Egyptian Vultures & Co in Zurich

After a very interesting conversation with Bearded Vulture expert Daniel Hegglin I went to the Zoo of Zurich, Switzerland, today, visiting the Egyptian Vultures.

As usual they were both just lying in the grass and doing nothing...

Even the fresh and tasty piece of meat was ignored by the vultures.

Listless gnawing at the meat.

More spectacular was the attempt to escape of the Shoebill. When I arrived at the Shoebill's enclosure the visitors path was closed and a laughing crowd of people was standing there. Few minutes later I saw two zoo keepers carrying something big and grey into the building next to the enclosure. When I was following them I saw them standing INSIDE the Shoebill's enclosure... Haha, that's the best proof. I am sure catching a Shoebill isn't easy at all ;o)

Funny Shoebill laughed up his sleeve!

Official exit...

Outdoor and indoor enclosure.

Shame on you ;o)

Balancing act...

Just for once I like to show some more non-vulturous "Special guest" pics here... but these Burrowing Owls are just too cute:

The right guy was grooving nearly ten minutes - turning his head from the left to the right - everyone was fascinated. The left one didn't move a centimeter, that's why the right one was yawning every now and then.

And suddenly the right one turned his head around ;-) Very funny guy!!!

"Vulture Turtle", Shoebill & Co

Next to the Bearded Vulture, the two Egyptian Vultures and the two King Vultures some more funny guys are living in the Zoo of Frankfurt - I call them "Special Guests" in my blog.

First of all the impressive "Vulture Turtle" (if you translate the German name "Geierschildkröte" word by word). The real English name is "Alligator Snapping Turtle", but I prefer my self creation "Vulture Turtle". When I first read about this animal during vulture research I wanted to see this turtle one day! Surprisingly this wish became true when visiting the reptile house in Frankfurt.

Have to take a look at Wikipedia for some details: Vulture Turtles can have a size of 90 cm and a weight of 80 kg. Well, this guy in Frankfurt was smaller, but not less impressive. Isn't this curved beak in her face very vulturous!?

Vulture Turtles are living in surface waters, eating fish, snakes, frogs and other animals. They are waiting at the bottom of the water, hinding in the mud with their mouth' open. Their tongues are looking like a red worm that other fish like to eat. The fish swim inside the Vulture Turtle's mouth and the turtle just have to close it's mouth for lunch! Bon appetit!

Another amazing guy is the Shoebill, who was mentioned in my blog when visiting the Zoo of Zurich, Switzerland. Looooong long time ago a Shoebill was living in the Zoo of Duisburg, too, but I cannot remember. There are just some very old postcards left in the zoo-shop remembering the Shoebill. I heard there is a Shoebill living in Frankfurt, that's why I was very excited visiting this zoo.

Unfortunately the Shoebill died at the end of March :-( That's so sad! The Shoebill was one of the visitors favourite animal. Now the zoo tries to get another Shoebill, but that's not very easy as the Shoebill is a very endangered bird.

Hope there will be a Shoebill somewhere moving in this very nice and comfortable looking enclosure of Frankfurt Zoo.

Next to the Shoebill's enclosure there are two cute Dikkops living.