Animal Stories
Introduce yours students to chinchillas by watching the Zoo’s Chinchilla Nimbus in action.
Nimbus (also known as The Big Floof) is a sweet 2 1/2 year old Chinchilla. Although wild chinchillas are found in Chile and are endangered, Nimbus is originally from Wisconsin. Nimbus is a smart girl and has been trained to come to a target for her favorite treat of peanuts. She also LOVES a good chin-chilla scratch!
Click here to watch Nimbus enjoying a good scratch and some enrichment!
Your turn…continue the story!
- Act like you’re Nimbus enjoying a relaxing day. What would you do where would you finish playing with your ball? How would you move?
- Draw a picture or write a story of Nimbus’ next adventure
- What type of music do you think Nimbus would like? Write a song for him!
- What do you think Nimbus is thinking about in this video?
Share your story by emailing us pictures of video to the [email protected].
The Brown Bears of Russia’s Grizzly Coast
Brown bears, often called grizzlies in North America, are among the most iconic animals of the temperate forest. They are some of the biggest bears in the world, growing up to 1,300 pounds and 10 feet long. The Minnesota Zoo’s Russia’s Grizzly Coast is home to three bears: Sadie, Haines and Kenai. All three were orphaned as cubs in Alaska and were brought to the Minnesota Zoo to be cared for. Check out this video of Kenai relaxing on a summer day in his own personal pool!
Your turn…continue the story!
– Act like you’re a brown bear! How would you move your body?
– Draw a picture or write a story about one of our brown bears (Kenai, Haines or Sadie). What will their next adventure be?
-What type of music do you think Kenai likes? Write a song for him!
– What do you think Kenai is thinking about in the video?
Magnificent Moose Calves
In 2014, several moose calves were abandoned by their mothers in northern Minnesota and brought to the Minnesota Zoo to be raised. These iconic animals were bottle-fed by Minnesota Zoo’s staff until they were able to thrive on their own. In this video, flashback to the time when our moose calves first came to the Zoo. The next time you visit the Zoo, check out the moose to see how they have changed over the years.
Your turn…continue the story!
– Act like you’re a moose! How would you move with those long legs?
– Draw a picture or write a story about a moose on its next adventure.
– What type of music do you think our moose would like? Write a song for them!
– What do you think the moose are thinking in the video?
Adventurous Canada Lynx
Although on the southern portion of this magnificent animal’s range, Minnesota once had the largest number of Canada lynx in the Great Lakes region. Meet our lynx family in the Medtronic Minnesota Trail. Flashback to when our lynx kitten was born in May 2019. This lynx kitten was both cautious and playful as he explored his new environment.
Your turn…continue the story!
- Act like you’re a lynx! How would you move your body?
- Draw a picture or write a story about one of our lynx. What will their next adventure be?
- What type of music do you think the lynx kitten likes? Write a song for him!
- What do you think the lynx in the video are thinking?
Baby Tapir Tuah
Malayan tapirs are some of the most interesting looking and intriguing animals in the rainforest! Resembling an adorable watermelon with legs, tapir calf Tuah was born to his mother Bertie on August 8, 2020. Check out this rainforest rock star in the video clip below. The birth of this tapir calf is also an important conservation story. Learn more about how our dedicated staff care for these endangered animals behind-the-scenes.
Your turn…continue the story!
- Act like you’re Tuah! How would you move your body?
- Draw a picture or write a story about Tuah or his mom Bertie. What will their next adventure be?
- What type of music do you think Tuah likes? Write a song for him!
- What do you think Tuah is thinking?
Amazing Sea Otter Adaptations
In the wild, sea otters make their home in the frigid waters in the artic and sub-artic regions off the coast of Canada, Alaska, and Russia. Minnesota Zoo is home to three sea otters: Rocky, Jasper, and Capers. These playful, charismatic creatures captivate all our visitors in Russia’s Grizzly Coast. Orphaned off the coast of Alaska, all three were cared for by the Alaska SeaLife Center before coming to live at the Minnesota Zoo. In this clip, learn more about how these amazing animals are adapted to survive in the cold waters of the north.
Your turn…continue the story!
- Act like you’re sea otter! How would you move your body?
- Draw a picture or write a story about one of our sea otters (Rocky, Capers, or Jasper). What will their next adventure be?
- What type of music do you think Rocky likes? Write a song for him!
- What do you think the sea otters in the video are thinking?
Climbing Ball Python
Many snakes of the rain forest are well adapted to an arboreal or tree-dwelling lifestyle. They have long thin bodies with special scales on their bellies that help them to grip branches. Meet Monty, the ball python, an ambassador animal from the rainforest who enjoys splitting his time between the tree sand forest floor. At the Zoo, one of Monty’s favorite enrichment activities is climbing on his rock wall which helps him to stretch out and use the muscles which he would use to climb trees or slither across the ground to find prey in the rainforest.
Your turn…continue the story!
- Act like you’re Monty! How would you move your body?
- Draw a picture or write a story about one of the animals living on the Tropics Trail at the Minnesota Zoo. What will their next adventure be?
- What type of music do you think ball pythons like? Write a song for them!
- What do you think Monty is thinking?
Sweet Snacks for Asian Wild Horse Foals
In late May 2020, three baby Asian wild horses made their entrance on the Northern Trail. These three boys are adventurous, rambunctious, and love their special treats of alfalfa cubes. These horses are also part of a very important conservation story. Asian wild horses almost went extinct in the wild, but special breeding and reintroduction programs helped to restore their populations. Right now there are actually several herds of Asian wild horses at the Minnesota Zoo waiting for travel restrictions to be lifted so they can be released in a special reserve in Russia.
Your turn…continue the story!
- Act like you’re an Asian wild horse foal. How would you move your body?
- Draw a picture or write a story about one of our foals on their next adventure.
- What type of music do you think our foals like? Write a song for them!
- What do you think the horses are thinking?
Share your story by emailing us pictures of video to the [email protected].
Feeding Time at the Tropical Shark Reef
Squid, mackerel, and more! Oh my! Shark feeding time is one of the highlights of our guest’s visits to the Zoo. In this clip, you will see 24-30 species of fish being fed as well as Green moray eel, Southern stingrays, and three species of shark. Our six female Southern stingrays are amazing to watch, with wingspans of up to five feet. There are also seven Sand tiger sharks, three males, and four females being individually fed by using six-foot-long tongs to hand-deliver fish to individual sharks. Aquarists can easily tell our Sand tiger sharks apart because of their differences in markings. Two of the males have been with the zoo since Discovery Bay opened in 1997. But the biggest is the females! Grace and Mystic are each seven feet long and weigh 250 lbs each!
Your turn…continue the story!
- Act like you’re Grace, the largest of the Sand Tiger sharks. How would you move your body?
- Draw a picture or write a story about one of the animals living in the Tropical Shark Reef on their next adventure.
- What type of music do you think Southern stingrays like? Write a song for them!
- What do you think the Green moray eel is thinking? What about the Whitetip shark?
Share your story by emailing us pictures of video to the [email protected].
Orion, the Argentine black and white tegu, pays a visit to the DeBrazza's monkey family
Your turn…continue the story!
- Act like you’re Orion. How would you move your body?
- Draw a picture or write a story about Orion on his next adventure. Where will he go? What will he do?
- What type of music do you think Orion? Write a song for him!
- What do you think Orion is thinking when he sees the monkey? What do you think the DeBrazza monkey is thinking?
Share your story by emailing us pictures of video to the [email protected].
Tour of the Minnesota Trail with Oakley the North American Opossum
Our two-year-old opossum Oakley came to us in March 2019 from the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota. Oakley was raised as a pet until her owners realized they could no longer care for her. Because she loves people and is not afraid of them, returning her to the wild would be dangerous to her. The Minnesota Zoo is fortunate to have her serve as an ambassador for her species to help teach people what makes these Minnesota native species so amazing!
Your turn…continue the story!
- Act like you’re Oakley, where would you go next? How would you move?
- Draw a picture or write a story of Oakley’s next adventure
- What type of music do you think Oakley would like? Write a song for her!
- What do you think the lynx is thinking in the video? What is Oakley thinking?
Share your story by emailing us pictures of video to the [email protected].
Training sessions in action with Jabari the Von der Decken’s Hornbill
Jabari, and his sister Kali, were born at the Bronx Zoo in May 2018. They are celebrities, having been featured on the television show “The Zoo” on Animal Planet in July before coming to Minnesota.
These two have very different personalities. While Kali is shy and seems indifferent about people if they are not accompanied by food, Jabari has no personal space, and human interaction is one of his favorite forms of enrichment! They both love flying to the scale to get weighed each morning and Superworms (think oversized mealworms) are their favorite treat.
Your turn…continue the story!
- Act like you’re Jabari! What kinds of things would motivate you to learn?
- Draw a picture or write a story of Jabari’s next adventure.
- What type of music do you think Jabari would like? Write a song for him!
- How do you feel when you learn new things? Do you think that is how Jabari felt?
Share your story by emailing us pictures of video to the [email protected].
Getting some exercise with Opal the Holland Lop Rabbit
Opal celebrated her 2nd birthday on March 12, 2020. She was born in Lake City, Minnesota but has called the Minnesota Zoo home since she was two months old. She may be a small rabbit, but she has a big personality! Her favorite activities include pushing her big red ball around her home and jumping in piles of shredded paper.
Your turn…continue the story!
- Act like you’re Opal! What kinds of new places do you like to explore?
- Draw a picture or write a story of Opal’s next adventure.
- What type of music do you think Opal would like? Write a song for her!
- How do you feel when you explore new places? Do you think that is how Opal felt?
Share your story by emailing us pictures of video to the [email protected].
Snow Monkey Enrichment at Minnesota Zoo
Click here to watch the monkeys!
Your turn…continue the story!
- Act like you’re a snow monkey receiving enrichment, where would you go next? How would you move?
- Draw a picture or write a story of these snow monkey’s next adventure
- What type of music do you think these snow monkeys would like? Write a song for them!
- What do you think the snow monkeys are thinking in this video?
Share your story by emailing us pictures of video to the [email protected].
Nugget the Golden conure enjoying a tasty treat
Click here to watch Nugget enjoy a delicious treat!
Your turn…continue the story!
- Act like you’re a golden conure eating a snack? How would you move?
- Draw a picture or write a story of what Nugget’s next adventure
- What type of music do you think Nugget would like? Write a song for him!
- What do you think Nugget is thinking in this video?
Share your story by emailing us pictures of video to the [email protected].
Celebrate our Hawaiian monk seals’ birthdays
Click here to celebrate Paki and Ola’s birthday!
Your turn…continue the story!
- Chose to act like Paki or Ola. How do they move? Do they move differently?
- Draw a picture or write a story of the monk seal’s next adventure
- What type of music do you think Paki and Ola would like? Write a song for them
- What do you think Ola and Paki are thinking in this video?
Share your story by emailing us pictures of video to the [email protected].
Cannon enjoying a pumpkin
Click here to watch Cannon enjoying a pumpkin
Your turn…continue the story!
- Act like you’re Cannon enjoying the pumpkin, where would you go after you have finished eating? How would you move?
- Draw a picture or write a story of Cannon’s next adventure
- What type of music do you think Cannon would like? Write a song for him!
- What do you think Cannon is thinking about in this video?
Share your story by emailing us pictures of video to the [email protected].