Page 31 - Brookfield Zoo Chicago Annual_Report_2024

Emerald Tree Monitor Baby Binturongs
Hatching
Two baby binturongs, also called care
Though emerald tree monitors bintlets, were born to Kartika and
are challenging to breed under Tavi on June 19, bringing with
professional care, we had success them squinty sealed eyes and the
in the summer of 2024 with five signature binturong scent of buttered
clutches of eggs. This is thanks popcorn. They stay snuggled in their AMERICAN FLAMINGOS
to a compatible pairing, close mother’s fur for the first few days
monitoring from herpetology of their lives. The species is native
animal care specialists, and careful to Southeast Asia where it lives
incubation of the eggs at tempera- in dense forest canopies.
tures recommended by the AZA
American Flamingo Chicks
Taxon Advisory Group. Eggs hatch
after incubating about 5.5 months Three American flamingo eggs that
and hatchlings grow fast, doubling came from the Dallas Zoo hatched
in length in three months. We care at Brookfield Zoo Chicago on July 26,
for them off habitat until they grow 28, and August 7, 2024. They were
to an established weight and size. hand-reared by animal care special-
ists behind the scenes until they
Emerald tree monitors are native
were two months old. Over the
to the humid forests and mangrove
course of the late summer and fall,
swamps of New Guinea and nearby
they were gradually introduced to
islands. They are arboreal, living in
the adult flamingos, the Zoo’s Formal
trees. Their long, prehensile tail can
Pool, and guests during public
grip branches and vines and their
Flamingo Walks!
green to turquoise coloring provides
excellent camouflage. Most monitors Flamingo chicks have white and gray
live a solitary life; however, the feathers, and it takes up to two
emerald tree monitor is unusually years for their iconic pink color BROOKFIELD ZOO CHICAGO
social and lives in small groups to fully show. Slowly but surely, 2024 ANIMAL POPULATION
headed by a dominant male. little patches of pink are showing
RESIDENT ANIMALS SPECIES INDIVIDUALS
up on these chicks as they grow.
AMPHIBIANS 21 204
BIRDS 116 1272
FISH 85 477
INVERTEBRATES 77 624
MAMMALS 83 309
REPTILES 103 254

TOTAL 485 3140

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