Arboreal Additions to the Phoenix Zoo

Last week we welcomed two new species to the Children’s Trail that are sure to be fan favorites!

First, a tamandua named Ernest Johnson (Ernie), joined us from Staten Island Zoo and he has moved in with Fernando as the two will share a habitat. Like his sloth roommate, Ernie is both semiarboreal and nocturnal and the two are getting along well. Tamanduas are closely related to anteaters, and like their relatives eat mostly ants and termites, but occasionally eat other insects as well. Tamanduas also boast a prehensile tail to make their lives easier while spending time in the trees moving from branch-to-branch.

Another prehensile-tailed animal made its appearance on the Children’s trail this week in the old tamarin exhibit. Olive and Gigi, two prehensile-tailed porcupines joined us as an SSP breeding recommendation and are beginning to get to know one another. Olive, the female came from the Houston Zoo, while Gigi, the male, made the trip from Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, SC. Prehensile tailed porcupines are native to Central and South America and are nocturnal herbivores that tend to stick to the upper canopy of forest trees.

You can come visit Ernie, Olive and Gigi now on the Children’s Trail at the Phoenix Zoo. We can’t wait for you to meet these exciting new tree-dwellers!