Although the Los Angeles Zoo hasn’t moved very far from its first location in Griffith Park, its development over the last 100 years has moved light years to become a renowned institution dedicated to protecting endangered animals, study, education and conservation.
The zoo and botanical gardens, occupying 133 acres, are home to 1,100 animals and over 800 different plant species.
Far from the old image of exotic animals living behind iron bars in cramped cages, the L.A. Zoo has developed habitats for the animals that consider their natural environment, behavioral habits and stimulation. Through research, mixed species exhibits are formed to create a more natural experience for both the animals and visitors.
In the last 15 years, the zoo has created various major exhibits that accommodate the larger specimens and social communities. The Campo Gorilla Reserve features western gorillas in a 1.5-acre complex. The Red Ape Rain Forest consists of a 6,000- sq.- ft. mesh enclosure with openings for the guest path, which leads visitors to a small pavilion with a glass viewing window. The main elephant enclosure encompasses 3.8 acres divided into several areas, each based on a different country in the elephants’ range.
The most recent exhibit is the LAIR (Living Amphibians, Invertebrates and Reptiles), an indoor-outdoor complex that focuses on herps, such as the poison dart frogs and Chinese giant turtles. Terrestrial arthropods include the radiated tortoise, Madagascar spider tortoise and a variety of lizards.
To navigate the exhaustive territory and numerous animal “neighborhoods,” a corps of L.A. Zoo docents share their knowledge of the world’s flora and fauna through touring, education stations, programs and classes. Palisadian Jennifer McIntosh, our guide for this Palisadian-Post primer, has been a docent since 1969.
“I was always interested in animals, and when I was winding down my career as a physical therapist I joined the docent class,” McIntosh recalls.
McIntosh likes to develop a theme for her tours, suggesting a number of entry points: particular species such as primates or specific features such as animal smells or sight adaptations. Some tours concentrate on the botanical gardens, while others are for specific audiences—children, seniors, and also a general information tour. Contact: (323) 644-4703.
I have chosen traits in the following animals that illustrate the clever adaptations these species have developed for protection, reproduction and survival.
Alligator—The L.A. Zoo’s own Reggie is believed to have been raised in illegal captivity, then to have become feral, and was sighted for two extended periods at a public park in the South Bay, Los Angeles area in 2005 and 2007. Native to North America, these alligators live in fresh water environments. The sex of the offspring is determined by the temperature in the nest and is fixed within 7 to 21 days of the start of incubation. Incubation temperatures of 86 °F or lower produce a clutch of females; those of 93 °F or higher produce entirely males. Nests constructed on leaves are hotter than those constructed on wet marsh and, thus, the former tend to produce males and the latter, females. The natural sex ratio at hatching is five females to one male.
Gerenuk—A light-bodied gazelle whose name means “giraffe-necked” in Somali, is a shy diurnal animal that lives in the semi-deserts of East Africa. The species have hip joints and pointed, triangular hooves that enable them to rise up on their hind legs and brace their body against a tree trunk. They can even stand on their hind legs alone. A long neck, giraffe-like muzzle and mobile lips allow the animal to reach into the middle branches and pull off the most tender leaves. This adaptation allows the gerenuk access to browse in areas unavailable to most other ungulates (odd-toed hoofed animals).
Meerkat (Slender Tailed) — The African name for mongoose, Meerkats inhabit the vast expanses of wilderness in Southern Africa that comprise the Kalahari Desert. These animals band together for survival. They den, forage and hunt together. They guard each other from predators and babysit, help each other raise and protect the young, share food and attack enemies together. Each infant apprentices with an adult, and that adult readily donates food to its charge.
Tiger—The Sumatran tiger is only found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Its small size and elongated body allow it to easily move quickly through the dense forest. Hearing is the tiger’s sharpest sense, and acute eyesight and a good sense of smell are key in hunting. The tiger’s night vision is six times better than that of human beings; a mirror-like layer at the back of the eye reflects extra light.
Zebra—The largest of the wild equids, the Grevy’s zebra prefers the semi-arid open scrub and grasslands of Ethopia and northern Kenya. The black-and-white stripes provide crytic coloration, making them difficult to distinguish in the tall grass shimmering sunlight. The zebra’s numbers continue to decline due to grazing competition, decreased access to watering holes and habitat destruction. The L.A. Zoo participated in the North American Grevy’s zebra effort to preserve this species from extinction.
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