We’re Killing Off All The Animals

Take note, parents: The next time you take your kids to the zoo, if you really want to give them the full experience, be sure to tell them that behind all those cages full of super happy animals, zoos have vials upon vials of animal sperm.  That’s right — vials of frozen elephant sperm might not be as exciting as Dumbo himself, but they’re just as important to wildlife conservation. As Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth Extinction, discussed in her interview with Grist last year, scientists are hoping to use all that frozen goo to keep endangered species alive through artificial insemination.

http://tinyurl.com/ne88yz9

Meet Ippo the Baby Zonkey

A baby Zonkey — a cross between a Zebra and a donkey — named Ippo has been born at an animal reserve in Florence, Italy. Ippo is the foal of a male zebra who was adopted from a failing zoo and an endangered donkey breed from Amiata. “Ippo is the only one of his kind in Italy,” reserve employee Serena Aglietti told ANSA.

http://tinyurl.com/kzuwhfc

Ohio Zoo Workers Play 'Mom' To Abandoned Baby Gorilla

Some zoo workers in Cincinnati are going ape over a baby gorilla. They are wearing all-black outfits, grunting affectionately, and generally imitating mother gorillas to help the month-old baby adjust to a new home and get ready for a surrogate mother. Later, they will don hairy vests and carry baby Gladys on their backs, put on kneepads and gloves to move around like a gorilla, and they might knuckle-walk and climb a tree with baby on board.

http://tinyurl.com/ax6gjnt

Zoo Babies 2012: Adorable Baby Animal Pictures From Around The World

From bonobos to zebras, zoo babies as a set are pretty adorable. These incredibly cute photos highlight young and newborn animals from zoos around the world.

http://tinyurl.com/bfn5s5c

Baby Warthogs Born At Zoo Miami

Just as the Arsht Center hosts Pumbaa, the singing warthog in Broadway hit "The Lion King," Zoo Miami welcomes four new warthogs piglets. But that's not the first connection the local zoo's had to the Disney production. The film's animators visited Zoo Miami back in 1993 (when it was still called Miami Metro Zoo) and studied the resident animals as models for some of the characters in the film.

http://tinyurl.com/79e5fco

In "Savage," Zoo Miami Animals Create Unique Paintings In Exhibit Benefiting Conservation

This Saturday, Bakehouse Art Complex is hosting "Savage," an exhibit by animals for animals. Critters and beasts from Zoo Miami used their snouts, trunks, and feet to paint one-of-a-kind artworks. Sales will benefit conservation efforts at the local zoo and beyond. And before animal rights activists get worked up about the bright paint on Roshe the Tiger's chin, zoo staff says the animals' well-being was a top priority.

http://tinyurl.com/6o3qn7j

London Zoo's Annual Stocktake Sees Penguins, Chimps And Cubs Counted

Counting sheep is fairly commonplace, but what about counting penguins, lions, tigers and bears? London Zookeepers have the tricky but essential task of counting every animal in their care, in order to keep their zoo licence for the coming year.  Dodging meerkats and going cross-eyed over grasshoppers, the annual stocktake is made doubly difficult by the enclosures' careful camouflage created by London zoo for its much-loved inhabitants.

http://tinyurl.com/74b4d2f

Zebras Roam Virginia Neighborhood

It's one thing to see dogs, cats and squirrels around neighborhoods. But imagine the surprise when Loudoun County homeowners spotted zebras roaming their streets.

http://tinyurl.com/6rmttq5

Video: Red Pandas Can't Stop Kissing

We all know the feeling. You've just started a relationship and the butterflies take over. No matter where you are, you can't seem to keep your hands off each other, despite the judgmental looks and demands to "Get a room!" Surprisingly enough, it seems like these two pandas at a Japanese zoo know the feeling.

http://tinyurl.com/4ye39c4

German Zoo Powered By Elephant Poo

Elephants are actually helping to keep the lights on at the Munich Zoo. The zoo's resident Indian elephants are providing 'Elephant Energy' by creating power generated from their dung. This is achieved by harnessing what the Munich Zoo is referring to as "poo power" -- energy stored in animal waste -- which can be converted into a fuel known as "biogas."

http://tinyurl.com/3h3u5mv

Rescued Orangutan Quits Smoking

Shirley the orangutan is going cold turkey after Malaysian wildlife officials banned her from smoking cigarettes. Shirley was rescued by the authorities who thought she was living in unacceptable conditions at a state-run zoo last week.

http://tinyurl.com/6jwmw2q

Animals Go Wild Ahead of Quake

The animals always know first. Well before any humans ducked beneath desks or sought shelter in doorways on Tuesday, wildlife at the zoo started to react to the oncoming earthquake.

http://tinyurl.com/3txbbfu

Bald Bears in Germany Mystify Everyone

You'd have thought a fur coat would have been the ultimate bear necessity. But not for the unfortunate Dolores who has lost all her body hair and has just been left with a few tufts around her head.

http://tinyurl.com/3jpg2cc

Childless Couple Adopts Gorilla

Pierre and Elianne Thivillon don’t have any children. But they do have a 265-pound gorilla. The couple, both zookeepers, took in Digit 13 years ago, when her biological mother refused to breastfeed. They already had experience working with gorillas, but acknowledge that it’s not an easy job.

http://tinyurl.com/3f748o4

Watch Zola the Breakdancing Gorilla

This breakdancing gorilla will put any human's moves to shame.According to the Calgary Zoo, Zola is a male gorilla that just can't contain himself when it comes to puddles of water. See for yourself as he tears it up on the makeshift dance floor in the video below.

http://tinyurl.com/3hzuur4