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Diet
Omnivore
Status
Least Concern
Where I Live
Sub-Saharan Africa
Keeper Notes
Guinea fowl spend most of their time on the ground, but they are very adept fliers. They roost in trees at night in large flocks for safety.
Herbivore
Vulnerable
Africa
In the wild, African spurred tortoises can go weeks without food or water. Upon finding a water source to restock, they can drink up to 15% of their body weight.
Not evaluated
South America
There are no such things as wild alpacas. They are only domesticated versions of the vicuña.
Carnivore
United States
Because they are cold-blooded, alligators stop eating in the late fall and will not eat again until spring when temperatures are warmer due to brumation.
Australia
All continents excluding Antarctica
It is commonly known that owls spit up pellets containing bones and other things they cannot digest from their last meal. However, unlike most other owls, they can also use those pellets as materials to construct their nests.
Originally from the Netherlands but now found all over
Chickens have better color vision than humans. They also have great memory and can recognize over 100 faces.
North America
Critically Endangered
Madagascar
The Black and White Ruffed Lemur is the "World's Largest Pollinator."
The black howler is the largest monkey in the Latin American rainforests and only species of howler that is sexually dimorphic. Both sexes are born blonde, but the males turn black as they mature.
Australia and New Zealand
Black swans are known to be very territorial. Each pair at the Hattiesburg Zoo has an established area of its own that they protect fiercely.
Blue and gold macaws can live upwards of 70 years.
Originally from Spain but now found all over
The blue duikers are the smallest of the 22 species of duiker.
Oscar was found thrown away in a box by his previous owner, which earned him his name. Our Oscar is not nearly that grumpy!
Central and South America
Klaus is sweet and a little nosy. He likes to be involved in everything his keepers are doing.
Americas
Broad-winged hawks constantly look like something horrifying has happened to them, but it is just their natural face.
South and Central America
Cane toads secrete a cardiotonic steroid that is toxic from the glands behind their "ears."
The capybara is the largest rodent in the world.
Endangered
Arid Plains of South America
Our three peccaries are brothers. They can often be found cuddling together in wallows and rubbing against each other in greeting.
Near Threatened
Our flamingos have individual names and personalities. Kiki is the most social, and Ronald is the best behaved. Soraya is the biggest biter!
Mongolia, Northern China, and Southeastern Russia
Chinese geese lay more eggs than most other goose species, producing up to 100 eggs per year.
Kenya
The name "Colobus" is from the Greek word for "mutilated" due to the colobus monkey not having a thumb on its hands.
Mexico to South America
Despite its unique look and lack of webbed feet, screamers are considered waterfowl and are related to geese and ducks.
Central Africa
The DeBrazza's monkeys are able to store food in their cheek pouches, similar to what chipmunks do. The pouches are estimated to be roughly the same size as their stomach.
Originally found in Sardinia but found all over
Throughout history, it has been said that Sardinian donkey milk had great benefits for human skin. Some people claim that royals such as Cleopatra bathed in donkeys' milk to maintain beauty and youth.
Originally found in Egypt but now found all over
Central and South Africa
Despite their widely accepted name and some goose-like characteristics, Egyptian Geese are actually shelducks.
Northern Europe
The Hattiesburg Zoo's embden goose, Dave, enjoys peace and quiet, and he often defends keepers against the more rowdy waterfowl.
While wild emus have a lifespan of 5-10 years, Hattiesburg Zoo's resident emu, George, is 32 years old and has lived here since 1990.
North Africa
While fennec foxes love their veggies, the Hattiesburg Zoo's foxes' favorite activity is chasing and hunting live worms and crickets.
Originally from China and England but now found all over
Galapagos Islands
While these guys can live to be over 100 years old, Craig is just 30 and thinks it's very rude to tell him that he looks old.
Northern part of South America and Central America
On most mornings, Fred can be found sleeping with his tail draped over his face.
Insectivore
Kijani Siku's name comes from the Swahili words for green and day. She also enjoys alternative rock music.
North America, Europe, Asia, and Russia
Typically working in pairs, golden eagles can take down prey as large as deer. They can reach maximum speeds of 200 miles per hour when needed!
Southern Mexico and the Americas
Iguanas use their tails for multiple reasons. For instance, they sometimes use the powerful muscles in their tails for protection or as a paddle for swimming.
Native to India and Sri Lanka
While they are most well-known for the males' ornate tail feathers, peafowl have a very loud and distinct call. They are quick to alert the flock to danger.
Indonesian Islands
Living up to their name, runner ducks do not fly and spend much of their time on land.
Central/South America
Jaguars have the strongest bite force of all the big cats. They are second to crocodilians and hippos when compared to the animal kingdom as a whole.
The Kookaburra is called the Laughing Bird due to its distinctive call.
Not evaluated but is considered a rare breed
Thought to be originally from Asia, introduced to New Zealand in the 1800’s
Our resident pigs, Kevin Bacon and Lindsay Loham, spend most of their free time grazing and looking for extra snacks.
The lowland tapir might look like a pig, but it is actually related to horses and rhinoceroses. Baby tapirs have stripes and spots, and they are nicknamed watermelons due to their coloration.
Northern Hemisphere
Mallard ducks can fly great distances to migrate in the winter, but the Hattiesburg Zoo's mallards prefer to stay for the free food.
East Asia
Although male mandarin ducks are easily recognizable by their ornate plumage, they molt twice a year. They lose their bright colors and are a dull brown for several weeks.
Mexico
Tarantulas have urticating hairs that they will flick into the face and eyes of the creature threatening them.
Domesticated
Sub-Sahara Africa and Asia
Miranda's favorite toys are large balls that she can roll around in her exhibit space.
Mexico, Central, and South America
Muscovy ducks produce less oil to coat their feathers than other duck species, so they spend more of their time on land than in the water.
Europe to West Asia
Mute swans are often a symbol of romanticism because they mate for life and maintain strong pair-bonds.
Domesticated, but the breed is considered rare
West Africa, found worldwide
While they may not faint when frightened, the Hattiesburg Zoo's Nigerian Dwarf Goats are very wary of unfamiliar sights and sounds.
Opossums don't really spend their days hanging from their tails because they aren't very strong. If they wanted to, they could only do it for a short period of time.
Ostrich eggs weigh about 3 pounds, making them the largest eggs currently on the planet!
Southeastern Africa
Dolly is the matriarchal leader of our zebra herd at Hattiesburg Zoo. Both males, Ziggy and Bakari, follow her lead.
Agouti are often called "the jungle's gardeners" because of the amount of seeds and nuts that they bury to eat later in times of hardship.
North and Central Americas
Red-tailed hawks are the voice actors of all the bald eagles you see in movies. The eagles actually make a peeping noise that may not seem as majestic as producers would like.
Adult giraffe have a heart that is about 2 feet long and weighs about 25 pounds.
Unlike most lemurs, the Ring-Tailed Lemurs spend about 40% of their time on the ground instead of up in trees.
Originally from France but found all over
Because of their very long legs, servals can jump approximately 12 feet into the air to catch prey as it flies by them.
Originally from China but now found all over
Threatened
Originally from Sweden but now found all over
Southern Africa
Due to their large size and loud calls, southern ground hornbills have found themselves at the center of many traditional African cultures and practices.
Margot is the bravest and friendliest of the trio. Rico can hold a grudge, but warms up and becomes friendly once he is comfortable with his surroundings. Rosita is cautious, but does like to explore new environments.
Spotted hyenas are a female-dominant species. A single female is typically in charge of the entire clan! In addition, spotted hyena genders are very difficult to tell apart from each other.
Tegu lizards are primarily meat eaters in the wild. Eliza's favorite treat is meat flavored baby food.
Domesticated, although the breed is considered rare.
Tunisia, North Africa, the United States, and Canada
Tunis sheep were originally brought to Tunisia as gifts for George Washington in the 1700's.
East Africa
Males have bright orange beaks, and females have deep black bills.
Wallabies are constantly napping during zoo hours because they are a crepuscular mammal and are most active at dawn and dusk.
Carnivorous
North America and Central America
They are named for the prominent tufts of feathers on their head, but only about half of an individual's offspring will have a distinguishable crest.
Originated in Asia, now worldwide
White pekin ducks are of the more plain-looking duck species. Donald Duck was modeled after this species.
Brazil
Because Umbra is a female, she will live up to 20 years. Peter will most likely only live between 3 and 5 years.
African grey parrots are very social, usually living in flocks of 40-50 but can gather in roosts of up to 10,000 individuals.
Indonesia
As babies, most parrots experiment their "handedness" until they decide on a dominant foot. Contrary to humans, majority of cockatoos are left-footed.
North America and parts of South America
Great horned owls are the owls most commonly used in storybooks, and their call is what most people associate with the sound of an owl. They are lighter than they look and can fly up to 40 miles per hour.
Central and Southern Africa
Sebastian enjoys spending time with his keepers, digging in the dirt, and being mischievous.
If hedgehogs find a smell that they like, they will create a foam saliva and rub it all over the smelly thing. Then, they lick up the foam and rub it on their bodies.
Chinchillas are just as soft as they look. With 50-75 hairs per follicle, chinchillas have the highest fur density of all land mammals.
Porcupines communicate a lot through scent marking. In Prissy's case, she has a very smelly way of letting her keepers know she is upset.
Sloths poop an average of once a week, producing up to a gallon of urine at a time. They also love to poop on Christmas morning.
West and Central Africa
Ball pythons are often called royal pythons in other parts of the world. People in Egypt had ball pythons as pets and carried them like accessories to symbolize wealth and power.
Charlie's full name is Sir Charles Pogona Taylor, thank you very much!
When angry or frightened, blue-tongued skinks will open their black mouth wide and flash their bright blue tongue to startle their enemy.
United States, Canada, and Mexico
Many box turtles can live up to 40-50 years, but there have been some exceptions in captivity where box turtles reached 100 years old.
Western United States
California king snakes are a cathemeral species of snake, which means they can be active both day and night. They do not follow any particular schedule.
Southeastern United States
Gopher tortoises dig very large burrows often reaching 6-8 feet in depth and up to 15 feet in length. These burrows can provide homes for over 350 species.
Our sand boa was named after the moonpie that his keeper was eating the day they first met. He also looks like chocolate and marshmallows.
Northern Mexico, Central, and South America
Despite her viewing being in the men's restroom, Annie is a female. She is larger than her male counterparts and is currently 9 feet in length.
Central America
Milk snakes are in the same Genus as king snakes and will sometimes eat other snakes as well.
Speckled king snakes will eat nuisance rodents around your house, but they will also eat other snakes including ones that are venomous or have harmful bites.
Asia
The word "gecko" actually come from the tokay gecko, which was one of the first to be named. Their call sounds like it is saying "gecko."
Chile
Unless you are allergic, tarantula bites are overall harmless and feel much like a bee sting.
Decomposers
