Hummingbird Season!

In many parts of North America this time of year we begin to see the arrival of the hummingbird. These little overachievers are rarely more than a few inches long and are easily recognized by their buzzing wings, which may beat up to 90 times per second!

As small as they are, these tiny birds are quite the travelers. Most North American varieties migrate up to 2000 miles south every winter, only to make the trip back every spring. At the 27mph speed most hummingbirds fly, it would take more than 3 days of nonstop flight to make that journey without stopping to rest, which the birds frequently do.

So, next time you see one of these little birds taking a rest on a branch, keep in mind just how far he has flown!

Photo: National Geographic

Hundreds of Whale Sharks Near Mexico

Whale sharks are the largest fish on the planet. As long as a city bus and weighing nearly 80,000lbs, these ocean giants were once thought to be solitary creatures, preferring the open sea. However, recently a group of 420 whale sharks was spotted off the coast of Mexico, according to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park.



Photo: Discovery News


Despite their size and the fact that they are indeed sharks, whale sharks usually feed on very small creatures such as shrimp and plankton. According to biologists, these whale sharks were feeding on a dense patch of fish eggs. It marks the largest documented gathering of whale sharks in history.

Photo: Discovery News

Penguin Gets New Shoes

A Santa Barbara Zoo-based penguin named Lucky finally got some relief recently after being fitted with a special protective boot made by adventure footwear company Teva, according to Noozehawk.

The one-year-old Humboldt penguin was born with an impaired foot, which is not uncommon according to zookeepers. As young penguins spend much of their time huddled beneath their parents, they can often develop splayed feet. However, when Lucky did not respond to treatment the zoo took action, enlisting Teva to create a specialized boot to allow him to get around more easily.

Lucky has responded well to the new footwear, and is now able to swim and socialize with no issues. 

Lucky the penguin (photo: Chuck Graham)

Mexican Gray Wolves Come to Seneca Park Zoo

A trio of Mexican Grey Wolves were introduced at the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, New York today, according to local news. The three wolves, all four-year-old brothers, are slated to become a permanent fixture at the zoo.

The Mexican Grey Wolf is the smallest wolf in North America. Only 50 of them are known to still exist in the wild.




Mexican Gray Wolf

                                                                  

Krewe de Zoo

One of my favorite Kansas City Mardi Gras Krewe's is the Krewe de Zoo. It's an all female krewe that dress like animals, obviously! Here are some of the gals at this year's Fat Tuesday parade.

Parakeet in a Cage

Toucan Sam

Marching around Kansas City!

Yawning Pandas

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Inspired by the Buzzfeed, I have been on a panda kick all day! 

Did you know that there are roughly 1,000 pandas left on the world? Most of the information found on them comes from studies done in zoos, since the wild panda are pretty rare and exclusive. 

I think next year for Mardi Gras, I'll dress like a sparkly Panda! 

Panda Mask 

Until then, I'll just rock this panda purse. 

Mardi Gras!

Don't forget Tuesday the 8th is Fat Tuesday! Here at The Jungle Store we will to dress as our favorite animal for that day. This year I'm going to be a peacock! Here's a sneak peak at the beginnings of my mask.

Purple Dinosaur Mask would pair great with a feathered boa and beads!

For a challenge, throughout the day morph in to a beautiful butterfly topping it off with this mask. 

Try not to scary too many people with this white tiger mask!

Cute Baby Anteater

Trout Season!

Today is the official start to Trout Fishing Season. Why not celebrate by adorning your denim jacket with fish brooches?

Gold Fish Brooch

Sparkley Fish Brooch

Enjoy this video of Trout Spawning.

National Pig Day!

"No man should be allowed to be President who does not understand hogs." - President Harry Truman

Did you know pigs are as brainy as dogs and often use their snouts as tools to nudge open latches or dig under fences? Even though pigs may have a reputation for being lazy, they’re fast runners.

Since pigs grow quickly, doubling their weight within a week of birth, a single piglet would grow too fast for the director to film all the scenes needed in the movie Babe. They had to bred 46 pigs just for the movie.

Plush cuddly piglet stuffed animal

Cuddle up with a piggy of your own! Or save you coins in the houndstooth Piggy Bank! All the pig accessories and items you would ever want to celebrate this day!

Houndstooth Piggy Bank