SPOTZ

Lions live in family groups called prides which usually consist of a group of related females and a smaller group of males.

Warthogs are the only pigs that are able to live in areas without water for several months every year.

Also known as Painted Dogs or Cape Hunting Dogs.  Our four brothers, Mac, Zighe, Jala and Kio have made a home here since 2005.

Alidabber, our largest male, weighs over 650 lbs and is believed to be the largest in captivity.

Also known as Spectacled bears, they are unique in the fact that they have 13 pairs of ribs...one pair less than other bear species.

The Andean condor is the largest bird of prey ever recorded weighing between 20 to 25 pounds.

The Phoenix Zoo is credited with saving the Arabian oryx from extinction.  After starting the first captive-breeding program in 1962, we have had hundreds of successful births.

Our three females, Indu, Reba and Sheena, can easily be distinguised by coloring and size.

Bald eagles are not really bald.  Their heads are covered with white feathers and the term 'Bald' comes from an Old English word, balde, which means white.

Although not on exhibit, the Zoo houses anywhere from 15 to 29 ferrets and has one of the most successful captive-breeding programs.

Missy passed away in 2008, however many people still sponsor this amazing animal.

Black-tailed prairie dogs live in huge 'towns,' which may contain as many as several thousand individuals.  The towns are then divided into territorial neighborhoods, or 'wards,' which in turn are composed of several 'coteries,' or family groups.

The largest of the the pigeons species, the Blue-Crowned pigeon makes a 'boom' sound rather than a 'coo' heard in other pigeon species.

Only 20 lbs, the Bobcat can leap 10 feet and kill it's prey with a single, powerful bite.

Orangutan's arms can reach over 7 feet from fingertip to fingertip.

Arizona's state bird, the Cactus wren, can survive on the liquid it receives from insects in place of water.

Besides their wide feet, moving both legs on one side at the same time helps the camel from sinking into the sand.

This small cat can jump 10 feet into the air to catch birds flying past.

Due to being so genetically similiar, a skin graft from one cheetah will grow normally on any other cheetah in the world.

Coatis have double jointed ankles and are very flexible, giving them the ability to descend trees headfirst.

Coyotes are digitigrade, meaning they walk with only their toes touching the ground.

A Desert tortoise can store up to 40% of its body weight in water.

Beside providing excellent hearing, their large ears also act as heat radiators and help to keep them cool.

Flamingos have 19 elongated neck vertebrae for maximum moving and twisting.

Consisting of more than 5,000 species, frogs are considered one of the most diverse vertabrate groups in the world.

Our oldest pair, Ralph and Mary, arrived at the Zoo before it even opened and are believed to be between 120 and 130 years old.

Although weak flyers, the Gambel's quail running spead has been timed at 12 mph.

Gerenuk means 'giraffe-necked' in Somolian or 'giraffe gazelle' in Swahili and are aptly named for their exceptionally long neck.

Giant anteaters can eat up to 30,000 insects a day with their 2-foot tongue.

Gila monsters are immune to their own venom and can live up to 20 years.

The Phoenix Zoo has both Reticulated and Masai giraffe, which can be identified by their different spot patterns.

Also known as the Queen of Bavaria conure, the Golden conure is the largest of the conure species and considered to be a medium-sized parrot. 

Golden lion tamarins are named for their bright, lion-like manes that cover their head and shoulders.

The Grevy's zebra is one of three zebra species and has very narrow, close stripes that extend down their legs to the hooves.

The name Jaguar comes from the ancient Indian word 'Yaguar', which means 'the killer which overcomes it's prey in a single bound.'

Javelina is Spanish for javelin or spear and named for their razor-like tusks.  They are the only species of wild pig-like animal found in the United States.

The Phoenix Zoo has two Komodo dragons, Ivan and Gaia, both born in 1994.

On average, Mandrills will travel up to 5 miles a day in search of food, but may travel up to 20 miles if necessarcy.

The Phoenix Zoo has one Maned wolf, Romeo.  He was born on Valentine's Day in 2000 in Florida and came to the Phoenix Zoo in 2006.

Meerkats live in family groups that can contain up to 30 individuals.  These groups are called 'mobs'. 

The Phoenix Zoo has 5 Mexican wolves, Rocky, Haht, Gray, Swift and Jester.  These brothers were born April 23, 2005 and have the potential to be released back into the wild.

Mountain lions can execute a 30 foot standing jump, or an 18 foot jump straight up.

In Panama, the Ocelot is called 'manigordo,' which translates into 'big paw.'

One ostrich egg is equal to 24 chicken eggs.  Although much bigger than a chicken, males are still called roosters and females, hens.

Pronghorns can sprint as fast as 60 mph and can sustain a speed of 30 mph for miles. No other land mammal can keep up with the pronghorn over a long distance.

Radiated tortoises have spikes on the back of their shell.  These help the tortoise roll back over if flipped.

Red-ruffed lemurs have scent glands on their wrists and rear-ends that leave scent trails on branches to communicate and mark territory.

Lemur is derived from a latin word meaning ghost and is named so due to their bright staring eyes and haunting sounds.

The beak's casque, shaped like a rhinoceros horn, is used in fighting, courtship displays and knocking down fruit to eat.

According to one researcher, a typical annual menu for a roadrunner may consist of 263 grasshoppers, 73 flying grasshoppers, 17 scorpions, 28 sowbugs, 7 catepillars, 3 chrysalides, 14 angle worms, 39 months, 1 butterfly, 14 centipedes, 16 spiders, 2 tarantuals, 3 walking sticks, 3 small toads, 3 frogs, 6 green lizards, 8 small lizards and one mouse.

Spotted-necked otters do not have body fat, they rely on their fur to keep them dry and warm in the water.

When a Squirrel monkey gets wet, it will squeeze the water from its fur by rubbing against trees.

Siamang gibbons have an arm span of 5 feet and hook branches instead of grasping them with their hands.

The rays flap their wing-like fins against the bottom sediments to uncover soft-shelled clams.  They then crush the shell between two strong dental plates in their mouth.

The stripes of the tiger are “disruptive camouflage.”  Rather than helping the tiger blend into their surroundings by matching the background, the stripes break up the tiger’s outline so it isn’t seen as a single large animal by its prey.

The thick-billed parrot was once found in the high elevation pine forests of Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. 

The White rhinoceros is also known as the 'square-lipped rhinoceros' and is the largest species of rhino, weighing up to 6,000 lbs.