![]() The snakes recently reached sexual maturity and the female laid her first clutch. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens recognized the importance of increasing the population of Eastern Indigo Snakes, and in 2012 received a pair with a breeding recommendation. Photo Credits: Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens The species is listed as “Threatened” under the Endangered Species Act, and population numbers are decreasing rapidly in its native range of the southeastern United States due to habitat loss. The hatchlings emerged on July 10 and 11, and they mark the first time the Zoo hatched this vulnerable species since 1997. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is celebrating the hatching of two Eastern Indigo Snakes. Joint efforts by zoos are an important component of the conservation of the species.Ĭontinue reading "Jacksonville Zoo Hatches Rare North American Snake" » Because of its small clutch size, coupled with threats including habitat loss and vehicle mortality, the Louisiana Pine Snake is in decline in the wild. By comparison, Rat Snakes found in the same habitat can produce as many as 24 eggs. Louisiana Pine Snakes lay the largest eggs of any North American snake but have an average clutch size of only 3-4. The species is a non-venomous constrictor in the same family as Bull Snakes. ![]() The Louisiana Pine Snake spends a lot of time in and around the burrows of pocket gophers – its main food source. Photo Credits: Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens participates in a cooperative Louisiana Pine Snake reintroduction program by partnering with other zoos to breed the critically endangered species and then release the hatchlings into the wild to bolster native populations. Considered the rarest snake in North America, the species is found only in a few areas in Western Louisiana and bordering counties of Texas. The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is celebrating the successful hatching of two Louisiana Pine Snakes. See more photos of the Macaw chick and a Bushmaster hatching from its egg below.Ĭontinue reading "Rare Baby Macaw, Venomous Snakes Arrive at LA Zoo" » These birds are listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Today, the Macaws' biggest threat comes from clearing of suitable nesting and feeding trees. Though this practice has been greatly reduced, trapping still occurs. In the past, these Macaws were heavily exploited for the pet trade. Staff took over and offer food via a syringe several times a day.įound only in a small region of Bolivia, fewer than 250 Blue-throated Macaws live in the wild. Normally, the chick’s parents would care for and feed the chick, but they experienced some minor health issues that required medication and could not feed their baby. Staff working behind the scenes at the Avian Conservation Center are hand-rearing a Blue-throated Macaw chick that hatched in December (top photo). Mangrove Vipers are venomous Pit Vipers that live in India, Bangladesh, and Southeast Asia. This is the first time Mangrove Vipers have reproduced at the zoo. In Snakes that give birth to live offspring, the eggs are held inside the body until they hatch, resulting in live birth. Unlike Bushmasters, which hatch from eggs, a Mangrove Viper gave birth to five babies on December 26 (third photo from top). Bushmasters inhabit forests and though their bites can be fatal, these Snakes are rarely encountered by humans. The little hatchlings will eventually grow six to 10 feet long and weigh up to 15 pounds. This is the fourth clutch of this species to hatch at the Los Angeles Zoo since the first pair of Bushmasters arrived at there in 2008. ![]() Photo Credits: Tad Motoyama (1,3,4,5) Ian Recchio (2,6)Įight Bushmasters, which are venomous Pit Vipers native to Central and South America, hatched in December (second photo from top). The Los Angeles Zoo is celebrating the arrival of two tropical Snake species and a Blue-throated Macaw, one of the rarest birds in the world.
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