Most of the animals Gabriela’s department works with are threatened in the wild, whether they are vulnerable or actually endangered due to habitat loss, poaching, or other reasons.  Which means that her department can make a real difference in whether or not a species survives.

cc Point Defiance Zoo

Recent success stories by Gabriela and her department include providing the science behind the recent birth of a critically endangered Sumatran Tiger at Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington.

Also, the department’s research has helped find a first step in solving egg binding in reptiles.  “Females get stuck with their eggs inside of them, and it can actually kill them”, Gabriela explained.  Scientists found that hormone levels differ between normal females and egg bound females, which suggests there may be a way to force them to lay the eggs so they don’t die.  Such findings can be applied to help endangered reptiles such as Komodo Dragons.

Gabriela shares a sentiment that is common among people who work with animals at zoos.  She wishes that “everything could be free and there could be thousands of them”.  But the reality of our world today is such that many animals are threatened in the wild, and zoos are a viable way of keeping a species alive.  Add in breeding research and activities, and a species can be given a strong chance for survival.

cc Toronto Zoo

The Conservation Carousel Video shows the construction of the Carousel in fast motion.  All the wildlife on the Conservation Carousel are endangered.  Thus, the ride is informative as well as entertaining – kind of like this Friday File!

Along with a brief introduction to an elephant, giraffe, Cuvier’s Smooth Fronted Caiman, Amur Tiger, and other wildlife, the Carousel video has an excellent pace and lots of fun information, and stars YouTube sensation Steve Dangle.

The Polar Bear Stunt video prompts your imagination to graphically watch what happens to a polar bear when the ice melts.  Global warming is at the heart of the stunt involving 22 blocks of ice, 11 feet high, and a polar bear.

The wildlife video collection also includes a few animal baby videos, including Ngozi’s First Baby, Baby Zebra 2008, and Orangutan.  The Orangutan video shows the animals using tools to get food.

The Toronto Zoo website also has a Games section filled with fun quizzes, memory games, and puzzles, as well as the downloadable Turtle Survival Challenge Video Game.

Enjoy having fun while you learn about wild animals and conservation!

(c) Alison Sheepway / WWF-Canada

Among NGO’s, the World Wildlife Fund’s Panda Bear is likely the best known logo/mascot.  Chosen in 1961 when WWF was started, the panda was selected in honor of Chi Chi, who lived at the London Zoo and was the only giant panda in the Western world at that time.  You can see how WWF’s logo changed through the years on their website.  The Panda’s most recent appearance was lounging in a chair on Ottawa’s Parliament Hill as part of the G8/G20 Global Day of Action, urging world leaders to act on climate change at the G8/G20 summit that is scheduled for Ontario later this month.

Other mascots also carry important messages, such as the blue drop that supports water conservation for the Whatcom Water Alliance.  The Alliance is a regional group in Washington state that promotes water conservation by coordinating public information and related conservation activities.  It rains a lot in the Pacific Northwest – so the mascot is named Wayne Drop!  He has an online photo gallery of his time at Discovery Days.

Just north of the border, the Vancouver Aquarium has a beluga whale mascot named Bee Bop.  The Aquarium is proud to be home to several beluga whales, and offer visitors a chance to get close to them.  A Beluga Encounter is an interactive experience that offers a view into beluga communication, while visiting the animals in the behind-the-scenes marine mammal habitat.

Mascots sometimes party together.  Gordo, the Royal Ontario Museum’s dino mascot, and the Toronto Zoo’s Explorer Bear joined Toronto Public Library’s Dewey Decimal mascot in a public appearance  together earlier this Spring.  They were announcing the expansion of the popular Sun Life Financial Museum + Arts Pass Program (MAP).

Overseas, mascots can be found in a wide range of animals including gazelles, parrots, cockatoos and other mostly attractive species.  The value of flagship species and adorable mascots would make this article too long, so suffice it to say that Time Magazine got it right on in their recent article about why Madagascar needs a mascot.

Do you have a favorite mascot that you’d like everyone to know about?