New Zoo trip, part 3: African Wild Dogs
Sep. 16th, 2009 04:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dragoness_eNew Zoo trip, part 1
New Zoo trip, part 2
First, have some fungus:
That log was laying on the ground outside the wild dog pen. I thought it looked interesting.
While we were looking for the elusive wild dogs, a zoo worker came out and started getting the dogs attention by fluffing a palmetto branch and calling them. Their powerful jaws will tear apart an ordinary chew-toy in no time flat, so the zoo staff found other things for them to play with. Palmetto fronds are non-toxic and apparently very entertaining for the dogs to play with.
Is someone calling me?
Yes, yes they are!
African Wild Dog
Notice how the mottled pattern blends into the dappled sunlight and shadow. It's pattern-disruptive camouflage.
Hey! You've got a toy for me!
The zoo guy with the palmetto branch is off-screen to the left.
Dibs on the tree!
Both Wild Dogs work together to subdue the ferocious palmetto branch!
Until one of them starts carting it off...
Nom-nom-nom!
I'll check out this tree...
The dominant dog of the pair monopolized the branch; meanwhile the other one wandered off to check out the possibly threatening tree in the background.
Subduing the wild tree
That black blur in the middle of the tree is the junior dog fighting the tree branches.
African Wild Dog close-up
The other dog
New Zoo trip, part 2
First, have some fungus:
That log was laying on the ground outside the wild dog pen. I thought it looked interesting.
While we were looking for the elusive wild dogs, a zoo worker came out and started getting the dogs attention by fluffing a palmetto branch and calling them. Their powerful jaws will tear apart an ordinary chew-toy in no time flat, so the zoo staff found other things for them to play with. Palmetto fronds are non-toxic and apparently very entertaining for the dogs to play with.
Is someone calling me?
Yes, yes they are!
African Wild Dog
Notice how the mottled pattern blends into the dappled sunlight and shadow. It's pattern-disruptive camouflage.
Hey! You've got a toy for me!
The zoo guy with the palmetto branch is off-screen to the left.
Dibs on the tree!
Both Wild Dogs work together to subdue the ferocious palmetto branch!
Until one of them starts carting it off...
Nom-nom-nom!
I'll check out this tree...
The dominant dog of the pair monopolized the branch; meanwhile the other one wandered off to check out the possibly threatening tree in the background.
Subduing the wild tree
That black blur in the middle of the tree is the junior dog fighting the tree branches.
African Wild Dog close-up
The other dog
