Tag Archives: African animals

Baby Gorilla needs a name!

The Toronto Zoo has a new addition to their family! A Baby male gorilla!

The baby Gorilla needs a new name! You can help!

The baby Gorilla needs a new name! You can help!

You have the unique chance to give him a name and win great prizes!
Visit the African Rainforest Pavilion to get a glimpse of the little guy and get inspired to name him. OR go HERE to enter your ballot!

Good luck!

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Filed under African animals, Animals, baby animals, Gorilla, Kids, Wildlife, Zoo animals

Walk tall like the GiRafFe!

Visit the giraffe at The Toronto Zoo

Visit the giraffe at The Toronto Zoo

The giraffe (Giraffa) is the tallest land-living animal! Males can reach up to 5.4 meters tall and weigh almost 4300 pounds! Giraffes live in the open savanna of Africa, along Kenya and Tanzania.

Did you know?

  • A giraffe’s neck is 1.5 meters long
  • A giraffe’s heart weighs up to 25 pounds and pumps about 60 liters of blood every minute!
  • A giraffe’s tongue is black and can extend up to almost 18 inches and is used to pluck leaves from trees

The giraffe is at risk in the wild because its habitat is vanishing. Poaching is a serious threat, as jewelry and fly swatters are made from the tail hairs. Whips, sandals, shield and drums are made from the hide and strings for musical instruments, bowstrings and thread are made from the tendons and leg muscles.

Visit the Giraffe at The Toronto Zoo

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Filed under African animals, Animals, Giraffe, Kids, Wildlife, Zoo animals

Ecstatic about Elephants!

The mighty AfRiCaN ElEpHaNt (Loxodonta).

Visit the African Elephant at the Toronto Zoo

Visit the African Elephant at the Toronto Zoo

One way to tell if an elephant is an African one is by its ears! The African elephant’s ears are shaped in a triangular shape, like the continent Africa. The African elephant roams all types of African habitat, from savanna and bush to forest, river valley and semi-desert areas.

The trunk, which is an elongation of the nose and nostrils, is long, muscular and ends in two finger-like projections, which are used to pick up and examine objects. The trunk is very sensitive and has little hairs on it that are like nerve endings.

Elephants like to eat plants such as grass, foliage and branches or trees as well as fruit.

The African elephant is endangered because they’re hunted for their ivory tusks, which are considered to be very valuable in some parts of the world. Find out what you can do to help endangered species by visiting the World Wildlife Fund website.

Did you know?

  • The elephant is the largest living land animal – adult males can weigh up to 5 tons!
  • Elephants take mud or dust baths to protect them from sunburn
  • An elephant’s trunk is actually an extension of its nose and nostrils. It’s also used to pick up objects.

Visit the African elephant at the Toronto Zoo .

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Filed under African animals, Animals, elephants, Endangered animals, Kids, Wildlife, Zoo animals