Category: Babies

Celebrating Our Dedicated Team During National Zookeeper Week!

July 25, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Last week, we had the pleasure of celebrating National Zookeeper Week, a time dedicated to honoring the unsung heroes of our sanctuary – the hardworking and passionate individuals who dedicate their lives to caring for our beloved animals. As we reflect back on this special week, we cannot help but be overwhelmed with gratitude for our incredible team of zookeepers who make Moody Gardens a truly magical place.

One of our cherished team members, Janie, the talented Penguin & Seal Biologist, beautifully summed up her experience with the following heartfelt quote: “Over the last 2+ years, I have learned so much, made wonderful memories, and gotten to work with some amazing people and animals! The 14-year-old me that started volunteering at Moody Gardens could only dream of having this career, and I’m so happy to have achieved that dream. Hug your local zookeeper and enjoy the photos!”

Janie’s story exemplifies the journey of passion and dedication that our zookeepers embark upon. Many of them begin as bright-eyed volunteers, motivated by their love for wildlife and the desire to contribute positively to conservation efforts. Over time, they grow and learn, gaining valuable knowledge and hands-on experience through countless hours of hard work and determination.

These remarkable individuals play an integral role in our mission to utilize nature in the advancement of rehabilitation, conservation, recreation, and research. Through their care, expertise, and commitment, our animals thrive in a safe and nurturing environment, allowing visitors to witness their natural behaviors up close and personal.

National Zookeeper Week gives us the opportunity to recognize the challenges our team faces daily. From meticulously preparing diets tailored to each animal’s needs to creating stimulating environments that encourage physical and mental well-being, their dedication knows no bounds. Their efforts extend beyond the well-being of the animals, as they also serve as invaluable educators, teaching the public about the importance of conservation and the need to protect these incredible species.

At Moody Gardens, we take immense pride in our diverse and talented team of zookeepers who work tirelessly to ensure the happiness and well-being of our animals. Each member brings their unique skills, experience, and passion to the table, resulting in a vibrant and harmonious atmosphere that permeates throughout our sanctuary.

As we honored our zookeepers during this special week, we also wanted to extend our heartfelt appreciation to you, our dear visitors, and supporters. Your continued love and support make it possible for us to maintain our high standards of care and carry out crucial conservation efforts.

We encourage you to take a moment to express your gratitude to the zookeepers at your local wildlife sanctuaries and zoos, no matter the week. Their dedication often goes unnoticed, but their impact on the lives of both animals and humans is immeasurable.

So, from all of us here at Moody Gardens, a big shoutout to our amazing team of zookeepers! Your hard work, passion, and unwavering commitment inspire us daily, and we are incredibly fortunate to have you as part of our family.

Let us continue to cherish and protect the fascinating creatures that share our planet, and as Janie said, don’t forget to give your local zookeeper a warm hug of appreciation!

With heartfelt thanks and warm wishes,
Jaree Hefner
Moody Gardens Blogger

GIVING THANKS: NEW AND ADOPTED BABY PENGUINS HATCH AT MOODY GARDENS

November 27, 2019 / / 1 Comment

Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful, and we’re offering a very warm welcome for several healthy Macaroni penguin chicks, which includes the hatching of the six eggs recently brought from Sea World San Diego and the very significant bonus of two others being the first successful hatching of the Macaroni penguin species from pairs already calling the South Atlantic exhibit home.

 

The six eggs from Sea World San Diego made quite a journey traveling on a commercial flight following a streamlined process initiated by their keepers in California. Once arriving at Moody Gardens they were placed in an incubator and cared for by staff until it was time for them to make their debut. These eggs seemingly couldn’t wait to join the Moody Gardens family as their anticipated hatch dates were set for Nov. 25-28 but the hatching started on Nov. 22 and continued through the weekend so that all six eggs have already hatched out.

 

“We are extremely grateful and excited for these new chicks to join the exhibit here at Moody Gardens,” said Assistant Curator Diane Olsen. “They received excellent care from the staff at Sea World San Diego and we are ready to continue that care as these chicks continue to grow and mature.”

 

In addition to these “adopted” penguin babies joining the South Atlantic Penguin Exhibit, two other native Macaroni penguin pairs are celebrating Thanksgiving with babies of their own.

 

The first native chick hatched on Nov. 17. The proud penguin parents are Bleu, a male who came to Moody Gardens from the Biodome in Montreal, Canada in 2007, and Gorgonzola, a female hatched at Sea World San Diego who arrived at Moody Gardens in 2017.

 

A few days later on Nov. 21, the second native chick made its debut. Its parents are Munster, a male also from the Biodome who came to Moody Gardens in 2007 and Gouda, a female from Newport Aquarium who moved into the South Atlantic exhibit in 2015.

 

Munster, Bleu, Gorgonzola and Gouda are just four of the Macaroni penguins calling Moody Gardens’ home. Their friends in the exhibit have names like Brie, Pepper Jack, Colby and more, in keeping with the whimsical tradition instituted by their biologists. Since these new chicks are the first in a second generation of Macaroni penguins at Moody Gardens their keepers have decided to name them after pastas to go along with the existing theme of cheeses for a little more biologist fun.

 

“Biologists like their puns and having animals like the Macaroni penguins gives us a great opportunity to show off our fun side,” Olsen said.

 

Stay tuned to Moody Gardens’ social media as we continue to share more exciting updates about the newest additions to our penguin family.

A Special Surprise for Moody Gardens

December 1, 2011 / / 0 Comments

This holiday season has begun with some exciting news for us here at Moody Gardens. On November 21st and November 23rd, two baby Gentoo penguins joined our family! Born to the penguin parents of Champ and Casper, the two chicks have already tripled in size. The newly hatched chicks when first weighed by our biologists came in at 324 grams and 272 grams. Chick A and Chick B as they are called for now will have real names once the sex is determined. These two baby chicks are the first of the penguin breeding season.

“We currently have eight penguin eggs, so it seems that our birds are off to a good start,” said Diane Olsen, assistant curator, Moody Gardens. “Both chicks are healthy and adorable of course. We look forward to seeing what the rest of the season will bring.”

If you want to see more of these two adorable penguin chicks then come visit them in the penguin South Atlantic exhibit in the Moody Gardens Aquarium Pyramid. You will have to keep a close eye out for these small chicks because they do spend most of their time protected by their parents. For a closer view then look at our live penguin web cam located on the Moody Gardens website Penguin Camera.

Very Rare Pygmy Loris Twins Born at Moody Gardens

April 14, 2010 / / 0 Comments

Moody Gardens is proud to introduce pygmy slow loris twins born on March 22. Breeding of this species is often challenging and largely rare in captivity. In fact, this is only one of five pygmy slow loris births in captivity in North America over the past year.

“This is such an exciting event,” said Paula Kolvig, assistant curator at Moody Gardens. “We have been keeping a very close eye on these babies, and we are very pleased to see steady growth so far.”

The addition of the twins is a valuable boost to the population of this primitive primate species called prosimians that are found in tropical forests of Vietnam, China and Cambodia.  Currently, there are only about 75 pygmy slow lorises in North American zoos and aquariums and fewer than 200 in captivity worldwide. Due to numerous environmental threats, the wild population is dwindling, and the species is listed as a threatened species by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services.

To bring this mammal back from the brink of extinction, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, of which Moody Gardens is an accredited member, created a Species Survival Plan program for the pygmy slow loris. The birth was a great success of this cooperative breeding and conservation program, which helps ensure the survival of the species in both wild and captivity.

The baby boy and girl were born between mother Luyen and father Icarus. The parents are ten and 14 years of age and have been members of the Moody Gardens animal collection since 2004.

“Luyen has been a very attentive and good mother to the twins,” said Kolvig. “The babies stay attached to their mom for the majority of the day, taking plenty of opportunities to nurse.”

Visitors will be able to see both the parents and the twins in the Rainforest Pyramid once the $25 million enhancement project is completed in May 2011. The mother normally nurses her young until they reach approximately nine-months-old. Until then, the attentive mother will continue to pamper her kids behind the scenes. For information, visit moodygardens.org or call 800-582-4673.

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