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Did you know that one-fifth of all mammal species known to man are bats? Or that kangaroos walk awkwardly because they can't move their legs independently of each other? The docent at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium revealed to us some of the most fascinating facts about animals, and they blew our minds.

A zoo docent is a volunteer educator who ensures that the guests have the best possible experience. "We are there to answer questions about the animals, talk to the guests about the zoo's many conservation projects, and assist them any way we can - sometimes just by helping them find the restroom!" the zoo docent told Bored Panda. According to her, such a career is quite a commitment. Can you imagine learning the names and ages of all the animals living inside the facility? However, she said she loves her job, "It's one of my favorite things in life. It's rewarding to share information with guests and help them have a great experience at our zoo, which we're very proud of, as it's considered one of the best zoos in the country!"

Docents aren't required to have a background in biology or zoology. "Our training is thorough and I am always continuing to learn new things. We have weekly meetings for continuing education, and listening to the keeper's talk (as well as more experienced docents) is always educational for me."

More info: columbuszoo.org | Facebook

#1

The Truth About Santa's Reindeers

The Truth About Santa's Reindeers

"Reindeer are the only deer species where both males and females grow antlers. The males shed theirs the beginning of December, the females shed theirs in the spring. So all of Santa’s reindeer are girls, heh. I love telling little kids that."

Zoo docent Report

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marieluise75 avatar
Mimis Nachbarin
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's nice - as there's usually a lack of female charakters in the Santa Story it will cheer up a lot of little girls at Christmas! It did even cheer me up...

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#2

Self-Aware Elephants

Self-Aware Elephants

"Elephants are one of only a handful of animals that can pass the mirror test - in other words, they can recognize their own reflection (and not think it’s another animal, as dogs and cats usually do). They tested this by placing a chalk mark on an elephant’s forehead and then showing it a mirror. The elephant investigated the mark on its own forehead, indicating it knew that it was looking at itself. The only animals that pass this test are the higher primates, the higher cetaceans (orcas, dolphines), elephants, and weirdly, magpies."

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berber-siersema avatar
Purple light
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not weirdly: some birds species, like the ones from the crow family, are incredible smart creatures.

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#3

Development Of Joeys

Development Of Joeys

"A kangaroo mother can have three joeys simultaneously at different stages of development: an embryo in her womb (kangaroos can do what’s called embryonic diapause which means sort of putting the development on pause until she’s ready for it to develop further), a joey in her pouch attached to one nipple, and a joey out of the pouch on the ground who nurses from the other one. The amazing thing? Each of her nipples make different formulations of milk for each joey’s different nutritional needs."

Zoo docent Report

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acshepherd1218 avatar
Amanda Raynes
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you tandem breast feed different aged children from one mother and assign each child their own breast each breast will make different consistencies of milk fortified with immune voosters tailored to each child.

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#4

Flamingo's Joints

Flamingo's Joints

"People often think that flamingoes’ knees bend the wrong way. They don’t - the joint you’re seeing in the middle of their leg isn’t their knee, it’s their ankle. Their knee is up by their body, and it bends the same way ours does."

Zoo docent Report

#5

Purring And Roaring Cats

 Purring And Roaring Cats

"There are several ways to classify the large cats, one of the more useful ones is into the roaring cats (tigers, lions) and the purring cats (bobcats, lynxes). The puma (also known as the mountain lion) is the largest cat that purrs. I’ve heard it up close, it’s amazing. A cheetah’s purr sounds like an idling motorcycle engine."

Zoo docent Report

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prado-eli avatar
vinniegret avatar
Vinniegret
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Go to the big cat rescue site and they will show you the big cats who purr. Make a donation, too! Those kittehs eat a LOT.

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onemessylady avatar
Aunt Messy
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The most terrifying sound I've ever heard was when my husband and I were hiking around Jasper. We were on a trail and heard purring. About fifteen feet above us there was a large male mountain lion lying on a ledge in the sun, purring to himself. /// You have to realize that these are CATS. They aren't like wolves or coyotes that leave humans alone out of fear. To a mountain lion, you are protein and nothing else. They WILL attack humans.

catmarshall57 avatar
BusLady
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I got too close for comfort to a mountain lion a few years back. I'll never forget that sound.

jnk45959 avatar
BitterSweetWisdom
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But don't lions groan, more than roar? I've never heard a lion roar. Fun fact: The roars from Lion King are actually tiger roars.

blue-stars avatar
blue-stars
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

However, a puma will try to roar, resulting in a sound that’s eerily similar to the blood-curdling scream of a murder victim.

dons avatar
Calypso poet
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Make sure you catch the cheetah runs at the Columbus and Cincinnati Zoos! Very cool!

mastermarkus avatar
Master Markus
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've generally heard them categorized by "roaring" and "not roaring", but purring works as well - the ones who can roar are of the genus Panthera and those who can't are Felinae (Felines). I'd recommend this video by Aron Ra concerning Felidae taxonomy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNrt90MJL08 (However note that it's part of a series that is partially motivated to disprove creationism, which is why he mentions that at some points.)

alusairalustriel avatar
Alusair Alustriel
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'd love to hear it, but I know I never will. I havemy cat purring, can't imagine how awesome a huge cat sounds if my little beasts sounds like a motor engine :D

mastermarkus avatar
Master Markus
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I found a few videos, here's one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drq_ww7Ytzw

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jeanmharris avatar
Jean
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The cats have more than just purrs. If you classify the lions and tigers with roars, which is their loudest vocalization, then you must go with the others screams etc.

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#6

Polar Bears' Fur Color

Polar Bears' Fur Color

"Polar bear fur is not white, it’s transparent, like fiber optics. Also, their skin is black."

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andrew_joseph_barrett avatar
birdhouse
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If their skin is black and the fur transparent, shouldn't they look black??

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#7

Bat's Population

Bat's Population

"One-fifth of all the known mammal species are bats."

Zoo docent Report

#8

Our Closest Genetic Relative

Our Closest Genetic Relative

"Bonobos, our closest genetic relative (they are more closely related to us than they are to either chimps or gorillas) are almost entirely non-aggressive, matriarchal, and use sex to solve all their problems. They engage in both same and opposite sex interactions, non-penetrative sex (oral, rubbing, manual) and with any age. That’s an interesting area to work in, lemme tell you."

Zoo docent Report

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borklaser
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have Bonobos at our local zoo. It used to be an all male population, but I believe it's integrated now. I've seen lots of parents rush their children away from their habitat when some especially vigorous male bonding was taking place.

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#9

Langur Monkey's Baby Color

Langur Monkey's Baby Color

"Langur monkeys are silvery-gray in color - their babies are bright orange. Like Cheeto orange, I do not exaggerate."

Zoo docent , Ethan Fischer Report

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JillVille
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This baby is so cute! I guess they're coloured so they don't get lost? Like putting a bright orange shirt on your kid at the fair I suppose!

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#10

Awkwardly Walking Kangaroos

Awkwardly Walking Kangaroos

"Kangaroos cannot move their legs independently of each other, they have to move them in sync - when they’re on land. When they’re swimming, they can move them separately. Hopping is their most efficient way to move - a walking kangaroo is awkward as hell. They swing both legs forward using their tail as a third leg to prop up while their legs swing."

Zoo docent Report

#11

Gorilla's Soap Opera

Gorilla's Soap Opera

"Gorillas get crushes on each other. And on the humans that take care of them. Male gorillas also masturbate. I don’t know if the females do, I’ve never seen it. Sometimes it’s like a soap opera up in there."

Zoo docent Report

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Shannøn Renee
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was at a zoo in Vienna and saw a male gorilla getting a blow job. The female was laying there like “ugh...” while the male was leaning back like “oh yeah.” I had to walk away.

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#12

Very Noisy Tortoises

Very Noisy Tortoises

"Tortoises have super loud sex. Like, really loud."

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AnnaB
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They used tortoise mating sounds for some of the dinosaur roars in Jurassic Park.

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#13

Unexpected Bald Eagle's Vocalization

Unexpected Bald Eagle's Vocalization

"Bald eagles’ vocalizations are not what you expect. When you see a flying bald eagle in the movies and hear that majestic caw sound? That isn’t an eagle, it’s been dubbed over with another bird, usually a red-tailed hawk. Bald eagles actually sound…not majestic. Kind of like if a kitten could be a bird."

Zoo docent Report

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Aunt Messy
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They're also not that majestic in other areas of life. In fact, they're a somewhat scruffy bird and I've seen them at a trout pond yelling at each other like a bunch of half-deaf grannies, squabbling over fish. Yes. They DO catch fish.

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#14

Giraffe's Sleep Requirements

 Giraffe's Sleep Requirements

"Giraffes only sleep 1-2 hours a day."

Zoo docent Report

#15

Grizzlies Vs. Brown Bears

Grizzlies Vs. Brown Bears

"All grizzlies are brown bears, but not all brown bears are grizzlies (grizzlies are a sub-categorization of the brown bear)."

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stellermatt
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5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

all polar bears originated from Irish Brown Bears who migrated thousands of years ago

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#16

Rhino's Horns

Rhino's Horns

" If a rhinoceros knocks off its horn, it grows back faster than you’d expect. One of ours, Rosie, has knocked hers off twice."

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JillVille
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But I bet it's different being knocked off than cut off by poachers? If they didn't kill the rhino, would it be able to grow it's horn back? If they knew that, they'd keep them alive you'd think... ugh. Poachers, now I just made myself mad. Sorry everyone.

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