Early AM Beauty & DC visit to Powers

From Zoo Atlanta!   

Lun Lun the giant panda is expecting
Thursday, August 18, 2016

Pregnancy confirmed via ultrasound and hormone analyses; 24-hour birthwatch begins August 22

Lun Lun the giant panda has been confirmed to be expecting a cub. On August 16, the Zoo Atlanta Veterinary Team obtained an ultrasound image of a fetus measuring 0.78 centimeter (a third of an inch), and supporting hormone analyses and monitoring of Lun Lun’s behavior suggest that a birth could take place within three weeks. Beginning on Monday, August 22, the Animal Management and Veterinary Teams will begin 24-hour monitoring of Lun Lun as she nests in her off-exhibit den in The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Giant Panda Conservation Center.

The teams remain optimistic that the newest addition to the Zoo Atlanta giant panda program is on the way; however, there is still no certainty of an impending birth. Fetal reabsorption is not uncommon in giant pandas, so the possibility remains that the pregnancy could fail. Because of the difficulty in obtaining ultrasounds of Lun Lun’s entire uterus, there is also no certainty that there is not more than one fetus present.

Lun Lun was artificially inseminated on March 28, 2016. Since that time, the teams have continued to review hormone analyses conducted by David Kersey, PhD, an expert in giant panda endocrinology from Western University of Health Sciences. The Veterinary Team will continue to pursue regular ultrasounds, but as ultrasound participation is voluntary for Lun Lun, there is no guarantee of additional ultrasounds before a birth takes place.

Giant pandas represent Zoo Atlanta’s most significant financial investment in conservation. Fewer than 1,900 giant pandas are estimated to remain in the wild in China’s Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, and more than 1,200 of these live inside nature reserves. Support from Zoo Atlanta benefits wild giant pandas living on eight of these reserves.

A new cub, which would be the first giant panda born in the U.S. in 2016, would be the sixth for 18-year-old Lun Lun and 18-year-old male Yang Yang. The pair’s first, second and third offspring, Mei Lan, Xi Lan and Po, now reside at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China. Their fourth and fifth, 3-year-old females Mei Lun and Mei Huan, reside at Zoo Atlanta and are the only twin giant pandas in the U.S.

Tune in to PandaCam hosted by Animal Planet L!VE on zooatlanta.org to join Lun Lun and the Zoo Atlanta family in preparing for a birth, and stay tuned for updates.

E8 is flying high and free!   

http://www.news-press.com/story/news/2016/08/18/famous-eagle-e8-released-north-fort-myers/88904194/

After 3 months of rehab, E8 is being released today! 

http://www.fox4now.com/news/recovering-bald-eagle-cleared-for-release-thursday

       
 DC practicing his Beauty look! 

DC

   

E8 update

E8 UPDATE: E8 has successfully been catching fish during the remainder of his live prey testing. CROW's veterinary staff is pleased to see that E8 is using both the left and right talon to catch the fish.

E8 is almost 7 months old and the mortality rate for eagles during their first year of life is greater than 50%, but once they have learned to hunt and forage successfully their chances of reaching adulthood are improved. CROW’s Wildlife Rehabilitators and hospital staff have worked diligently to ensure the eaglet has the basic hunting skills needed to survive when returned to the wild.

Some great news! 

http://youtu.be/58b6pbNw1dg

[LOVED]

I LOVED this story!  so much for posting it.

Dot in PA

Glad you enjoyed it, Dot...

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/fashion/modern-love-how-a-bird-feeder-revived-my-marriage.html?smid=tw-share

Lovely story, made me smile 

Me too..

Great update on E8 by CROW 

E8 UPDATE: E8 has been cleared for release by CROW's veterinary staff and will be returned to the wild in the near future. E8 has been successfully catching rats during live prey testing and continues to improve on the skills needed for catching live fish.

E8's stay at CROW was extended to ensure vital hunting skills were effectively developed. In Florida, approximately 80 percent of a bald eagles diet is fish, so this will continue to be the focus for the remainder of the eaglets rehabilitation at #CROWClinic.

We will be filming the release and will share all the details at a later date.  Thanks for your AMAZING support throughout E8's rehabilitation.

http://youtu.be/F60I3cboTok

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/fashion/modern-love-how-a-bird-feeder-revived-my-marriage.html?smid=tw-share

Awesome news!

Beauty left the nest for a moment, but was back immediately. I think this image is priceless:

 

             

!!! Sad News To Report
August 04, 2016 - Toronto - Don Mills
Marion Nash Reports:

A report came in to the OMNRF office to Mark Heaton that a Peregrine Falcon was found dead on Crossbow Cres. Toronto in the Victoria Park and Sheppard area August 1st. Unfortunately the bands reported was Y over 27 who we all know as Jet. He was found at the curb so he may have been hit by a car. He was to be picked up by animal services that day.

So far no other reports on any of the other fledglings since the new unbanded male showed up on site.

                      Fly free, Jet.