Category: Animals

Zoo Babies

Animals

A beautiful fall day brought out the babies at the North Carolina Zoo yesterday near Asheboro, North Carolina. The zoo had the good fortune this summer to have two new Lowland Gorilla offspring. The older is named Bomassa, while the younger hasn’t received his name yet. Everyone seems to be doing well.

(Photographs copyright 2012 by Dan Routh0

A Fair Trade

Animals, Family, Farm

My wife Dedra was checking the henhouse for eggs this afternoon and found a visitor. He already had a couple of eggs in his belly, but we don’t really mind too much. She put him down in the barn to catch mice after he finishes his digestion. Seems like a fair trade, a couple of eggs now and then for some rodent control. He’s a black rat snake, a constrictor, non poisonous, and it looks like he just shed. There’s a bit of dry skin still attached near his eye.

(Photographs copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Cattle Egret

Animals, Bird

(Photograph copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

I’ve seen photos of cattle egrets in Africa and more tropical areas of the world, but they are now moving into North America where they feed on insects and such stirred up as cattle graze. Apparently this cow in Guilford County, North Carolina isn’t completely familiar with the species yet.