Latest news with #FortWorthZoo
Fox News
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Bruno the gorilla enjoys new indoor swing in his enclosure at Fort Worth Zoo
Bruno, the 2.5-year-old gorilla has a blast swinging in his indoor space at the Fort Worth Zoo thanks to a new enrichment addition.
Yahoo
28-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fort Worth Zoo Celebrates Hatching of Rare Baby Crocodiles
Fort Worth Zoo Celebrates Hatching of Rare Baby Crocodiles originally appeared on PetHelpful. Fort Worth Zoois making conservation history AGAIN, celebrating its third consecutive year of successfully hatching the critically endangered gharial crocodile species. With two new hatchlings this summer (they hatched on June 5 and on June 11), the Zoo remains the only facility in North America to achieve back-to-back-to-back breeding success for this rare species, marking a major win for global conservation efforts. Gharials are listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which makes this conservation success even more significant. These hatchlings came from eggs laid by two different females within the zoo's gharial group, helping to diversify the gene pool of gharials in managed care. In a press release dated July 10th, Vicky Poole, associate curator of ectotherms at the shared, 'To have continued success for a third year in a row means that in addition to having more of these beautiful and imperiled crocodiles for the future of the species, we are able to further refine our breeding, incubation, andhatchling husbandry techniques as each year informs us more and more."More About the Critically Endangered Gharial Crocodile The gharial is one of the largest crocodilian species, recognized by its long, slender snout that makes it especially skilled at catching fish. Gharials are excellent swimmers and spend most of their lives in cool underwater environments. While the hatchlings are just over 12 inches long now, they'll grow quickly, and their snouts will continue to lengthen. Male gharials can reach up to 16 feet in length and weigh nearly 1,500 pounds, while females remain slightly smaller. Sadly, gharials are critically endangered due to habitat destruction, pollution, and river fragmentation, all of which make survival in their native habitats increasingly difficult. Fort Worth Zoo's efforts not only sustain the species in human care but also play a critical role in diversifying the gene pool and ensuring long-term survival. If you're considering a trip to the Zoo to see the babies, you'll have to wait. As of now, the hatchlings will remain behind the scenes so their growth and development can be monitored. The 2023 and 2024 hatchlings are still behind the scenes as well. The press release states, "The Zoo is in the process of creating a safe and secure gharial hatchling habitat so that guests can eventually observe the tiny crocs on a visit to the Zoo, but this space is still a work in progress." Fort Worth Zoo Celebrates Hatching of Rare Baby Crocodiles first appeared on PetHelpful on Jul 14, 2025 This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
USA Today
06-04-2025
- General
- USA Today
For 3 decades, elephants have found a peaceful retreat in an unlikely place: Tennessee
For 3 decades, elephants have found a peaceful retreat in an unlikely place: Tennessee The nation's largest natural elephant habitat celebrated its 30th anniversary in March. Show Caption Hide Caption Meet Dr. Sarah Cannizzo and her groundbreaking work at Fort Worth Zoo Fort Worth Zoo associate veterinarian, Dr. Sarah Cannizzo, talked about her groundbreaking work at Fort Worth Zoo. As Nashville grows and changes at a breakneck pace, a parcel of land just an hour outside the city is growing increasingly wild — and has been for the past 30 years. The Elephant Sanctuary, in Hohenwald, celebrated its 30th anniversary in March, marking three decades of adopting former circus and show elephants and allowing them to retire in peaceful wilderness. Started in 1995 with just one rescued elephant named Tarra who roamed 110 acres of land, the sanctuary has grown into the nation's largest natural habitat refuge for elephants at 3,060 acres, including an educational center for the public. Wide open fields and native foliage provide a backdrop for 12 retired African and Asian elephants to live out their golden years under the loving care of their handlers. Janice Zeitlin, CEO of the sanctuary since 2013, expressed excitement for the future of the sanctuary and said reaching the anniversary is 'overwhelming.' 'We're sharing this world with some really beautiful and wonderful creatures,' she said. 'And we need to take care of them. We need to be respectful and keep them safe.' The habitat has seen its fair share of heartwarming stories — from a documentary-inspiring friendship between two elephants as well as the refuge serving as partial inspiration for the book 'Leaving Time' by best-selling author Jodi Picoult — and hardships, like the decade-long legal fight over ownership of the sanctuary's first elephant and the accidental death of an elephant trainer in 2006. The gentle giants that call the sanctuary home — of which there have been 34 in total — come from a wide range of circumstances. One from the Louisville Zoo, a number from a private owner in Chicago, two from the Knoxville Zoo and even one from the cast of the 1988 "Big Top Pee-wee" movie. 'In many of these situations, the zoos and owners are making decisions because their elephants are getting older, and they really want them to have socialization opportunities that they might not have gotten previously,' Zeitlin said. 'Elephants really need social opportunities. They're very social creatures.' One favorite resident of the facility, Shirley, born in 1948 in Sumatra, made a tremendous impact on her handlers. The Asian elephant, a former circus performer, survived an unlikely sequence of events, including being kidnapped by forces belonging to Cuba's Prime Minister Fidel Castro, a shipwreck off of Nova Scotia, a truck wreck, being attacked by another elephant and living for 20 years as the only elephant at a small zoo in Louisiana, before retiring to the sanctuary. She died in 2021 at 72 years old, making her the second-oldest elephant in North America. Shirley's story: North America's second oldest elephant dies at 72 in Tennessee sanctuary 'Shirley was just really special,' Zeitlin said with emotion. 'She was so intelligent and entirely her own animal. Shirley kind of epitomized what this sanctuary is all about: giving a home to and helping these big animals have a safe place where they're taken care of through their lifetime, through all those phases of life.' Looking to the future, Zeitlin said the refuge is excited to be developing its international partnerships and advocating for elephants everywhere. 'We give out grants once a year for protecting elephants and trying to create better welfare for them, both in human care and in the wild. … We have a group in Vietnam that helps elephants retire from giving rides to tourists, and another group that's tracking elephants through India and trying to keep pathways open from human conflict,' she said. 'We just want to create a better world for elephants wherever they are.'
