Virginia opossum

Species  Didelphis virginiana Order: Didelphimorphia Family: Didelphidae Overview  Virginia Opossums are relatively large, and thus easy for audiences to see. They are native to North America, and are the continent’s only native marsupial. They can be trained to kennel, target, station, nail trims, and perform A-B behaviors, to name a few. Unreleasable individuals may be…

Florida Kingsnake

Latin Name: Lampropeltis getula floridiana Order: Squamata Family: Colubridae Considered an unofficial subspecies of kingsnake Overview Capron Park Zoo has been using a Florida Kingsnake as an Animal Ambassador for several years. It is an easily kept species that is forgiving of a variety of husbandry conditions, a good eater with a curious and non-aggressive…

Green-winged Macaw

Green-winged Macaw Ara chloroptera Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittacidae Overview With regard to their availability and suitability as ambassador animals: Contact the Parrot TAG for availability of macaws through AZA facilities. Macaws do not need to be hand-reared from hatch to make good ambassador birds, in fact, allowing birds to remain with their parents until weaned…

Hingeback Tortoise (Home’s)

Kinixys homeana Order: Testudines Husbandry Information Housing Requirements Enclosure 4 feet long, 2 feet wide and 18 inches tall can house up to three or four adults. Provide ample hides Temperature, Humidity, & Lighting: Temperature: These tortoises are not big fans of intense lighting, so use a ceramic heat emitter to create a basking spot of about…

Dwarf Crocodile

Osteolaemus tetraspis Order: Crocodilia Husbandry Information Housing Requirements We house them in a large round, with a magnetic drive circulating pump, with a sump,and activated carbon. They are cleaned and siphoned everyday, though being so small they are pretty clean. (Adventure Aquarium) Diet Requirements In the wild, dwarf crocodiles eat fish, amphibians, crustaceans, and possibly other…

Chinese Alligator

Alligator sinesis Order: Crocodilia Husbandry Information Housing Requirements Diet Requirements Veterinary Concerns Notes on Enrichment & Training Other Colony or Breeding Management Notes species is housed or managed socially or for breeding purposes. Individual Identification Dimorphism or practiced ways to individually mark species (such as those in colonies, like giant millipedes). Programmatic Information Transportation Temperature Guidelines…