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Subterranean animals

Discussion in 'General Zoo Discussion' started by Zoovolunteer, 6 May 2017.

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  1. Zoovolunteer

    Zoovolunteer Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    For obvious reasons, displays of animals that spend most or all of their time below ground are not common in zoos, but they are an important part of the world's fauna. Aside from naked mole rats, what other burrowing animal displays have you seen and were they any good?
     
  2. aardvark250

    aardvark250 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    I would say the mole house at Tama is very good.With a large glass table fill with soil for the mole to dig, there is tunnel everywhere for the mole to run around.
     
  3. Ned

    Ned Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Dudley has Hart's glass lizard in a subterranean display but I had no luck seeing it.
     
  4. JVM

    JVM Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Away from mole rats, not much here, although there are habitats for burrowing owls and prairie dogs - both only offer above-ground viewing, but do have burrows.

    There is an aardvark burrow at LPZ.
     
  5. Jurek7

    Jurek7 Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Very good exhibit was at the old Emmen zoo. Naked mole rats were in a large network of transparent plastic tubes and chambers lighted by red light (which nocturnal mammals cannot see).

    For visitors and animals it was much better than some imitated cut-through earth bank, which never really works and restricts animals only to vertical. It given also the good idea that burrows of wild naked mole rats are extensive. Actually, in the wild, tunnels extend up to 3 km.