Anyone remotely following what’s going on at the Houston Zoo knows by now that dinosaurs will be visiting the zoo this summer. You can’t miss the advertising. There are billboards all over town, it’s posted on the website, and even the zoo wide PA system give out a mighty roar to let everyone know the dino’s will be here soon!
Well, it seems all that great advertising didn’t get through to our golden lion tamarins (GLT’s) living at Natural Encounters. Apparently we forgot to warn them about all the dinosaur excitement. But they found out in a big…or was that small…..way when we put them in the outdoor rainforest a few days ago.
The GLT’s have been living in the indoor rainforest for a couple of months now because of work being done in the area and also because we introduced a blue duiker named Gouda to the outdoor rainforest area. If you haven’t seen him yet, blue duikers are hoofed animals from Africa.
Hoofed animal, you think to yourself. That could mean anything from the fairly small Thompson’s gazelle to something like the might eland. Well, blue duikers are on the smaller end of the hoofed stock size scale. Fairly diminutive really. Tiny even. Gouda stands a towering 13 inches at the shoulder and weighs in at all of 7 pounds.
Here at Natural Encounters, whenever we introduce a new animal to a mixed species exhibit we usually take it slowly, adding one species at a time for the new kid to meet and get used to. We thought the GLT’s would be a pretty simple introduction with Gouda because these monkeys are generally fairly laid back and not aggressive to the other animals.
When the GLT’s first spotted Gouda they were a bit unsure but curious. They can be territorial so they are always wary of new animals in their home. But Gouda did not seem at all bothered by these bright orange monkeys watching him so he decided to get up and go for a stroll. As luck would have it, with unplanned, yet impeccable timing, the dinosaur roar on the PA system went off just as the monkeys were warily watching Gouda getting up. The huge roar combined with this new thing actually moving was more than they could take. The GLT’s are now quite sure that this tiny animal has a mighty roar and clearly should not be in their area. They spent the rest of the day vocalizing angrily at an indifferent Gouda.
It was an amusing moment for the staff, if not for the GLT’s. Only time will tell if we can convince the monkeys that Gouda is not a roaring, fearsome creature, but hopefully his sweet ways and gentle eyes will win them over in the end.
Congratulations go to Sarah Hay!!
