Tag: Zoo

See why the Henry Doorly Zoo is one of the world’s best zoos

Visit one of the country’s top zoos.

Before the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium became the attraction it is today, the area was known as Riverview Park. The City of Omaha founded the park in 1894. The following year, the park’s first animals arrived. Acquisitions included a moose, bear, and “moving fish.” By 1898, the park had grown to host over 120 animals, from deer to bison. In 1963, the zoo earned the Doorly name following a $750,000 donation by Margaret Hitchcock Doorly. Margaret donated in honor of her late husband, Henry Doorly, chairman of the World Publishing Company.

Since 1963, the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium has grown to include a sprawling African Grasslands exhibit, a Gorilla Valley, Children’s Adventure Trails, and more. Get a preview of these fascinating attractions with this list of six reasons why you should visit the Henry Doorly Zoo.

Baby hippo reveals ear-wiggling prowess in adorable video

Omo is not quite 5 months old, but already the baby male hippo can wiggle both ears at the same time, to the delight of his fans.

Omo is not quite 5 months old, but already the baby male hippo can wiggle both ears at the same time, to the delight of his fans.

Omo is a new addition to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado. He was born July 21 to first-time momma Zambezi, 28, and Biko, 18, the father.

The accompanying footage, shared Saturday via Twitter, shows the double- and single-wiggle up close and in slow motion, and put to music for greater effect.

“Enjoy a couple of slo-mo ear wiggles, courtesy of Omo,” the zoo boasted in the tweet, joking describing the exhibition as “a very important update.”

“Omg… the cutest,” one follower commented.

Omo is the first hippo to have been born at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in 32 years.

Nile hippos are listed as vulnerable to extinction in the wild by the the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but large populations still exist in the upper Nile Valley in East Africa.

–Image showing Omo is courtesy of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Watch: Zoo visitor dresses like penguin, makes new friend

A woman who dressed in tuxedo colors during a recent visit to the Cincinnati Zoo acquired a “new pal” at a penguin exhibit.

A woman who dressed in tuxedo colors during a recent visit to the Cincinnati Zoo acquired an adorable “new pal” at one of the penguin exhibits.

“New BFFs!” the zoo tweeted after viewing footage of Izzy Meltzer being followed closely by the waddling penguin as she paced back and forth along the glass divider.

In the footage, Meltzer laughs when it becomes clear that the penguin does not want to leave her side.

“I made a friend,” she says, adding, “I think it’s because I’m dressed like him,” referring to her black clothing, white vest and white shoes.

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After her visit Meltzer tweeted the video, stating, “This made my day! Could it be my penguin-like resemblance?”

Interestingly, not one of the other penguins expressed interest in Meltzer or this developing friendship.

–Image courtesy of Izzy Meltzer

Little girl gets unexpected kiss from a walrus

A girl standing in front of an underwater enclosure at a zoo got an unexpected kiss from a passing walrus that left spectators laughing.

A little girl standing in front of an underwater enclosure at a zoo in Belgium got an unexpected kiss from a passing walrus that left spectators laughing in delight.

The girl, holding a small, stuffed panda bear in her left hand, stepped forward to the thick glass as the walrus approached. And as the walrus came face-to-face with the girl, it planted a kiss on the glass.

The humorous encounter occurred Tuesday at a zoo we presume to be Pairi Daiza in Brugelette.

It reminded us of the video from another zoo that show a bear slamming another bear into the glass in front of 2-year-old Eastan, putting quite a scare into him.

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In this case, the little girl excitedly turned around as if to say, “Did you see that?”

Photo courtesy of ViralHog.

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