Apes Personal Zoo Habitat

APES Personal Zoo HabitatBy: Katilyn Simpson

HABITAT #1

Common Knowledge of the American Alligator

I was given the reptile exhibit for my first animal to observe and from this I picked…

Common Name: American Alligator

Scientific Name: Alligator mississippiensis

Treatment of the American Alligator

Maintenance of the American Alligator exhibit:1. The zoo staff must clean the pond in the

center of the tank, because the alligator spends most of his time laying in the pond therefore the water and floor of the pond must be clean.

2. When the alligator decides to remove himself from the water he climbs on to the rocks outside the pond, these must also be clean or the alligator could not get out of the pond.

3. Windows on both sides of the exhibit must be clean on the inside and the outside.

Treatment cont’d…

Medical treatment of the Alligator: There are trained veterinarians at the Houston

Zoo which check on the current health and well being of the alligator at least once a week if not every few days.

If any part of the white alligator’s hard exterior is hurt within the exhibit, the tail and body would need to be tended to.

Public viewing of the American Alligator

The glass on both sides of the alligator’s habitat must be cleaned properly so the guests can see into the exhibit. The outside needs to be wiped down almost hourly because young children can walk right up and press their hands on the glass. The glass which you can see through is thick enough, so there is no threat of the animal injuring any person that views the exhibit.

Public Viewing cont’d…

The handicap accessibility for the American alligator exhibit is very simple because the building the reptiles are in is one level throughout the whole building so a person in a wheelchair could wheel straight up to the exhibit.

The animal is in an enclosed building the threat from severe weather is decreased drastically, so rain or any type of precipitation has no bearing on the animal or guests wishing to view the animal.

HABITAT #2

Common Knowledge of the Blue-throated

MacawFrom the bird exhibit I picked:

Common Name: Blue-throated Macaw

Scientific Name: Ara Glaucogularis

Treatment of theBlue-throated Macaw

Maintenance of the Blue-throated Macaw exhibit: The birds fly freely throughout the exhibit and

at some points they hang on the sides of the cage. These chain-link cage sides need to be properly cleaned to allow the birds all the access they need.

Also within the cage there are stands on which the birds sit to rest instead of flying so these must also be cleaned.

Treatment cont’d…

Medical Treatment of the Blue-throated Macaw: The birds fly freely throughout the exhibit which

makes it harder for the veterinarians to check on the state of being for the birds, but they still check on them at least once a week.

The birds wings are the biggest concern of the zoo staff, because this is how the birds are able to move around the exhibit.

Public Viewing of the Blue-throated Macaw

When you walk in the zoo, the Blue-throated Macaw is one of the first exhibits that you see. You can almost walk right up to the cage in which the exhibit is in, but there is a row of bushes in the front of the exhibit preventing you from reaching in the habitat.

Also in front of the bird’s exhibit there are benches in which guests can sit on.

Public Viewing cont’d…

Handicap Accessibility: The exhibit is high enough where if you are on

ground level you can see up into the cage, so therefore you do not need any type of access ramp.

The benches are also spaced out far enough where you could fit through if you are in a wheelchair.

The Blue-throated Macaw exhibit is outside so the cage would not protect the birds from the elements, so they are moved to a secure location inside a enclosed building incase of severe weather.