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Here you will find information, musings, and pictures about life, the natural world and writing.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

New baby at Oregon Zoo!

After the moody post below, it's a pleasure to report Good News: Rose Tu gave birth today at the Oregon Zoo. http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/08/zoo_elephant_rosetu_begins_lab.html

It's her first calf and the other cows have little experience with new-borns, so there is still cause for worry. Take a look at that calf, though. What a great little guy!

This brings back memories of Honaka's two calves born at the Oregon Zoo when I was a keeper there. Those were very stressful births--each calf was born with ailments and their mom was excitable, to say the least. I (and lots of other staff) spent many hours in the barn and then at the nursery working with the calves. Alas, neither survived.

I wish Rose Tu and her baby all the luck in the world.
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1 comment:

Marilyn Z. said...

The picture of you mopping the floor brought back memories of my time as a volunteer at the Washington Park Zoo nursery in the 70's. My shift was on Sunday mornings from 8am to noon.



I loved arriving at the zoo early in the morning, so private with almost no one around and just the sounds of the animals waking up. Then, coming into the zoo nursery to see who had been born the past week.


When I was there I remember a baby tapir, camel, cougars, racoons, llamas, chimps and a spider monkey. My favorite baby animal was the coatimundi. When he was new born he looked like a little puppy or kitten, but each week his nose and tail got longer and longer. He was social and inquistive and had prehensile tail that he used to grasp whatever he could. He loved company and did his best to get into mischief.



I very much look forward to reading your book!



Marilyn Zornado

September 11, 2008 at 8:47 AM

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