Animal | Birmingham Zoo

Giant River Otters

Giant otters are the largest and most vocal species of otters in the world. They weight an average of 60 – 75 lbs and are sometimes referred to as “water dogs” or “river wolves.” Giant otters will eat piranhas, caiman and anacondas in range country as part of their diet

De Brazza’s Monkey

This species has grey fur with a reddish brown back, black limbs and tail and a white rump.

Bobcat

Bobcats are expert climbers, swimmers and hunters. Their keen eyesight assists in stalking their prey but because they are short-winded they sometimes are unable to sustain an extended chase. The tufts of hair on the ear tips serve as antennae, increasing the animal’s ability to hear the slightest sound. If these are removed, hearing declines. Bobcats can leap up to 10 feet.

Black-Handed Spider Monkey

Newborn black-handed spider monkeys are entirely silver. The adult coloration pattern starts at about 5 months. A single-birth young clings to the mother’s abdomen for about 5 months, after which it rides on the mother’s back. The thumb is vestigial, and the big toe is opposable. The last 6 to 8 inches of the underside of the tail is hairless to aid in grasping, and each monkey has a unique tail print, similar to a human’s fingerprint.

American Flamingo

The beak of the flamingo curves downward. The shape of the beak along with a comb-like organ on its tongue, the lamellae, allows the flamingo to filter food out of the water. Their long legs allow them to wade in water much deeper than other birds and their webbed feet offer good support when standing on mud or other soft ground. The practice of flamingos standing on one leg with the other leg curled and tucked under their body conserves the bird’s body heat and keeps the foot warm.

Aldabra Tortoise

Aldabra tortoises are able to go a long period to time without food or water. These tortoises will wallow in the mud to protect themselves against mosquitoes. Giant tortoises will sleep approximately 18 hours in a 24-hour period.

Sand Cat

Although they have a wingspan of up to 6 feet long, african ground hornbills are rarely seen in flight, but are nonetheless strong but low flyers. They feed mainly on the ground, walking long distances in their territories to find food.

African Lion

The African lion is one of the four roaring cats. Their roar, which can be heard more than 5 miles away, is used to communicate with other lions and to help mark territory, not to scare prey. The thick manes on adult males serve as protection for the cats when fighting over prides or when defending territory. They spend an average of 15 to 22 hours a day resting and sleeping.

African Elephant

In the wild, African elephants have a life expectancy of 25-41 years, but have been known to live up to 60 years of age. An African elephant family group can average 8-10 individuals. In general, older, experienced females, called matriarchs, lead elephant families.