats as brown and green!

Linnaeus Two-Toed Sloth – As part of our training program, “Bean” paints with a modified paint brush to make his wonderful masterpieces. Trainers will hold out the paintbrush to him and he holds onto it with his hand while a canvas is held to the brush. As he eats his favorite snacks from a hole drilled in the handle of the brush, a beautiful painting is created.

Raccoon – “Meeko” creates her masterpieces in her habitat by completing her A-B behaviors around her holding. Trainers work to send her back and forth across the paint so that her footprints are captured on the canvas. Meeko has been working on her Hand Wash behavior to clean off the paint from her hands when she is done.

Reptiles – “Morrie” the Tegu and our other reptiles (box turtles and other lizards) will paint in a similar way to “Meeko”, but they will follow their target sticks around our Zoo Imagination Wing as they paint the canvas with their footprints, tail prints, and scales. Snakes are one of the most difficult animals to train due to the amount of time in between feedings. For a snake painting, our snakes will have their exercise time on the ground so they can slither across the canvas if they feel like it.

Frogs – Our Milky Tree Frogs are one of the hardest animals to paint with due to their ability to absorb water and chemicals through their skin. Using Reverse Osmosis water (purified water) that is safe for amphibians, the education team can have the frogs hop across a clean canvas leaving water marks and then back fill those wet spaces with watercolor to provide color to the painting. We have also had them hop across a canvas covered in painting and placed in a Ziploc bag. We can use their current target behavior (following a laser pointer) to help them across the canvas if needed.

The paint that is used by animal care and the education team is Tempura Paint. This paint is a water-based paint that is generally non-toxic and safe to use with children and with animals. Any paint is washed from the animals after the session, but only after a picture with their masterpieces!

To purchase the Lehigh Valley Zoo’s animal paintings, you can visit our Etsy Shop named LVZoo to find the most recent original paintings or to purchase high quality re-prints!

 

 

 

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International Day of Zoo and Aquarium Educators

International Day of Zoo and Aquarium Educators

Have you ever gone to a zoo and asked staff a question about an animal? Saw someone interpreting at a habitat? How about going and watching a chat or show? Well, then you’ve probably met an educator! Educators are responsible for teaching the public all about wildlife, the natural world, and the importance of conservation. They inspire people of all ages to take action to help save our world and the creatures that live in it. On the second Thursday of November, we celebrate the International Day of Zoo and Aquarium Educators. This day promotes education within zoos and aquariums and is a great way to let educators know they are appreciated and heard!  

Every day our team strives to get the zoo’s message out there. We hope to encourage empathy and pass on our passion for our animals and their environments to our audiences. And, hopefully, we can spark some desire to aid in conservation efforts too!  For me, the best part of this job is getting to see the wonder and joy on guests’ faces when I bring out an animal and getting the opportunity to foster connections between that animal and the guests. For my coworkers, it’s the fact that everyday brings something new, it’s the excitement for training and watching as training plans come to fruition, it’s the success of the team and new ideas each person brings to the table, and although this job means something different to each of us, we all want to share our love for the animals we work with.    

So, in the spirit of International Day of Zoo and Aquarium Educators, I just want to say thank you to my team for everything they do and the hard work they put in every single day. I get to come into work and not only spend my day with some amazing animals, but also some amazing people too! 

There are many types of educators and ways to educate. You could be a tour guide taking guests around your facility, a school or group educator teaching students that come to visit, or maybe an outreach educator going off site to teach in a classroom or auditorium setting. You can even be a volunteer educator! Educators can take on many roles and often must change their style of teaching to better fit their audience. Talking to adults is very different than talking to kindergarteners! But it isn’t just speaking to guests. Educators are often involved in making signage and coming up with interactive displays to use around their facility as well. They play an important part in spreading the zoo or aquarium’s message to the guests. Our education team here at the Lehigh Valley Zoo is full of passionate individuals ready and willing to do just that, and I am thankful to be a part of it.  

 

Written by Emily Granville
Education Specialist
Lehigh Valley Zoo | Schnecksville, PA

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Leaping Lemurs! It’s World Lemur Day!

Leaping Lemurs! It’s World Lemur Day!

 

 

Happy World Lemur Day! Every year on the last Friday of October we celebrate the lemurs of Madagascar. With their unique looks, incredible leaping power, and fluid movement through the trees, lemurs are definitely a sight to behold. Unfortunately, lemurs are the most threatened group of mammals on earth. Despite being one of Madagascar’s most iconic animals, over 90% of all lemur species are facing extinction, and that’s a lot considering there are over 100 lemur species living on the island.  

So, why celebrate them exactly? Well, because they are important! Many plants and animals within Madagascar’s forests rely on lemurs for survival. Through seed dispersal and pollination, lemurs help to create and maintain the forests, which increases diversity and provides both food and shelter to the animals that live there.

 

Many species of lemurs love to eat fruit, but they cannot digest the seeds. As the lemurs movethroughout the forests, the seeds travel through their bodies until they eventually come out in the lemurs’poop! This creates a natural fertilizer for the seeds to grow in. Many lemurs also enjoy eating nectar. They’ll use their long narrow snouts and long tongues to eat the nectar without damaging the flowers. As they do this, the fur around their snouts and cheeks collect pollen. They can then transfer that pollen to other plants helping to pollinate them!

 

We have a few lemurs that call the Lehigh Valley Zoo home. Let’s, meet them! First up, we have our mongoose lemurs: Abby and Mico. Abby is our female and Mico is our male. You can tell them apart by looking at the color of their cheeks – Mico has red on his cheeks and “beard”! Abby has come out of her shell a lot since being here at the zoo. At first, she was hesitant and always let Mico do things first, but now she knows what she wants and isn’t shy about saying when she wants it. Mico is incredibly inquisitive. He enjoys investigating things and figuring out the various spots keepers may have left food. He is also quite smart and has picked up on training very quickly.

 

Then we have our red ruffed lemurs: Makira and Weasley. Makira is our female and Weasley is our male. It can be very difficult to tell a male and female red ruffed lemur apart, but thankfully our female has a unique feature that gives her away – the white ring at the base of her tail! Makira is definitely the calm one. She is very chill and is the definition of cool, calm, and collected. She will often walk (or leap!) around and observe what is going on around her. Weasley is the big man on campus, and he knows it! He is the first to shift out and the first to investigate everything. He is also extremely food motivated, which will make training him easier.
 

I hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about lemurs and getting the chance to meet our resident lemurs at the Lehigh Valley Zoo!

 

Written by Emily Granville
Education Specialist
Lehigh Valley Zoo | Schnecksville, PA

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DaySnakes, Lizards, and Frogs, Oh My!

Snakes, Lizards, and Frogs, Oh My!

Why Should We Care About Reptiles and Amphibians?

If you have visited the Lehigh Valley Zoo, chances are you’ve met our river otter Luani, watched our penguins get fed, or got the chance to feed our giraffes! But have you ever ventured into our Reptile and Amphibian Discovery Center? Inside of our RAD Center, you will find a variety of different reptiles, including snakes, lizards, and turtles, as well as various amphibians. Reptiles and amphibians may not be at the top of your must-see list, but these creatures are very important to our ecosystem and the world we live in. Hopefully by the end of this blog post you will consider adding a reptile or amphibian to that list.

Let’s start off with probably the most feared reptile: the snake. While you might not be particularly fond of them, snakes are a vital part of the ecosystem’s food chain. Snakes are considered both prey and predator! They provide a great snack for bird, mammal, and even other reptile species. They are also excellent pest controllers. By eating small pest species, like rodents and slugs, snakes can maintain these populations so that they don’t get out of control. Pests like rodents often carry diseases that can affect humans, so without snakes we’d have a ton of rats and mice running around possibly making us very sick! Here in our RAD Center, we have some venomous snakes including our dusky pigmy and timber rattlesnakes. Did you know that venom from rattlesnakes can be used to further medical research? Snake venom contains many different enzymes that are not only useful to the snake for immobilizing and breaking down prey but are also useful to humans in the treatment of diseases such as thrombosis, arthritis, and cancer.

Next, we have our turtles. Do you know some of the differences between turtles and tortoises? One of the biggest is that turtles tend to live more in the water while tortoises prefer the land. Since these species inhabit both land and water, it is crucial that we help keep both our turtles and tortoises safe. Sea turtles help regulate and maintain the health of our oceans. Apex predators, like the alligator snapping, leatherback, and hawksbill turtles, help to keep certain populations in check. Without turtles our oceans would be overrun by sponges, jellyfish, etc, which are detrimental to many coral and fish species! Sea turtles also provide homes for many marine species, such as barnacles, algae, and epibionts – right on their shell! Carrying these small marine species around with them allows turtles to provide a traveling food source for fish and shrimp. On the land, tortoises act as environmental engineers! Because Gopher tortoises dig extensive burrows which are used by many other animals, the Gopher tortoise is actually considered a keystone species! Tortoises are also excellent gardeners. They eat a variety of fruits and vegetables but are unable to properly digest the seeds. Therefore, when the tortoise goes to the bathroom it will deposit those seeds in a naturally fertilized package. Check out RAD to meet our awesome turtles, like the Mata-Mata or our spotted turtles!

What about our lizards? Lizards come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and even colors, and can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Much like snakes, lizards are important to the food chain as both predators and prey. Lizards provide meals for various birds, mammals, and reptile species, while also preying upon various pest species, such as insects. Keeping insect populations in check is particularly useful to humans because insects can destroy crops and spread disease. For example, the Western fence lizard is a type of insectivore that loves to dine on ticks. By eating ticks and decreasing the number of ticks found in the wild, they help reduce the spread of tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease. Additionally, did you know that there are venomous lizards? Three in fact! The Komodo dragon, the Mexican- beaded lizard, and the Gila monster. Research has found that venom from lizards, like the Gila monster, contains hormones that can help with the treatment of diabetes. If you’d like to see one of these venomous lizards up close, then check out our Gila monster exhibit in the RAD Center.

And finally, we have our amphibians! Amphibians can come in many shapes, sizes, and colors. In our RAD Center our amphibians include frogs, axolotls, hellbenders and more. In the wild, tadpoles and their adult forms, frogs, prove a tasty snack for mammal, reptile, bird, and even other amphibian species. Tadpoles also contribute to the ecosystem by eating algae which helps to regulate blooms and minimize any algae contamination. Additionally, amphibians are an excellent indicator species. Indicator species can tell us about the environmental condition of an ecosystem simply by living there. If there is an abundance of the indicator species in that ecosystem, then we know it is healthy. If there is an absence or decline, then we know there may be something negatively affecting that area. Amphibian’s permeable skin can easily allow toxins and pollutants to enter their bodies, which means they cannot survive in polluted habitats. If frog population numbers begin to decline, then there is a strong possibility that that habitat could be polluted. Hellbenders, the national amphibian of PA, act as an indicator species for many of Pennsylvania’s waterways. If you see one in the water, chances are it doesn’t have many pollutants in it! Finally, did you know that amphibians can also produce toxins? While many amphibians’ toxins are not lethal to humans, there are a few that can be quite deadly. For example, the golden poison dart frog has enough toxin to kill 10 grown men! They get their toxin from the food they eat: formicine ants. This toxin can be used in research to create painkillers that might be more effective than some of our strongest medications.

As you can see, reptiles and amphibians play a huge part in keeping our world healthy and happy. Hopefully, you’ve learned something new about these amazing animals and are willing to add one of them to your must-see list. Be sure to visit our RAD Center and check these RADically cool species for yourself!

Written by Emily Granville
Education Specialist
Lehigh Valley Zoo | Schnecksville, PA

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International Sloth Day

International Sloth Day

  

International Sloth Day is a way for us to celebrate one of the slowest animals in the world: the sloth! Many people enjoy sloths but aren’t fully aware of the challenges they face out in the wild. Did you know that the pygmy sloth is considered critically endangered or that the maned sloth is vulnerable? And while not all sloth species are at risk of extinction, it is important to understand the importance of their conservation. So, let’s take some time today to learn a little bit more about sloths and the ways that we can protect these fascinating creatures. 

When you think of a sloth what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? Is it that they are slow, lazy, and do little more than sleep all day? While it’s true that sloths sleep 15 (or sometimes more!) hours a day, they do so much more than you think and are an important part of their ecosystem.

But first, let’s talk about why they are so slow. It isn’t because they are lazy. In fact, being slow is actually a very successful survival strategy. I mean, sloths have been around for millions of years so clearly, they are doing something right. The big reason sloths are so slow is because of their diet and low metabolic rate.Sloths eat mostly leaves, which aren’t very high in calories – the amount of energy your body gives off when breaking down food. They also don’t eat a ton of food in a day. And since their diet is already low in calories, sloths don’t get much energy from their daily food intake. So then won’t eating more leaves give them more energy? Why don’t they just eat more? I’m glad you asked! Remember we said sloths have a low metabolic rate? This means they take quite a while to digest their food (think around 30 days!). Sloths also have a multi-chambered stomach that stores tons of food, so much so that sloths are usually always full. Long digestion periods plus a full stomach equals not eating a lot, and not eating a lot plus a low caloric diet equals a slow lifestyle. 

Now that we know why sloths move so slow, let’s take a look at how this is beneficial to the environment. Sloths are essentially a walking ecosystem (a very slow walking ecosystem). They host a number of organisms in their hair from moths to fungi to even algae!

Some of these organisms, like the sloth moth, can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Sloths provide these organisms with a place to live, while the organisms provide sloths with some much-needed camouflage. In nature, sloths actually have a greenish hue to them thanks to the algae. They have grooves in their hair that can hold a little bit of rainwater which, coupled with their sedentary lifestyle, helps to facilitate algae growth. And since it rains a lot in the rainforests of Central and South America, you can imagine how much algae could grow on a sloth. Sloths are also an umbrella species helping to protect the rest of the wildlife in the rainforests. Sloths depend on trees to survive, but they aren’t the only ones. Many other species also call the trees their home. When we work to protect and preserve the sloth’s ecosystem, we are also helping out those other species.

So, now you may be thinking, “well, how exactly can I protect sloths?” It’s actually not as difficult as you would think! One of the easiest ways you can help protect sloths is by buying sustainable products. Instead of buying products from sources that may be contributing to the destruction of the rainforest, look for options, such as Bird Friendly Coffee, that sustainably source ingredients.

 

By switching something as simple as your coffee choice, you can make a huge difference in sloths’ (and other wildlife) lives. 

 

Written by Emily Granville
Education Specialist
Lehigh Valley Zoo | Schnecksville, PA

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Another one

Another One!

Lehigh Valley Zoo, along with Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), is excited to welcome another scimitar-horned oryx calf to the herd. Born to mother “Too Haute”, and father “Bakuli”, this is the 11th oryx calf born at the LV Zoo since 2014. LVHN is the Official Motherhood Partner of the Lehigh Valley Zoo. Father “Bakuli” was sent to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center back in March 2023 as part of the Species Survival Plan, a breeding program run in participating Association of Zoos and Aquarium (AZA) accredited institutions. The Lehigh Valley Zoo has taken part in the Scimitar-Horned Oryx SSP program for ten years. “Bakuli” fathered both our newest calves before his departure to Texas, as gestation for oryx is around eight to nine months.

On October 8th, 2023, the new female oryx calf was born and has been living behind the scenes to adjust to life at the zoo. Our newborn calf weighed in at 17.8 pounds during her first vet checkup. On October 18th, “Too Haute” and the calf were introduced to the herd and everything has been going well. The herd has been curious to meet the new newest addition with our most recent calf, “Scotty Jr.” born on August 4th showing interest in the little one.

In the two months since “Scotty Jr’s” birth, he has grown tremendously. If you look at the picture below, you can see just how big he has grown compared to our new calf. As they continue to grow, the calves will reach weights of 200-400 pounds. The fast growth of antelope species is important to their survival. Antelope are a prey species for many animals such as lions, hyenas, and leopards.

The oryx calf still needs a name. In partnership with Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), LV Zoo is hosting a naming poll on Facebook this week (10/18-23) — allowing guests and followers the opportunity to decide the final official name by voting for their favorite finalist.

 

Written by Emily Granville
Education Specialist
Lehigh Valley Zoo | Schnecksville, PA

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Wolf Awareness Week: Meet the Pack!

Wolf Awareness Week: Meet the Pack!

Since 1996 the third week of October has been designated as Wolf Awareness Week and celebrated as a national event. So how and why exactly was this event created? About a century ago the wolf population was flourishing. Then in the 1900s, largely due to hunting, populations were reduced by hundreds of thousands. In response, gray wolves became protected by the Endangered Species Act in 1974. Later, National Wolf Awareness Week was established to recognize the important role wolves play in their environments and highlight the threats to their survival. Due to strong conservation efforts, wolf populations are making a comeback in many of their natural habitats. Despite that, we still use Wolf Awareness Week as an opportunity to educate people on the importance of wolves and their conservation.

In the 1900s the Mexican Gray wolf was nearly extinct due to extensive trapping and poisoning. In 1998 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services released 11 wolves into the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area. Since then, the gray wolf population in their natural habitat has grown slowly to about 241 in 2022.

Next is Mollete and his two sons Stratus and Garza. They came from the Endangered Wolf Center in Missouri and were chosen to make up Maggie’s pack. Mollete can usually be found hanging around Maggie. His two sons Stratus and Garza can be distinguished by Stratus’s larger size and darker face while Garza looks a lot like Maggie. Stratus and Garza are both three years old and were born in the Endangered Wolf Center. Stratus is very independent and likes to do his own thing. He enjoys frolicking through the grasses to search for tasty food. Much like his Dad Mollette, Garza is often found near Maggie. He also has a more “go with the flow” attitude. Our wolves are part of a Species Survival Plan that can help increase populations of Gray Wolves both in zoos and their natural habitat.

Stratus and Garza are both three years old and were born in the Endangered Wolf Center. Stratus is very independent and likes to do his own thing. He enjoys frolicking through the grasses to search for tasty food. Much like his Dad Mollette, Garza is often found near Maggie. He also has a more “go with the flow” attitude. Our wolves are part of a Species Survival Plan that can help increase populations of Gray Wolves both in zoos and their natural habitat.

 

Written by Cassidy Amerman
Education Specialist
Lehigh Valley Zoo | Schnecksville, PA

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International Raccoon Awareness Day

Masks, Mischief, and Misunderstandings: Raccoons and Their Benefits

There may have been a time when you went out into your yard only to see your garbage can sitting on its side with the lid off and contents scattered around. Chances are you had a visit from a raccoon! These “trash pandas” are notorious for being mischievous and getting into things they shouldn’t be. Despite their mischief, raccoons play an important role in their ecosystem. International Raccoon Awareness Day, celebrated on October 1st, is a day dedicated to bringing attention to these often misunderstood animals. So, let’s learn a little about them!

Raccoons can be found throughout North and Central America, Europe, and even Japan in a variety of ecosystems. They are about the size of a small dog, growing around 2-3ft in length and weighing 10-30lbs. Perhaps their most characteristic and familiar feature is the black fur that covers their eyes, hence the nickname masked bandit. Raccoons are opportunistic omnivores that eat a variety of plant and animal matter. And since they are no strangers to dumpster diving, it’s likely that they will find a way into your garbage can! Although primarily nocturnal, they can be seen during the day looking for food to support their young, taking advantage of a garden while the dogs are inside, or trying to move to a new location to call home.

As you can imagine, raccoons invading yards and eating trash can often cause conflict with humans. A lot of the time these animals are seen as pests, but did you know that raccoons are extremely beneficial to the ecosystem? Raccoons are part of nature’s “clean-up crew.” They eat just about anything, including carrion (or dead animal carcasses). They’ll eat the remains that most other animals will not touch, which helps to keep our ecosystems clean. Along with being scavengers, raccoons are also good predators. They prey on many pest species, such as rats, wasps, toads, and lizards, and help to keep populations in check. Without animals like raccoons, these pests would run rampant and could cause a lot of damage to gardens, backyards, and even put your health at risk.

But that’s not all! Raccoons are also excellent seed dispersers. When they eat wild fruits, berries, and nuts, they do not digest the seeds. Those seeds are then deposited in the raccoon’s poop. Since raccoons may travel more than 10 miles in search of food, they can disperse those seeds to new areas allowing for more diversity. Raccoons are also important in the lifecycle of many plants. They are known to be diggers, which may seem like a bad thing, but for plants it’s actually great! They assist in soil turnover, which aerates the soil making it easier for plants to grow and for decomposition to occur faster.
One thing you may not think of is how raccoons serve as prey for other animals. While they are great at catching their food, raccoons aren’t very high on the food chain. They make a great meal for many larger carnivores, like coyotes and foxes, as well as great horned owls. Just like how raccoons help control the population of smaller pest species, these predators help control the raccoon population.
Hopefully you’ve learned a little bit more about these curious (and at times mischievous) animals and have a newfound appreciation for all raccoons can do for us. If we work together, we can clear up some of the misconceptions surrounding raccoons and work towards a world where we can coexist peacefully. Education is one of the first steps in doing this, so thanks for reading!

 

Written by Emily Granville
Education Specialist
Lehigh Valley Zoo | Schnecksville, PA

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CUTE CRIA

CUTE CRIA!

On September 12th, Lehigh Valley Zoo along with the Lehigh Valley Health Network (the official motherhood partner of the LVZoo) welcomed a baby alpaca to our barnyard herd. A baby alpaca is called a cria. This name comes from the Spanish word crías when translated to English means baby animal. Alpacas come from the Camelid Family which includes camels, llamas, alpacas, guanaco, and vicuna. The camelid family has both domesticated (Camels, Alpacas, Llamas) and non-domesticated species (Guanaco and Vicuna). The non-domesticated species currently live in the Andes Mountains.

Alpacas are among the mammals with the longest gestation period. Their gestation period is between 335-366 days, almost a year! When a mother gives birth, she will continue standing and is most likely to give birth during the daylight hours. This gives the cria enough time to dry off before the sun goes down and it gets colder. Illuminati, our female alpaca, gave birth in our barnyard exhibit during zoo operation hours on September 12th, with a few lucky guests to witness the zoo’s first baby alpaca birth. The boy cria was standing and nursing in no time. As the cria grows, he will put on weight quickly! Within one year, he will go from between sixteen and twenty pounds to one hundred pounds. To put that in perspective, human babies gain only about ten pounds in the first year. Guests and staff watched during the first few hours as the barnyard residents met the little one for the first time. The baby has since started to form a bond with our pot-belly pig, Helga.

Alpacas were domesticated over six thousand years ago by the Andean people as a source of fuel, fiber, and meat. Today, alpacas are a common farm animal around the world that are usually docile and calm when compared to llamas. They are used for the fiber that is woven from their wool. Males can produce about eight pounds of fiber a year and females will produce about five.

When you visit the Lehigh Valley Zoo, come see the new addition to our Alpaca herd and all the other barnyard animals!

LVHN is the Official Motherhood Partner of the Lehigh Valley Zoo.

Written by Dani DiMarco
Interpretation Coordinator 
Lehigh Valley Zoo | Schnecksville, PA

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Let’s Talk Babies: Oryx vs Human

Let’s Talk Babies: Oryx vs Human


With the addition of our new scimitar-horned oryx calf, we wanted to highlight how oryx calves grow and develop. How long is a female oryx pregnant? Can the calves stand right away? How long do they stay with their mom? We are going to answer all these and more! But that isn’t all we will be doing. We are also going to see how a growing oryx baby compares to a growing human baby. It may shock you just how different the development process is for some animals when compared to humans. We don’t typically think about it, but it can be interesting to compare the two and see how similar or different they are!

Scimitar-horned oryx can breed year-round when environmental conditions are right. They have a gestation period of about 8-8.5 months and usually give birth to a single calf, which weighs around 22 pounds (that’s as heavy as a full-grown dachshund!). Similarly, humans can also have a baby at any time during the year and, with a nine-month gestation period, it is very close that that of an oryx. Did you know that most human babies are born between July and October? August is the most popular month for births.
Like the oryx, humans typically give birth to one baby, however there is the possibility of twins, triplets, all the way up to octuplets (but that is very rare)! Human babies don’t quite weigh the same as an oryx calf. The average weight for a human baby is 5-5.8 pounds, which is nowhere near 22 pounds. Overall, not too many differences so far, but let’s look at development after birth.

Oryx calves can get up and walk just a few hours after birth. But the calves don’t get to join the rest of the oryx just yet since the mothers hide them for 2-3 weeks before rejoining the herd. At around 2 weeks old, calves begin nibbling on solid food, and after 4 months they can feed on their own. At this time, they will leave their mother, but remain in the herd. Oryx are considered mature at around 1-2 years old.
Now, I’m sure you can already tell there are some major differences between oryx calf development and human baby development, but let’s compare! A baby’s first steps are a pretty big deal; but instead of them happening a few hours after birth like the oryx, it usually takes 8-18 months for a human to start standing on their own two feet. And while the oryx can eat solid food early on, it’s going to take around 6 months for a human baby to be able to eat food other than formula/breast milk. Most of us are going to remain with our guardians until we are 18 years old. But could you imagine setting off on your own at 4 months like the oryx? In most countries, we are considered adults once we reach 18 years of age, but our brains continue to develop until we are 25-30 years old! It’s crazy to think oryx are already mature at 1-2 years old. When I was 1, I barely had any idea what was going on!
Whether it be a human baby growing a first tooth or an oryx baby getting it’s adult markings, it’s exciting to watch any baby grow and reach milestones throughout their life. We hope you enjoy getting the opportunity to watch as the newest member of our oryx herd grows up!

Written by Emily Granville
Education Specialist
Lehigh Valley Zoo | Schnecksville, PA

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