Celebrated on July 1st
Did you know: Baloo the bear, Shere Khan the tiger, and Leo the lion is a trio of animals that were rescued during a drug raid in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2001 when they were barely three months old. Today, they’re fully grown adults, with Baloo tipping the scales at 450 kilos (1,000 lbs) and Leo and Shere Khan each coming in at 159 kilos (350 lbs). The three animals all live in the same enclosure at the Noah’s Ark Animal Rescue Center in Locust Grove, Georgia, and are the best of friends. They not only eat and sleep together, but also hug, wrestle, frolic, and do all the things normally reserved for a box full of kittens.
Source: ListverseDid you know: An Aldabra giant tortoise named Adwaitya died in 2006 in the Kolkata zoo at the estimated age of 250, meaning that the tortoise was born when King George ruled the American colonies and died when George W. Bush was president.
Source: Chicago TribuneDid you know: Today's modern zoos house animals in enclosures that are similar to the animal's natural habitat. This can include buildings made for nocturnal animals where they are bright at night, so the animals can sleep, and dark during the day, so zoo visitors can see the animals moving about. Also, climates are controlled in some zoo enclosures for animals like penguins and polar bears. Many zoos have great open spaces as well where animals may graze together. Some zoos have an area where you can take a mini-safari or ride around in a truck or bus to hopefully see the animals up close.
Source: Ducksters