Today was a hot day at the zoo. When I arrived, the team was already busy with cleaning and preparing the animals for prime time. With our annual medical check underway, there were many animals to inspect. From scale infections to internal parasites, reptiles can be affected by a wide range of ailments. The zoo has a stellar record of healthy animals and the health and
well-being of the animals are of utmost importance. With a lot of
animals to go through, there was no time to spare. Jarrod
had already administered several antibiotics and anti-fungal medicines
to newly acquired specimens.
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| A healthy blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua spp.) basking in his enclosure |
Today, I checked to see the progress of
each animal. While checking the pythons in the back room, I noticed a
classic example of convergent evolution that I had read about but never
was able to compare in person.
The Case of Convergence
Called homoplasy by scientists, convergent adaptation is the process by which unrelated species gain similar characteristics (or analogous structures to scientists). The emerald tree boa of South America and the green tree python of Australia perfectly demonstrate homoplasy. Both have heat-sensing pits along their lips, live in trees, have similar coloration and habitat requirements, feed on birds, bats, and rodents, and have a short temper. Check out what I mean below:
For a closer look, check out the photos below:
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| Emerald tree boas (Corallus canius) |
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| A green tree python (Morelia viridis) | |
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Anastasia, the Gray Wolf
A few days ago, the zoo became home of a new wolf pup! She's super cute and a bundle of joy. Her teeth are so sharp that the only thing that can be her "chew toy" is an antler; she punctures through dog chew toys like there's no tomorrow. Here she is in all her glory:
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| Anastasia, our new gray wolf pup (Canis lupus), chewing on an antler |
Notice the size of her paws; they indicate that this is no ordinary dog and that she'll grow up to be one of the top predators in North America. With her cute, mischievous, and fun personality, it's easy to forget the strength and power she has. Take a look to see what I mean:
All Hail the Emperor
Emperor scorpions (Pandinus imperator) are some of the coolest arachnids in the world. Their size and gentle personality make them ideal education animals. The zoo has a pregnant female, which produced close to 30 offspring in total. Check them out:
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| The emperor scorpion (Pandinus imperator) |
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| Mamma and her babies |
The emperor scorpion is a great example of how important sensory hairs can become. The hairs along the scorpion's body can pick up vibrations from the ground and changes in the air. Sensory hairs are also found in other animals, from the cilia in your nose and ears to the ampullae of lorenzini in sharks, and even the whiskers on your cat.
