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Category: Africa

East African Spiny-Tailed Lizard

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East African Spiny-Tailed Lizard

(Cordylus tropidosternum)

Seneca Park Zoo is home to three East African spiny-tailed lizards (Common name: tropical girdled lizard). Their habitat is located inside the Animals of the Savanna building.

Animal Facts

Other common names for this species are “dwarf sungazer” and “tropical girdled lizard”.
This lizard protects itself by grabbing its tail in its mouth – this creates an armored girdle by forming a ring with the sharp spines sticking out.
The East African spiny-tailed lizard is ovoviviparous, bearing live young instead of laying external eggs.
A threatened girdled lizard can wedge itself into a small opening and then inflate its lungs to make the fit even tighter; blocking the opening with its tail.
Two layers of armor protect this lizard: its spiny scales and the bony plates that support them.

Diet

East African spiny-tailed lizards are carnivores, and feed mainly on invertebrates.

Status in The Wild

  • Not Evaluated

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status

These lizards are found throughout the southern coast of Kenya to eastern Zimbabwe and central Mozambique.

They are ground-dwellers and prefer dry forest habitats.

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Giant African Millipede (Ambassador Animal)

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Giant African Millipede

(Archispirostreptus gigas)

These are the largest of the thousands of species of millipede. Although the name millipede means “thousand-feet,” the giant African millipede only has about 300 to 400 legs.

Animal Facts

Millipedes have up to 750 legs but they are only born with six.
For each body segment, they have four legs (as opposed to the centipede that has two legs per segment).
They secrete cyanide poisoning when feeling threatened, which harms their predators if they try to eat a millipede.
Millipedes have a very hard exoskeleton for protection.
They are nocturnal “nutrient recyclers”, breaking down plant matter on the forest floor, making it available for smaller animals and plants.

Diet

Organic matter, decayed plant material such as leaves and wood, occasionally on living plant roots and rootlets. Sometimes they feed on dead earthworms and insects.

Status in The Wild

  • Least Concern

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status

Found throughout Tanzania, in rainforests, found under logs and stones. They prefer tropical forest floor.

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Olive Baboon

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Olive Baboon

(Papio anubis)

Seneca Park Zoo has a troop of 10 baboons: 6 females (Pimento, Pearl, Sabina, Peperella, Olive Oil, Olivella) and 4 males (Mansino, Jefferson Jr., Kalamata, Pico-de-Limon). Pimento, the dominant female, is most established in the baboon hierarchy. The baboons can be found enjoying enrichment items, running around their habitat, and grooming one another.

Animal Facts

Olive baboons live in groups of 15 to 150, with many females, a few males and the offspring.
Social hierarchy is important to baboons. Males fight to establish dominance, whereas females inherit dominance from their mothers.
The olive baboon is so named for its coat, which is a grey-green color from a distance.
Males are larger than females, weighing on average 53 pounds, whereas the female weighs on average 33 pounds.

Diet

Olive baboons have a diverse omnivorous diet. They eat everything from plants, flowers, fruits, shoots and twigs, insects, lizards, frogs and turtles.
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Status in The Wild

  • Least Concern

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status

Found in 25 countries throughout equatorial Africa, the olive baboon inhabits the African grasslands called the savanna.

The olive baboon is the most widespread African primate.

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Speckled Mousebird

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Speckled Mousebird

(Colius striatus)

Seneca Park Zoo is the home to speckled mousebirds. Their habitat is inside the Animals of the Savanna building.

Animal Facts

Speckled mousebirds are a highly social species. They forage, preen, and dust-bathe together.
When predators are close, speckled mousebirds crash land into thick bushes and freeze until the danger has passed.
Speckled mousebirds occasionally swallow pebbles to help grind up the vegetation they eat, which aids in digestion.

Diet

Speckled mousebirds are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, leaves, nectar, and occasionally termites and ants.
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Status in The Wild

  • Least Concern

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status

Speckled mousebirds range widely throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

They prefer forest and savanna habitats but adapt well to other habitats and are often seen in urban areas containing gardens and orchards. Their current population trend is increasing.

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Cape Thick-Knee

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Cape Thick-Knee

(Burhinus capensis)

There are two cape thick-knees (also known as spotted dikkops) that reside at the Zoo, one male and one female. The male, born in 2010, arrived at the Zoo in 2011. The female was born in 2011 and arrived in 2012. The birds can be found in the aviary inside the Animals of the Savanna building.

Animal Facts

The cape thick-knee can live up to 20 years in natural range.
Within one breeding season, the cape thick-knee often has two to three broods.
When threatened by a predator, young chicks will crouch down and remain motionless while the parent will pretend to have a broken wing, back or leg to distract the predator away from the chicks.

Diet

The cape thick-knee eats mostly insects; foraging for them by repeatedly running forward, stopping, then jabbing the prey with their bill. Cape thick-knees will eat a variety of different beetles, weevils, moths and butterflies. They will also eat small amphibians, small mammals, thread snakes and white-fronted plover eggs and chicks.

Status in The Wild

  • Least Concern

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status

From sub-Saharan Africa, the cape thick-knee is mainly found in open, flat habitats of southern Africa.

This species prefers dry grassland and savanna habitat, although it has been known to live in wetland areas and can be found in woodland fringes, low stony hills and urban habitats (parks, playing fields, etc.). Cape thick-knees show a remarkable ability to adapt to habitats altered by humans and because they are no longer considered a gamebird, they are unlikely to face any general decline in population.

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Superb Starling

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Superb Starling

(Lamprotornis superbus)

The Zoo is home to one superb starling, a male, who resides inside the Animals of the Savanna building.

Animal Facts

Superb starlings have long, loud calls made up of trills and chatters. They can also mimic other birds.
Superb starlings are almost identical to Hildenbrandt’s starling, but have white eyes rather than red.
This species feeds on the ground.

Diet

Superb starlings feed on insects, small invertebrates, fruit and seeds.

Status in The Wild

  • Least Concern

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status

These birds are found throughout East Africa, ranging from Sudan and Ethiopia, south through Kenya and Tanzania.

They prefer open country and savanna areas, but have become accustomed to people among surrounding villages and cities.

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Masai Giraffe

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Masai Giraffe

(Giraffa tippelskirchi)

Seneca Park Zoo is home to five Masai giraffes, two females Iggy, and Kura, and three males, Olmsted (Olmy), Elliot, and JD. Their habitat is north of the elephant barn in the Animals of the Savanna area. Iggy was born on June 4, 2017 at the Virginia Zoo and arrived at Seneca Park Zoo in August 2018.  Iggy had her first calf, male Olmsted, on April 29, 2022, and second, Pippi born in December 2023. JD came to us from The Wilds Safari Park in October 2023 and was born in September 2021. Elliot and Kura came to us from the San Diego Safari Park in 2024

Animal Facts

Masai giraffe spots have irregular edges covering them down to their hooves, causing them to have a unique appearance from other giraffe subspecies.
Their markings allow them to be camouflaged with the trees where they feed, protecting them from predators.
Giraffes usually only sleep a few minutes at a time, and often while standing up. This helps them to keep an almost constant lookout for predators.

Diet

Giraffes are herbivorous, browsing mainly on leaves and buds from trees and shrubs, especially the acacia tree.
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Status in The Wild

  • Endangered

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status

Masai giraffe are found in savannas and open woodlands throughout southern Kenya and much of Tanzania.

Endangered due to scattered and fragmented populations that have resulted from poaching, habitat loss, and human encroachment.

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Mombasa Golden Starburst Tarantula

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Mombasa Golden Starburst Tarantula

(Pterinochilus murinus)

Seneca Park Zoo is home to one Mombasa golden starburst tarantula, which can be found inside the Animals of the Savanna building.

Animal Facts

This species is commonly referred to as the orange baboon tarantula, because of its color and confrontational nature.
Although their venom is not lethal to humans, the starburst tarantula has an extremely painful bite – known to be even more painful than a rattlesnake bite.
These tarantulas are typically bright orange in color, but are sometimes found in dark and red color variations depending on their geographical location.

Diet

As carnivores, these tarantulas feed on invertebrates and small animals such as lizards, rodents and birds.

Status in The Wild

  • Not Evaluated

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status

These tarantulas are found in Angola, sub-Saharan Africa and the island of Zanzibar.

They are ground-dwellers found in a variety of habitats, including bushes, low trees and burrows under rocks.

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Mueller’s Clawed Frog

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Mueller's Clawed Frog

(Xenopus muelleri)

Seneca Park Zoo is home to a Mueller’s clawed frog. The habitat is located in the micro-habitat tree inside the Animals of the Savanna building.

Animal Facts

The scientific name for this species is xenopus muelleri – the word xenopus means “strange foot”.
The frog’s front feet are small and lack webbing. They use their fingers to push food into their mouths.
Clawed frogs lack a tongue and vocal cords. Because of this, their calls are a series of clicks that are emitted underwater.

Diet

Mueller’s clawed frogs are opportunistic scavengers. They are carnivores that will eat living, dying, or dead arthropods, invertebrates, crustaceans, small fish, and freshwater snails.

Status in The Wild

  • Least Concern

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status

This species is found throughout sub-saharan Africa. As a water-dependent species, they occupy both temporary and permanent ponds, as well as rivers and streams in the dry season.

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Naked Mole Rat

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Naked Mole Rat

(Heterocephalus glaber)

Seneca Park Zoo is home to two colonies of naked mole rats. Their habitat is located inside the new Animals of the Savanna building.

Animal Facts

A common alternative name for the naked mole rat is “sand puppy”.
Naked mole rats are one of two mammal species that are eusocial, living in colonies much like bees and ants, with one queen. The queen must earn the position, and becomes the only breeding female in the colony.
Naked mole rats have adaptations to resist aging and cancer. They are being studied by scientists to see if these adaptations can be applied to save human lives.

Diet

As herbivores, naked mole rats primarily feed on tubers.

Status in The Wild

  • Least Concern

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List status

Naked mole rats are found in the grasslands of Somalia, central Ethiopia, and northern and eastern Kenya. They dig underground tunnels and can survive with minimal oxygen.

This species occurs in many protected areas throughout their natural range, and has a well-established breeding population in conservation care.

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Naked Mole Rat Range

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Rochester, NY 14621

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