Trip to the Zoo #4?: Blue and Gold Macaws

Beautiful Blue and Gold Macaws/ Blue and Yellow Macaws (Ara ararauna) at the Emperor Valley Zoo. 

The vivid colours of these birds made me want to pull out my sketch book and some bright colour pencils/paint. I settled for pictures instead for future reference.

The last 3 photos are from my trip a year before with a different camera. 

 Not as vivid as the first set, but it is such a more convenient camera for outings and capturing people moments. lol @ people moments. The camera I used in the first set does have better features, but sometimes it feels to bulky and it is too much of a hassle sometimes to find the right setting to capture those spontaneous settings. Small point and shoot for everyday and slightly larger better quality camera for landscapes and animal shots.

Poisonous Snakes of Trinidad and Tobago

An interesting read at the Emperor Valley Zoo. We know how to identify the 2 poisonous Coral snakes in T&T but what about the Mapepire? These charts were rather helpful.

Trip to the Zoo #2: Reptiles #2 (Iguana)

This cool dude is a Rhinoceros Iguana. Here he is chomping down on some veggies and then scampering off to join his friend in the shade.

From the ZSTT website,

The species, also called the Mona Iguana, can be found in Hispaniola and Mona Island near Puerto Rico. It inhabits semi-deciduous and dry to subtropical, moist forests, scrub woodlands and dry, rocky forests in coastal areas. 

Rhinoceros iguanas are named after their several enlarged horn-like scales on its snout. These scales resemble the horns of a rhinoceros. This species can reach a length of 60 to 136 cm. Their skin color can range from grey to dark green and brown. 

Females dig burrows when they are about to lay eggs. An average clutch of eggs can range from 5 to 20 eggs. Hatchlings are approximately 18 cm in length. 

Rhinoceros iguanas feed mainly on flowers and fruit but can also consume insects and eggs.

Trip to the Zoo #2: Reptiles #1

Here are some more pics and vids from my trip to the Zoo featuring this time some of the reptiles.

Caiman

First up, the Caimans, which look like smaller crocodiles. They are found in Central and South America.
The Emperor Valley Zoo has the Black Caiman (Melanosuchus niger) and the Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus)

Spot the 5 

My favourite shot of the trio

Turtles

This little fellow was quite hilarious in his antics. He is the Spot-legged Turtle or Common Galap. You can take a look and see for yourself as he paddles around in his 2cm of water.

These are the African Spurred Tortoise ( I believe). 

Check out his spurred shell. Better picture to see the shell of this magnificent creature here.

One year ago I took the above photos of the Tortoise feeding

Trip to the Zoo #1: New Lions

I went to the zoo today! Why am I excited even though I am no longer 5 years old like the kiddies that filled the many large maxi taxis today? Because the zoo is awesome! Need I say more? NO!

In case you are from Trinidad and missed this, or from another country, the Emperor Valley Zoo has three new additions: African Lions!

The three brother lions that have found their home in T&T are about 2 1/2 years old and are named after the lions from the Lion King.

Mufasa, Scar and Kovu

They are part of the zoo's initiative to add more animals to the zoo, and in the future when the zoo adds three more female lions, they would be part of a regional breeding programme to supply the Caribbean and Southern Hemisphere with lions.

The following playlist is comprised of some clips about the new lions.

So which one is which?

They do look very similar

I didn't take a photo of Scar's info, but his distinguishing feature was the scar above his left eye as well as one on the centre of his forehead.

These of course are not the first set of lions at the Emperor Valley Zoo. Special mention must be made to Simba.

Simba is the zoo's other lion who is 16 years old. (Remember when Lion King now came out? Fun fact- 1994!! :O! No wonder my bf was surprised at the little children who knew of the movie. I was their age when that movie was released!! I did not know that movie was so old! Not that I am really getting on with the age. lol! )

Anyway, Simba is currently housed in a separate enclosure next to the newbies.

Simba was born and bred at the Emperor Valley Zoo and in the past lived with a pride of lions in the enclosure that now acted as a quarantine for the three new lions.

We found Simba napping peacefully in the shade away from the heat of the midday sun.

Simba wakes up!

Then nestles down in a comfy spot and stares reflectively into the distance as he ponders life's mysteries. 

Sleepy time

What majestic creatures!

And very large!

Here is some video footage of what I recorded of the lions today:

Trying out the lion life :D After watching those lovely lions I decided I had to try it out myself. :D

For more info about the Emperor Valley Zoo and their animals, check out the Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago's website. The ZSTT is the organization that oversees the Zoo and manages it and all its policies.