Meet “Sid” — Our Baby Sloth!
Okay, is this baby cute or what? Meet "Sid," Zooniversity’s newest animal ambassador. This adorable, baby two-toed sloth has actually been with us for a couple of months already, spending his time in quarantine and bonding with our keepers. Now, it’s time for his grand debut! "Sid" needed a new mama, so he traveled all the way from the [...]
Meet “Diego” — A Four-Eyed Opossum
Ahhh, a baby four-eyed opossum (Philander opossum) . No, he doesn’t have four eyes. But, the unusual facial markings give the illusion of four eyes — a great way to keep predators at bay in the rain forests of Central and South America. Meet "Diego," Zooniversity’s newest animal ambassador. This sweet baby has been with us for [...]
Good Night, Sweet “Faith”
Zooniversity lost one of its most precious teachers today, our sweet 10-year old fennec fox named "Faith." Faith spent years traveling to schools, libraries, and private events, teaching people about this elusive, and beautiful, desert species. She spent the last seven years with us, battling many obstacles — juvenile cataracts, glaucoma, prosthetic eye surgery, and in [...]
Meet Baby Sheila, the Joey Wallaby
Ahhhh…meet our newest baby, little Sheila. She is a 7-month old joey wallaby that we’re fostering until she is big enough to return to her mob at another wildlife educator’s Texas ranch. She is still a pouch baby and travels with us everywhere. She sleeps most of day still, but will remind us that it’s [...]
Name the Hyrax!
This is Zooniversity’s newest animal ambassador, a yellow-spotted hyrax (Heterohyrax brucei) who needs the perfect name — and we’re asking our Zooniversity friends to name him! Something, cute, yet dignified, that suits his species and his personality. Here’s a bit more about him to give you some creative inspiration… This 8-pound, football-shaped, herbivore was sent to us by another wildlife educator who just didn’t [...]
“I need your help. I found an animal…”
Springtime is in full bloom here in Texas and our phones have been ringing off the hook with animal lovers who have stumbled upon a wild species that they think needs our help. Lots of baby bird, baby cottontail, opossum, and "I’m not sure what this is" phone pleas for help and "rescue." Abandoned Babies: One [...]
Simon – The Iguana Who Started it All
As a professional biologist, I knew better. But, I am also a mother; which means that I too sometimes abandon all sense and logic to appease the pleadings of one of my adorable, and always convincing, children. Meet Simon, the iguana who started it all. There was Simon, perched lopsided on that branch in that [...]
“Sydney,” Journey of a Joey Wallaby, Part 2
I’d like to be a joey wallaby. I’d spend long hours sleeping peacefully in a fuzzy pouch, stretch my oh-so-big feet upon waking, guzzle milk when I was thirsty, delicately nibble on hay and grass when hungry, hop-hop-hop faster-faster-faster at play time, and “huff” for my humans to give me some always needed attention and [...]
A Chameleon’s Eulogy
Sometimes you find an animal that acts unlike any other of its species, that defies all published descriptions of typical behavior, that beats the survival odds, and that far outlives its maximum lifespan. It’s rare, but it can happen, and these rare finds make the finest of animal ambassadors. The stories that come with these [...]
“Sydney,” Journey of a Joey Wallaby, Part 1
Life is tough when you’re this little. Life is even tougher outside the security of Mommy’s pouch. Life is really tough when formula replaces Mommy’s milk and you’re surrounded by tall, strange-looking animals without fur or tails or pouches. Meet baby “Sydney,” an orphaned Bennett’s wallaby joey, who came to Zooniversity for foster care. This [...]
