Latest news with #PittsburghZoo
CBS News
27-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Pittsburgh Zoo welcomes 3 adorable armadillo pups
The Pittsburgh Zoo is welcoming three adorable baby nine-banded armadillo pups. The zoo on social media shared a video of Boulder, Geode and Onyx. The three pups were born with soft leathery skin that hardens within a few weeks. The video shows the zoo's education team caring for the pups as they transform from little pink babies. The armadillos will join the zoo's other animal ambassadors, which visitors can see through education programming, outreach, special visits and select wild encounters. The nine-banded armadillo isn't native to North America, but the National Park Service says they can be found all over the southern states, and their range is slowly expanding north, with some found as far as Illinois. Armadillos migrated across the Rio Grande in the mid-1880s and merged with another population that was established in Florida. When you imagine an armadillo, you may picture it curling up in a ball. But the nine-banded armadillo actually can't. Instead, it jumps about three feet up in the air, and since it can't control which direction it goes, the unpredictability scares off predators, the National Park Service explains. The three nine-banded armadillo pups aren't the only recent new arrivals at the zoo. Hondo, an 8-year-old African lion from the Idaho Falls Zoo, is making a home in Pittsburgh. The hope is that he'll be a companion for lionesses Abana and Scarlett. Those two came to the zoo in 2019 with Kit, who died in 2023.
CBS News
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Pittsburgh zoo welcomes new male lion Hondo
The Pittsburgh Zoo has a new African lion, and so far, he's been a hit with the ladies. The zoo on Tuesday announced that 8-year-old Hondo has arrived from the Idaho Falls Zoo. The hope is that he'll be a companion for lionesses Abana and Scarlett. The females came to the zoo in 2019 with Kit, who died in 2023. The zoo said it had a few choices, but Hondo's "robust" genes and experience living with females made him "the most eligible bachelor." (Photo Credit: Paul A Selvaggio) How Hondo will join the pride The zoo said lions are social animals with a unique pride structure, and introducing a lion to an existing pride isn't easy, especially because females take longer to accept a new member. It could take anywhere from three months to five years, but so far, the zoo says it's looking pretty good for Hondo. "There were lots of matches, but Hondo was the best fit," curator of mammals Kelsey Forbes said in a news release. "He is good with females having lived with his mother and two younger sisters. Here in Pittsburgh so far, Hondo is a perfect gentleman, and the ladies are obsessed with him." As Hondo gets used to his new home and future pride-mates, the zoo says he and the lionesses will alternate on view in their outdoor habitat. Initial signs of a bond include behaviors that look friendly like grooming and head rubbing, but some gestures like swatting, hissing and biting may be alarming to guests. The zoo says it's all part of the process. Lions also typically call at sunrise and sunset, and the zoo says Scarlett and Abana are already responding to Hondo's call. As for whether the pride will expand to include some little lion cubs, Forbes says, "That remains up to them!"
CBS News
04-03-2025
- General
- CBS News
Small fire at Pittsburgh Zoo's aquarium prompts evacuation
A small electrical fire at the Pittsburgh Zoo's aquarium prompted an evacuation on Tuesday morning. The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium said the fire was reported in the aquarium building shortly before 11 a.m. Firefighters "responded promptly" and quickly got the fire under control, the zoo said in a Facebook post. All guests and workers were safely evacuated. The animals are being monitored closely. The zoo said the fire was confined to the ductwork, and the building has been deemed structurally sound. While smoke in the aquarium has been cleared and fans are in place, the zoo says the building will be closed for the rest of the day. The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium is home to more than 8,000 animals representing over 600 species. Animals like penguins, blacktip reef sharks and sea turtles live in the aquarium.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Purest of bison stock welcomed to International Conservation Center in Fairhope
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium's International Conservation Center in Somerset County has welcomed one of North America's most iconic species – the American Bison. Four bison – one male and three females – arrived at the ICC in Fairhope in December. They were born this past summer and are approximately 8 months old. The bison represent the purest bison stock in North America and came to the zoo through a partnership with American Prairie, a prairie-based nature reserve in Central Montana, according to a press release. 'This is the beginning of an exciting breeding and reintroduction program that will repatriate bison to indigenous territories across the United States,' said ICC Director Ayeshah Al-Humaidhi in the press release. 'The herd will also provide training opportunities for animal care managers across zoological institutions and our Native American partners.' More: International Conservation Center offers tours, camping and more, including elephants The Pittsburgh Zoo and American Prairie are both part of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums' Bison Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) program, which has the goal of merging the resources of AZA facilities across North America with valuable external partners, including Indigenous groups, to recover bison and restore its native North American prairie habitat. Bison, also commonly known as buffalo, are North America's largest land animals, as well as the official mammal of the United States. Though the animals once grazed the plains of most of the U.S. in the millions, their population dwindled to a little over a thousand at the turn of the 20th century because of hunting and habitat loss, according to the press release. Genetic integrity plays an important role in bison conservation. Most of the animals today are not pure bison, but genetically mixed with cattle. There are likely few bison that do not have some level of cattle genes in their lineage. The program incorporates the most genetically pure bison and pays careful attention to genetic diversity to manage the health of its herds. "Wild bison experienced severe population bottlenecks in the 19th century. During that time, bison hybridized with cattle and as a result, very few (if any) pure bison remain in the wild," said Dr. Shafkat Khan of the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, in an email. "Our bison came from the American Prairie in Montana, which carefully sources and manages their herd to ensure that their bison are as wildtype as possible. Partners for field reintroduction programs value bison sourced from the wild that behave as wild bison, and we are looking forward to providing field partners with these bison from the ICC." Through preservation efforts, like those of American Prairie, the bison has been slowly reintroduced to the wild. Today, the species is listed as 'near threatened' and 'ecologically extinct' – which means they no longer play their critical roles in shaping prairie biodiversity. More: This animal conservancy has several endangered animals to view Routine DNA testing is conducted and importing bison with different genetics is done to ensure high integrity and the long-term success and survival of the animals. 'We are thrilled to partner with the ICC and contribute to this important new program to help grow bison populations across North America,' said Scott Heidebrink, director of Landscape Stewardship for American Prairie. 'We have spent the past 20 years restoring bison to their native prairie home and look forward to seeing even more of these iconic mammals on this historic landscape.' At the ICC, the bison will serve as ambassadors for their species, helping visitors understand the vital role they play in the ecosystem as a keystone species and the importance of preserving their natural habitats. 'Based on AZA SAFE recommendations, we will actively look for partners to receive any bison that are bred at the ICC,' said Al-Humaidhi. The International Conservation Center is an extension of the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium that focuses on conservation science, wildlife management and recovery, and education. Its resident animals contribute to the preservation of their wild counterparts and help tell the story of hope and survival into the future. Summer camp registration for the International Conservation Center began Feb. 18. This article originally appeared on The Daily American: ICC welcomes a male and 3 female bison to repatriate to U.S. prairies
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pittsburgh Zoo welcomes Bison at its International Conservation Center
The Pittsburgh Zoo has welcomed the American Bison to its International Conservation Center in Somerset County. Four bison, one male and three females, arrived in December. They were born over the summer and are around eight months old. The bison arrived through a partnership with American Prairie, a prairie-based nature reserve in Central Montana. 'This is the beginning of an exciting breeding and reintroduction program that will repatriate bison to indigenous territories across the United States,' said ICC Director Ayeshah Al-Humaidhi. 'The herd will also provide training opportunities for animal care managers across zoological institutions and our Native American partners. The zoo said at the ICC the bison will serve as ambassadors, helping visitors understand the vital role they play in the ecosystem as a keystone species and the importance of preserving their natural habitats. The ICC is an extension of the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium that focuses on conservation science, wildlife management and recovery, and education. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
