Asian small clawed otters frolic in a light #rain at the Hemker Park & Zoo. This video was taken their first day all together in their new enclosure, and the energy of the group was contagious! These otters, like many of the animals at the zoo, are part of the #speciessurvivalplan for #asiansmallclawedotter - their species is vulnerable in the wild due to habitat loss. #otter #cute #cuteotter #zoo #zoossavespecies (at Hemker Park & Zoo)
A member of the herd checks in with a very fresh scimitar-horned oryx calf. Once extinct in the wild, these desert antelope have become a reintroduction success story thanks to some rather unexpected contributors: game ranchers! When wild scimitar-horned oryx populations plummeted thanks to overhunting and being out-competed by livestock, it was exotic game ranches in the US that had a “reservoir population,” and were able to provide the founder stock for an intensive zoo breeding program. The descendants of those original animals are in the process of being released into some of their historic range, and they appear to be thriving. #scimitaroryx #antelope #veryfreshbaby #hoofstock #conservation #wildlifeconservation #zoossavespecies #naturalbridgesafaripark (at Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch) https://www.instagram.com/p/BzGigqXhECz/?igshid=j5dovr42b7hi
