Pigs vary greatly across several hundred breeds, though most are short, fleshy, and sparsely covered in hair. All have hoofed paws at the end of short legs. Also known as hogs, these mammals are opportunistic omnivores, eating everything from grains to greens to table scraps. They use their snout to turn over soil in search…
Domestic chickens vary in appearance from breed to breed, though they share some common traits, including a squat stature, a rounded body, dense feathers, and wattles of flesh around the face. Adult males, called roosters, have distinct combs of red flesh on their head and striking plumage—notably, a flowing tail and shiny, pointed feathers. Wild…
Domestic cattle are large, heavy mammals that vary in size and appearance. Although there are many breeds of cattle, only Milking Shorthorn and Dutch Belted are represented at Lincoln Park Zoo. These heritage breeds are not as large as some other dairy cows. Milking Shorthorns, “established” in the 18th century in Northeastern England, are usually…
Yellow-spotted Amazon River turtles are some of the largest turtles in South America, with females reaching up to twice the size of males. They have a dark upper shell and yellow spots across their head. Both sexes eat a variety of food, ranging from fruit and plant material to fish and small invertebrates. Females lay…
White-faced sakis are small, sexually dimorphic monkeys that weigh about three to five pounds. Males have black fur surrounding their light brown-furred faces. Females are lighter, with bright strips of hair from their eyes to chin. Both sexes have flat, wide noses. While they are primarily frugivores, sakis also eat seeds and occasionally small mammals…
White-blotched river stingrays are black with white spots across the top of their body and tail. Their enlarged pectoral fins make them look like floating discs. At maturity, they average about 16 inches across, but individuals can reach up to 30 inches in length. Their mouth and gills are located on their underside, allowing them…
West African gaboon vipers have a triangular head and distrinct horn-like scales above their nostrils. The color of their ridged scales vary from brown to purple, and they have an intricate symmetrical design pattern along their body that resembles a line of yellow hourglasses. They primarily eat small mammals, rodents, ground-dwelling birds, frogs, and toads.
Spectacled caimans were named for the bony ridge above their eyes, which resembles a pair of glasses. Adults are dull green and can grow to more than six feet in length. They primarily eat fish, insects, frogs, birds, and even mammals. After breeding, females lay eggs in nests built with mud and leaves.
