Summer Vacation Redux #8: Omaha: Henry Doorly Zoo, part 5 of 11

Next stop were the habitats of the largest primates, the Orangutan House and the Hubbard Gorilla Valley.   Both provide large interior and exterior habitats for their residents.  The Orangutans were in a transition from being inside to moving outside for a midday meal of vegetables and protein pellets.  So it wasn't possible to get a good picture of any of them, though I got see some as they left their interior space.  The newer of the two adjacent facilities is the Hubbard Gorilla Valley, with not only offers an expansive interior space, but a variety of separate exterior spaces to allow the Gorillas the chance to be together or not depending on their needs and the situation.  Sometimes males prefer their privacy for example.  I was able to see about half a dozen different adult males, and then inside a group of females along with a baby born this past January 18.  In one of the Gorilla yards, the zoo had a lone Yellow-backed Duiker, and a pair of both Black Crowned Crane and Abyssinian Ground Hornbills.  In other areas of the building habitats contained lesser apes and monkeys as well as birds and smaller rodents.

 Yellow-backed Duiker, Cephalopus silvicultor.

Black Crowned Cranes, Balearica pavonina, and an Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Bucorvus abyssinicus.

 The first of two of the zoos over half dozen adult males.  This Western Lowland Gorilla, Gorilla gorilla gorilla, is perched in a glass alcove where he's the center of human attention.

 This is the baby (7 1/2 months-old) Gorilla, Kgosi.  He was also a real crowd pleaser.

 This is 22 year-old Tambo, Kgosi's mother.  Kgosi is her first offspring, though 21 year-old, Timu, Kgosi's father has sired 3 previous offspring.

 A Diana Monkey, Cercopithecus diana.

Summer Vacation Redux #8: Omaha: Henry Doorly Zoo, part 6 of 11

After leaving the Hubbard Gorilla Valley complex at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, I became cognizant of the time and the fact that my traveling companion was beginning to flag.  So we made a plan to go over to the zoo's little train feature and ride it out to the far end of the zoo where their larger African animals were.  I imaged the my friend Rod would appreciate pics of and from the train, too.  Then we could make our way back to the entrance picking up other areas as we went.  It seemed to make sense at the time.  But here's how it went down.  The walk to the train was short enough and we joined the line awaiting the next train.  It took about 10 minutes to arrive, and then another 10 to unload and load, at which point we ended up still in line, but only about 10 people from the beginning for the next train.  25 minutes later, it arrived and was unloaded and loaded in about 5 minutes this time.  Once it was loaded the intercom announced that the train was being pulled out of service due to a technical problem!  WTF?  So our time-saver ended up using up about an hour of our time...  However, the standing and waiting had also been a good break for my friend. 

We consulted the map and decided to hoof it to the far and maintain our earlier "work our way back to the front gate" strategy.  I realized that we would probably not get to the large Asian cats (Tigers and Leopards) or the separate Penguin facility, the Farm area with international farm animals was out, and because viewing the One-horned Asian Rhinoceros was only possible from the train... ta ta to that, too.  All very disappointing, and yet in the context of everything we'd already seen it would be hard to claim to sour grapes!

 The Red Ruffed Lemur, Varecia rubra.

The Ring-tailed Lemur, Lemur catta, which is the most commonly held mammal in North American Zoos. 

Summer Vacation Redux #8: Omaha: Henry Doorly Zoo, part 7 of 11

From the Lemur Island exhibit at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, the path led to the Lagoon and covered bridge to traverse the large water feature.  Viewing of an island home to a troop of Geoffroy's Spider Monkeys, Ateles geoffroyi, was excellent from mid-bridge, and then it was on to the home of the California Sea Lions, Zalophus californianus.  A large pool with nearby support structures, you get the feel of a long-established habitat for these impressive aquatic mammals.

 Geoffroy's Spider Monkeys, Ateles geoffroyi, also known as Black-handed Spider Monkeys.

The California Sea Lion habitat.

Summer Vacation Redux #8: Omaha: Henry Doorly Zoo, part 8 of 11

On the far side of the Lagoon at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha is a newly developed and still evolving area of African Savannah animals.  You encounter a heard of Eastern Mountain Bongos, an area with African Spurred Tortoise, Sable Antelopes, and African Lions.  To trek takes you to the top of hill, which felt sort of big at the end of a full day of walking.  It's clear that the trails and spaces are new--lots of young plantings make this completely obvious.  The views of the Sable Antelopes and Lions were wonderful and worth the effort.  All of the ten or so Sable Antelopes were female as was clear from their roan colored coats.  The African Lions on view were a pair of sibling males.  One had a darker coat and I attended a trainer talk that explained how his main made him a preferential mating partner.  I asked if there was any sense of rivalry between the two brothers, and neither he nor the young women keeper who joined him could answer that question.

 Sable Antelopes, Hippotragus niger.

 African Lions, Panthera leo.

Summer Vacation Redux #8: Omaha: Henry Doorly Zoo, part 9 of 11

At this point, we chose to ride the Sky Lift back to the front of the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha.  Basically a ski lift designed to move people from the far hill of the African Savannah habitats over the rest of the African Savannah habitats back to the heart of the front portion of the zoo.  The vistas were great.  The opportunity to linger at many exhibits--was just not possible.  But we still had amazing views of animals.

 Cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus.

 African Bush Elephants, Loxodonta africana.

 Southern White Rhinoceros, Ceratotherium simum.

The Sky Lift presented a great view of the Desert Dome.  Just how large it is, is apparent from this vantage point.

Summer Vacation Redux #8: Omaha: Henry Doorly Zoo, part 10 of 11

Once back on the ground from the Sky Lift that carried me across the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha from one end of the African Savannah portion of the zoo to the other, I backtracked to an area of habitats called the Kopje.  It was designed after southern African rock formations. After exploring those habitats, I was on to the Reticulated Giraffe herd.  In the Kopje habitats there were more Klipspringers, as well as, Meerkats.  From this area of the zoo, it was also possible to get some wonderful views of the Southern White Rhinoceros.

 Klipspringers, Oreotragus oreotragus

 Meerkats, Suricata suricatta

 Reticulated Giraffe, Giraffa reticulata

 Southern White Rhinoceros, Ceratotherium simum

 More images of the herd of Reticulated Giraffe.

 Every Zoo is home to volunteer species.  This little Midwestern ground squirrel was everywhere at the Henry Doorly Zoo.  In most places the moochers are avian.  Here, the chief benefactor was a rodent!