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.
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