Page 6 - Gateways_2019-Summer

News Bites

The latest noteworthy news from
around Brookfield Zoo and beyond
the gates is right at your fingertips.

PROGRAMS Meet an Animal Ambassador

Each month, we’ll introduce you to one of Brookfield
Zoo’s Animal Ambassadors! Keep your eyes peeled.
You just might run into these fascinating creatures
on your next trip to the zoo.

AtticusHello, I’m

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Typical day: Atticus has spent his life Burmese pythons are found throughout
around people, so he is very comfortable southern and southeast Asia and, in their
with crowds. He participates in a variety of native habitat, are listed as vulnerable by the
Animal Ambassador events, primarily special International Union of Conservation of Nature.
events at Brookfield Zoo, but he occasionally However, these pythons are also considered
makes a visit to a local TV station. When not an invasive species in Florida, largely due to
participating in an event, he enjoys basking released or escaped pets, and they have become
under a heat lamp or burying under moss major predators, changing the area’s ecological
in his habitat. landscape. These snakes are fairly popular in the
pet trade, but it is not recommended to keep
About Burmese pythons: Burmese them as pets—their large adult size makes them
pythons are among the largest snakes on hard to care for properly.
Earth—the largest ones can weigh upwards
of 200 pounds. They are great swimmers and
often live near bodies of water.

6 GATEWAYS | NEWS BITES