Please Don't Tease the Animals

Photograph taken by the author.

Please, Don't Tease the Animals!

I must have said it a dozen times. Or maybe a hundred times.

 “Please, don’t tease the gorillas – they might throw something at you and you won’t like what they throw!”

“Please, don’t feed the squirrel monkeys – they bite!”

“Please, don’t try to touch the coati – he has sharp teeth!”

“Please, don’t climb on the wall, I wouldn’t want you to fall into the animal enclosure.”

Please, don’t howl at the siamangs, they don’t like it. It stresses them out and you don’t know what you might be saying back to them!”

But people just kept on doing it. They kept on teasing the tiger, hooting at the siamangs, throwing food to the squirrel monkeys, coati and meerkats, and climbing on the wall around the giant tortoise exhibit. They kept on banging on the windows of the Animal Care Center, kept on whistling at the monkeys to get their attention take a photo, and kept on making faces at the orangutans, gorillas and chimps.

Well, one day, the animals got their revenge. 

The siamangs howled and sang so loudly that everyone went deaf. The gorillas threw poop at a particularly obnoxious man, and hit another with one of the rotten apples he had tossed into the gorilla enclosure. A female orangutan spit water (and orangutan spit) full in the face of a woman who was making kissing noises at the orangutan’s new baby. A little boy who had been walking along the top of the wall around the giant tortoise exhibit fell in and the turtles sat on him until he yelled “Uncle”. The squirrel monkeys bit the fingers off of a man who was feeding them grapes, and the coati ate someone’s cell phone after it had been shoved into the little animal’s face. The meerkats finally got to eat the popcorn they had been teased with after a girl who was leaning over the railing fell into the enclosure. For good measure, the meerkats ate the little girl’s nose, as well. The best was when the tiny baby gibbon peed right on someone’s head!

It was a great day at the zoo!

Peninsular Pronghorn Conservation article

Peninsular Pronghorn Preservation: Restoring the "Ghosts of the Desert" 

 

 

Approximately 9,000 years ago, an animal resembling an antelope, called a pronghorn, roamed over much of Western North America, from Canada to Mexico, including areas in Los Angeles, California. There is evidence, found in the La Brea Tar Pits, that pronghorn used to race each other and the now extinct North American cheetah on what is now Wilshire Blvd. Pronghorn (Antilocapra americanus) are not antelope or deer, have sometimes been thought to be something between a goat and a deer, but are presently in a genus all by themselves. Pronghorn are the only animals that have both a horn and an antler. Males, called "bucks", have horns with bony cores as in other horned animals, such as cows, sheep, antelope and goats, but with an additional outer layer that is shed annually and then regrows with a single prong. Female pronghorn, called
"does", often have horns that do not grow beyond little points or none at all. Pronghorn are the fastest animals in the Western Hemisphere and can run up to 60 miles per hour. They get water from the plants they eat. Pronghorn cannot jump over fences. When ranchers moved in and started putting up fences, the pronghorn started running out of food. They couldn't roam the range freely anymore to find new, fresh grasses and succulents to eat, and they gradually became severely endangered. They only exist now in scattered pockets of animals throughout the western United States and in northern Mexico, and all populations are nearly extinct in the wild.

The Peninsular pronghorn (Antilocapra americana peninsularis), a closely related subspecies of the pronghorn that lived around the tar pits in present day Los Angeles, can be found in very small groups in Baja California, Mexico. http://www.lazoo.org/animals/mammals/peninsularpronghorn. The Greater Los Angeles Zoo, in California, has experienced some success with its Peninsular Pronghorn Recovery Plan, involving the captive breeding of the critically endangered Peninsular pronghorns at the zoo. This year, the L.A. Zoo celebrated the birth of a second set of Peninsular pronghorn twins who, like the pair born last year, will be hand-raised by animal care specialists in the Animal Care Center at the zoo. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unleashed/2009/04/peninsularpronghorn-twins-at-la-zoo.html. When they are old enough, they will be transferred to the Living Desert, in Palm Springs, California, to participate in further captive breeding which will hopefully continue to help restore the Peninsular pronghorn population. http://www.lazoo.org/conservation

The Peninsular Pronghorn Recovery Effort, the result of the continuing partnership between the Houston Zoo, the Los Angeles Zoo, The Living Desert, in Palm Springs, the San Diego Z oo, Mexico's Espacios Naturales y Desarrollo Sustentable A.C. (ENDESU), Comision Nacional de Areas Naturales Protegidas (CONANP), and Africam Safari, has established a successful captive breeding program at the Estacion Berrendos and La Choya facilities within the El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve (EVBR) boundaries, in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Because of this team effort, Peninsular pronghorn are playing in areas they have
not been seen in for decades. http://www.houstonzoo.org/peninsular-pronghorn/

The Greater Los Angeles Z oo, working along with Disney's Animal Kingdom, in Florida, the Living Desert, in Palm Springs, California, the Oregon Zoo, and El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, on the Baja California peninsula, was able to release more than 20 captive-bred Peninsular pronghorn back into protected areas in Baja California, Mexico in February 2006. The wild Peninsular pronghorn population is now estimated at about 200 individuals. http://www.lazoo.org/conservation/articles/plightofthepronghorn.html

(All photographs taken by the author, at the Greater Los Angeles Zoo.)

Works Cited

Cartron, Jean-Luc E., Gerardo Ceballos, and Richard Felgar. “History, Ecology, and Conservation of the Pronghorn Antelope, Bighorn Sheep, and Black Bear in Mexico.” Biodiversity, Ecosystems, and Conservation in Northern Mexico. Eds. Rodrigo A. Medellin, et al. U.S.A.: Oxford University Press, 25 Aug 2005. 387+. Print.

Case, Ted J., Martin L. Cody, and Exequiel Ezcurra, Eds. Island Biogeography in the Sea of Cortez. U.S.A.: Oxford University Press, 21 Nov 2002. Print.

“Commitment to Conservation.” L.A. Zoo.org. Greater Los Angeles Z oo Association. Web. 7 July 2009.
Hernandez, Miguel Angel. “El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve.” Cabos.com. Best Day.com, 14 Feb 2008. Web. 27 July 2009.

Holland, Jeff. “Plight of the Pronghorn.” Zoo View, Spring 2006. "L.A. Z oo: Conservation". L.A. Zoo.org. Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association. Web. 7 July 2009.

Medino, Jose. “Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve.” Vuela Magazine, Year VI. 69. Oct 1999. Questconnet.org. Web. 27, 2009.

“Peninsular Pronghorn.” L.A. Zoo.org. Greater Los Angeles Z oo Association. 7 July 2009. "Pronghorn". National Geographic Book of Mammals. Vol. Two. U.S.A.: National Geographic Society, 1981. 467-469. Print.

“San Diego Z oo.” World Book Advanced. 2009. Web. 8 July 2009.

“Your Morning Adorable: Peninsular Pronghorn at the L.A. Zoo.” L.A. Unleashed. Los Angeles Times. 27 April 2009. Web. 27July 2009.

An Orangutan in Love

One day at the zoo, as I chanced to be observing the orangutans, I noticed one of the females sitting on the ledge of the glassed-in observation area, apparently just taking in the afternoon sun. Along came one of the male orangutans. As he slowly came up behind the female, he began to stretch out his long, long arms as though he were working out the kinks in his shoulders. I swear to you, dear reader, that he stretched out his arms and began to put one around the female's shoulders, appearing like the stereotypical young male human in many a classic teen film, making the moves on his date in a darkened movie theater (without the fake yawn, however). Just as the male orangutan was about to put his arm around the female's shoulder, she turned around and slapped him in the face! She then quickly climbed up onto the roof of the observation deck and scurried away into a far corner. The male, meanwhile, put a huge hand to his injured cheek and sat pouting, looking totally dejected and sorry for himself, for the next half hour, or so. Eventually, he moved off to the opposite side of the enclosure. 

From that day on, whenever the male orangutan has been in the same section of the orangutan exhibit as this particular female, he has a tried to engage her attention however he can. Most of the time, she moves away from him or completely avoids him, but has been seen cuddling with him from time to time. Whenever he is not allowed into the same section where she is, he has displayed a habit of sitting way up high in the exhibit and watching her all day long. It is one of the worst cases of unrequited love I have ever seen, and just goes to show that orangutans are not all that different from humans, in my opinion.

The attached photograph is courtesy of the L.A. Zoo website and is not a photo of either of the orangutans featured in this story.

Rosie's Raspberry

One, hot July day, while I was at the zoo, I came upon a man who appeared to be very upset and anxious. He told me his wife had dropped her cell phone into the orangutan enclosure and asked me if I could call someone to get it back. I immediately got out my cell phone and call the security office. I told the officer who answered that I was standing just outside the front entrance to the orangutan exhibit and that I had a man there who needed help retrieving his wife's cell phone. The officer told me he would be calling the orangutan keepers to let them know what had happened and where to find the dropped cell phone. 

We waited a few minutes and up drove Officer Tom in his little golf cart. Since it was the middle of Summer, he was dressed in his navy blue uniform, complete with tight shorts and utility belt. Officer Tom asked where the cell phone was located and I showed him the object lying just below the bridge that runs alongside of the enclosure. The phone was not actually inside of the enclosure, but lay just outside of the mesh fence down in a small gully. It was clearly visible near one of the pylons of the bridge. We all waited for the keeper to appear. Minutes went by. Officer Tom called in to find out what was going on -- apparently the keeper was at the other end of the enclosure looking for the phone. Officer Tom obtained permission to climb over the fence, himself, and down into the gully to retrieve the phone. He easily hopped over the fence and made his way down towards the bridge pylon where the phone lay. Just as he was bending over to pick up the cell phone, Rosie, one of the female orangutans came up behind him, stuck out her tongue, took a deep breath, and aimed a wet raspberry at the officer's behind. 

" Pbluthuuuuuu!!!"

Officer Tom jumped, let out a yell and hopped, no dived back over the fence as quickly as he could. Then, he handed the cell phone to the startled man, got back into his little golf cart with as much dignity as he could and drove away.

I could not help laughing, and Rosie was laughing, too.

Image borrowed from unravelcat.wordpress.com

An Elephant Tale

Trevor's Trick

The above photograph was taken by the author.

One fine, sunny and very warm day in Spring, I was watching Trevor the bull Asian elephant at the zoo as he was playing in the sprinklers, you know, one of those Rain Bird sprinklers that shoot out a big, long stream of water high up into the air in a graceful arc. Trevor the elephant was standing in the stream of the water letting it play on his face and head and back. Occasionally, he would lift his trunk and open up his mouth to let the water shoot into his mouth, then fill his trunk with water and squirt it up and back over his head and back. He seemed to be having a great time playing in the water. 

Nearby, some workmen were working on the elephant exhibit, hammering and sawing, driving machinery, digging holes, and planting flowers. As I watched Trevor playing in the sprinkler, I notice one of the workmen coming along the path that ran along the side of the enclosure. He was wheeling a wheelbarrow full of small plants. It was a very hot day, and the workman was wearing jeans and a tank top, as well as his construction hardhat.

As the workman began to pass Trevor, I noticed that the elephant appeared to glance over his left shoulder, and then took a definite step to the right allowing the water from the sprinkler to go past him. The stream of water shot over Trevor’s shoulder and hit the workman right in the face and upper body! Then, before you knew it, Trevor was back in front of the sprinkler, again, his head bobbing, his ears flapping, his tail wagging, and his shoulders shaking.

I could swear to you that that elephant was laughing!

[Who says animals don't have a sense of humor!]

A Good Deed is Rewarded (or How the African Crane Got Its Crown)

The above photograph was taken by the author.

The story I am going to tell you today is based upon a traditional animal tale from Africa.  It was adapted from a brief version of a story found in The Birds of Heaven: Travels with Cranes, by Peter Matthiessen and Robert Bateman. It is about a king who likes to hunt, various African animals, and a group of beautiful birds called cranes.

Once upon a time, a long time ago, in a far away land, there lived an African king who liked to hunt. One day, during a hunt with members of his court, in the land of the Blue Nile, the king became separated from the others in his hunting party and got lost in the swirling sands of the desert. Realizing he was lost and would soon need water, the king began walking across the desert. He walked and he walked and he walked.

As the king was walking and walking, he came upon a herd of antelope, and in a demanding voice, he asked them to help him find water. “Antelope! I am dying of thirst, and I want you to help me find water!” 

The lead antelope took one look at the antelope-skin trousers the king was wearing and replied, “We will not help you to find water because you hunt and kill us.” And the antelope leaped off. The king had no choice but to continue walking across the desert to look for water. He walked and he walked and he walked.

After a day, the king came across a herd of elephants. The king asked them to help him find water. “Elephants, I am dying of thirst, can you please help me to find water?” 

The old matriarch of the elephant herd took one look at the elephant tusk staff the king held in his hand and replied, “We will not help you find water because you hunt and kill us.” And the elephants thundered off. The king had no choice but to continue walking across the desert looking for water. He walked and he walked and he walked.

On the third day, the king spotted a herd of zebras. He approached them and asked them to help him find water. “Please, Zebras, I am dying of thirst, can you help me to find water?”  

The zebra stallion took one look at the zebra skin cape that the king was wearing and replied, “We will not help you find water because you hunt and kill us.” And the zebras galloped off. The king had no choice but to continue walking across the desert looking for water. He walked and he walked and he walked. 

Finally, on the fourth day, when the king was sure he was about to die of thirst, he spotted a flock of cranes. Desperately, he begged them to help him find water. “Please, please, please, dear, beautiful Cranes, can you help me? I am lost in the desert and I need help to find water! None of the other animals I met would help me!” 

The cranes looked him up and down, saw that he was indeed dying of thirst, and that he had been wandering for many days. They also took note of the fact that the king wore nothing made from crane feathers. The leader of the cranes nodded, and all of the cranes flew off.

Dismayed, the king cried out, “Oh, they won’t help me either!” But, just then, the cranes returned, each of them with a crop full of water for the king to drink. When he was finished drinking, several of the cranes lifted the king up into the sky and carried him to a nearby oasis, where he was reunited with the other members of his hunting party. 

The king was overjoyed and very grateful. To thank the cranes for their acts of kindness, the king gave each one a golden crown to wear so that everyone would know how they had helped a king.

The next time the king saw the cranes, however, they were not wearing their golden crowns. When the king asked them why they were not wearing their crowns the lead crane answered, “The other animals were so jealous of us that they stole our beautiful, golden crowns from us.” 

This made the king very angry and so he ordered his court magician to create crowns for the cranes that no other animal could ever take away from them.  The magician waved his magical staff and touched each crane on its head. Abracadabra! Where the magician touched the cranes, gold-colored feathers sprouted. Thus he created beautiful crowns that could never be stolen from the cranes. 

Photograph taken by author.

Conclusion: These were the first African crowned cranes, and, to this day, the African crowned crane has a magnificent, golden crown of feathers on its head. And, so, you see, a good deed will be rewarded. [And, perhaps, the king should think better next time before hunting and killing animals for their skins and ivory.] 

Jelly Bean Tales Introduction

This blog contains original stories, mostly about animals, but some about other subjects. All of the stories are original ones, written by me, unless otherwise noted.  These stories are appropriate for kids of all ages. I hope you enjoy them.

Sunday 

The above photograph was taken by the author.