 Escape
to Beautiful Fossil Rim
One of the
most unique things I find about Fossil Rim is the ability to
stargaze as I never have anywhere else. In staying at
the Foothills Safari Camp I find that there are many times
I get to see the milky way strung from one side of the sky
to the next. I also observe more stars than I ever realized
were up there from a sky that has little light pollution. It
is rather like the Redwood Forrest, I can describe it to you
but nothing equals seeing it for yourself. Come join us to
find your own delight in the fabulous nighttime sky.
A
trip to Fossil Rim this summer can help you relax and rejuvenate.
You can enjoy our picturesque Scenic Drive from the comfort
of your own air-conditioned vehicle, discover new life,
and
spend quality time exploring the peaceful surroundings that
approximately 1200 animals call home.
While you’re
here, why not extend your trip and take in some of the sites
of charming
Glen Rose. Glen Rose offers Dinosaur
Valley State Park, where you can cool off after your
drive through Fossil Rim by swimming in the “Blue Hole.” Or
you can choose to swim at “Big Rocks” just off
Business 67 in town.
In a state
full of interesting and intriguing small towns, Glen Rose is
one of the more fun and interesting
of them
all. You
can find out more about Glen Rose by visiting the Convention
and Visitor’s Web site.
Come
and visit, you’ll
be glad you made the trip.
Jan
Bussey
Education
Specialist
About
Jan
 Distinguished
Resident
Sable
Antelope
Hippotragus niger
The Sable
is an antelope with dark coloration and white underbelly
and facial markings. They possess long, curving horns on
both sexes.
Their
8-month gestation period generally produces a single calf
from January to March. They are thought to live about 15
years in the wild and 18 in captivity.
Sable
Antelope are one of three antelope in the world capable
of defending themselves against lions.
When
resting Sable will form a protective circle around the
young, infirm and elderly. With eyes watching and horns
ready for defense they make a formidable opponent.
more
about our distinguished resident>>
Darnit
(Anyhow)!
by Dave Thompson
Despite
the fact that I have had a “pet” monkey or
two in my day, I always discouraged people from following
that lead. All of the monkeys, except for one which I admit
to purchasing, were individuals that were either dropped
on my door step as unwanted, or ones that I adopted from
animal shelters where they had been deposited for the same
reason. Monkeys are demanding pets and can be dangerous
when upset, which is just about anytime they don’t
get their way. Kind of like kids, but faster, harder to
intimidate and with much sharper teeth. Usually, neither
they nor their owners are happy with such arrangements.
Continued >>
 What's
Gnu?
On Thursday,
June 30 Ichabod, our young male giraffe, left Fossil Rim on his
newest adventure. He's moving to a private ranch in Oregon that
is owned and run by the Nobles, the folks that gave us the Bongos.
It is a private facility so there will be no more worries about
missing windshield wipers or antenna decorations, and he will
have free roam of a 200 acre pasture with another young giraffe.
Continued>>
What
the Heck is a Swing Keeper?
Cassandra
(Cassie) Peterson, our year long Animal Care Apprentice,
is our new Swing Keeper. What the heck is a Swing Keeper?
Cassie: As a Swing Keeper my job is to fill in for the animal care
specialists when it’s their day off, or when someone
is on vacation or calls in sick. My number one responsibility
is to take care of the animals in the holding pens and Game
preserve, which are where the Giraffe’s and Zebra roam
around.
I also
look after the main pasture on David’s day off. The main pasture is where we keep the Gemsbok,
Sable Antelope
and Waterbuck. I also help David feed the white Rhinos.
Before
Fossil Rim I interned at many facilities. I came to Fossil
Rim as an apprentice one year ago and was just
hired
on full time.
I love
what I do at Fossil Rim and I am looking forward to a rewarding
career working with all of
the animals
and the
other fine employees at Fossil Rim.
 Conservationist
Journal
By
Robin
W. Radcliffe DVM, DACZM
Animal Care Specialist
One of
my personal favorite photos of my work in Sumatra. So much
of what I
do on these trips is solely technical with
the animal health side of things that it is really nice when
you start making a difference in the lives of local people
as well – work that may ultimately help save the rhino
AND the rainforest...
Robin
Read
all of Robin’s Sumatra journals here>>
 Animal
Bits
By
Adam Eyres a.k.a Rhino Wranger
• Valentino,
the hand raised blackbuck male has grown since this picture
was taken, he’s now in the Buffer pasture.
•
We have begun to move animals within Fossil Rim based on the
recommendations of the Species Survival Plans (SSPs)
•
We put a young kudu male that was near the clinic into the
Buffer Pasture on Monday.
•
We moved a Scimitar Horned Oryx bull into the Front Pasture
from the Holding Pens to be the new breeding male.
•
We moved an Arabian Oryx bull into the Game Preserve from
the Holding Pens to be the new breeding male.
Current
inventories in those herds:
•
SH Oryx in the front pasture 1 male 6 females.
•
SH Oryx in the Game Preserve 8 females. And we will be moving
some of those over the next several weeks, some into the Front
Pasture and some into the Retirement Pasture.
•
Arabian Oryx in the Game Preserve 1 male, 3 females and 2 castrated
males.
•
We are now at 15 Wildebeest calves in the front pasture. For
a total of 54 wildebeest!
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