Daniel

Animal Keeper | GMU '22 | Published author in multiple blogs & The Washington Post. Instagram: Daniel_Zookeeper (they/them)

[Daniel @Daniel_SeaWorld]

So proud to say that my letter to the editor of the Washington Post was published today!!!!!
https://t.co/PvgAHgZRxs

[Daniel @Daniel_SeaWorld]

@themeparkwire Thank you!

[Daniel @ThemePark_Dan]

BREAKING: The new iteration of Shamu: Light Up the Night will also feature Shamu Rocks‼️

[sea of... uh... idk @seaofsurprises_]

LIGHT UP THE NIGHT IS BACKKKK

[National Zoo @NationalZoo]

🏆🦆 We’re excited to share that our beautiful Bird House received *top honors* at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ exhibit awards ceremony! Opened in March 2023, it is the first exhibit of its kind within AZA dedicated to the awe-inspiring journeys of migratory songbirds, waterfowl and shorebirds native to North, Central and South America.

🌊🌿 As visitors “migrate” through the shores of the Delaware Bay, a lush prairie pothole and a tropical Bird Friendly coffee farm, free-flighted birds stride, paddle, tweet and fly all around. These multi-sensory, immersive aviaries mimic natural ecosystems—places that are of critical importance to the annual life cycles of migratory birds and that boost human well-being. 😌

🐣🌎 Telling our birds’ stories, studying their behaviors and cracking the code on breeding is more important than ever. Recent studies show sharp declines in North American bird populations. By focusing on these species and sharing simple, everyday actions that can help birds survive and thrive, the Bird House delivers a powerful message: conservation begins at home.

💕🦩 Flock this way and see our award-winning Bird House for yourself! 🎟️🔗 VISIT: https://t.co/MmF0CtAdKK.

Photos by Skip Brown/Smithsonian

[National Zoo @NationalZoo]

🦆🐣 Egg-citing news: in May and June, Bird House keepers welcomed three northern shoveler ducklings—the first of their species to hatch at the Zoo since 1908! The ducklings are the offspring of 4-year-old parents Albus and Minerva, who are on exhibit in the Prairie Pothole aviary, as well as a pair of 3-year-old unnamed shovelers who reside in an off-exhibit area. In this video, two shoveler ducklings are seen paddling with a pair of gadwalls (🔊 sound ON for adorable peeps)!
. . .
💚🌅 During breeding season, male shovelers’ plumage becomes more flashy: their heads turn vibrant green, their chests brilliant white and their underbellies chestnut brown. Both males and females sport a bright green wing patch that can be seen during flight. As the daylight and temperatures increase, these birds are triggered to breed.
. . .
🦆💕🦆 Male shovelers court females by making a wheezy “took took” call, then swim or fly a short distance away. An interested female responds with an equally nasally quack and flies away with her chosen mate. Northern shovelers form pair bonds and stay with the same partner until the fall, when they leave their breeding grounds.
. . .
🌾🪺🌾To set the mood for breeding, keepers gave Albus, Minerva and the unnamed pair extra grasses, which provided a private place to hide and were used as nesting materials. Shoveler moms typically incubate their eggs for about 24 days.
. . .
🥚🤫 When Minerva and the unnamed female laid her eggs, keepers swapped the real ones for decoys and placed them in an off-exhibit incubator for safe keeping. While the moms sat on the decoys, the males stayed by their mates’ sides, protecting them from other ducks.
. . .
🦆🐌🌱 Even at a young age, northern shovelers sport their namesake “shovel-shaped” bill. At hatching, the bill is fairly small, but elongates as the ducklings reach adulthood. Lined with tiny, comb-like bristles (called lamellae), a shoveler’s bill helps filter out sand and silt so the ducks can feast on nutritious aquatic plants and invertebrates—including insects, snails, crustaceans.
. . .
💧👋 At the Bird House, keepers feed the ducklings nutrient-rich pellets and mealworms and gave them a shallow pool where they could wade and practice swimming. In the fall, these juveniles will go off on their next big adventure—moving to other zoos around the country to serve as ambassadors for their species! Meantime, come visit Albus, Minerva and many more amazing avian ambassadors at the Bird House!

[Kalina Storm @Kalina_Storm1]

I am crying! New Orca Encounter in San Diego! It's so nostalgic. I hope they do this in Orlando!

[Isaac @whalesandisaac]

40 years of caring, inspiring and loving. I cannot imagine the things this woman has seen and been apart of. She has stuck by the team of orca trainers as a leader, a mentor and a friend. She swam with killer whales, something that will never happen again. What a legacy.

[Louisville Zoo @LouisvilleZoo]

Beary big news!❄️🐻‍❄️

Male polar bear, Borealis (nicknamed "Bo,") arrived at the Louisville Zoo last year as a recommended breeding partner for our rescued female bear, Qannik.

We are excited to announce you may see the pair “chilling” together in the same habitat on your next Zoo visit! The bears are in the early stages of courtship so they may not always be together while getting to know each other. Stay tuned for updates on their progress!

Learn more at https://t.co/xXG2yM2SeP.

📸Kyle Shepherd and Callie Wells

[National Zoo @NationalZoo]

We have been awarded a five-year accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums! AZA accreditation certifies the Zoo has met or exceeded AZA’s rigorous standards for animal care, veterinary programs, conservation, education and safety. MORE: https://t.co/SC3yciio0T.

[National Zoo @NationalZoo]

🦆🥚 Take a summertime stroll through the Bird House, and you might be lucky enough to hear the sound of soft quacks and sweet tweets echo through the aviaries. Our animal care team recently welcomed 27 chicks among seven duck + songbird species. ✏️STORY: https://t.co/kvzuLAxOCt.

[Louisville Zoo @LouisvilleZoo]

Welcome Abeo! The Louisville Zoo is caring for a male infant gorilla from the Woodland Park Zoo. Your Zoo was chosen as the new home for Abeo due to our team's experience and gorilla Kweli's successful fostering of Kindi after her mother passed in 2016. https://t.co/4cCV4Y4VYH

[reagan @reagantogami]

when someone asks me what i’m listening to but it’s a song from a show for orcas at seaworld that hasn’t ran in 13 years

[Daniel @ThemePark_Dan]

One of the many songs in the 60th loop is Something Far Greater from Believe

[OrlandoTourismReport @OrlandoPodcast]

Shamu and friends is back #seaworld #seaworld60th

[Ethan 💫 @ThatDisneyBoi]

It’s giving the making of Believe

[Ethan 💫 @ThatDisneyBoi]

The new exterior of the stadium is really nice.

[Ethan 💫 @ThatDisneyBoi]

One Ocean era lives on

[Ethan 💫 @ThatDisneyBoi]

IT’S A FOUNTAIN AGAIN!!!

[Daniel @ThemePark_Dan]

The new Orca Encounter sign and statues look really good even at night