Daily Dæmons

Earless Monitor Lizard (Lanthanotus borneensis), family Lanthanotidae, endemic to Borneo

ENDANGERED.

Semi-aquatic.

Closely related to the true monitor lizards in the family Varanidae.

The only member of its family.

They do have inner ears, and are capable of hearing, despite the lack of ear openings and tympana.

Pale-headed Rosella (Platycercus adscitus), family Psittaculidae, order Psittaciformes, Australia

“Adelaide” Rosella (Platycercus elegans), family Psittaculidae, order Pisttaciformes, Adelaide, Australia

The Adelaide Rosella is most likely a hybrid between 2 subspecies of P. elegans, the Crimson and the Yellow Rosellas.

Obvious disclaimer that you shouldn't have wild animals as pets.

But like, cheetahs are the only large cats that keepers will do free contact with. Hell, even most small cats don't get free contact. (Because small cats can be VICIOUS. They'll have a baby pallas cat wearing thicker gloves than when handling an owl. Because small cats can just be vicious.)

Like I think the only other cat at our zoo where I've seen free contact with was servals? Because I know they've used servals in shows to demonstrate their natural jumping ability. But I know servals can sometimes have a mean temper as well. Meanwhile they'll do the cheetah run and afterwards put the mic by the cheetahs and it's just like an engine with them purring. It's fascinating to watch when the message in every other large animal is "no free contact because it's dangerous even when they're born in captivity".

dogs!

Dhole or Asian Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus), family Canidae, order Carnivora, Madhya Pradesh, India

Lives in large clans of up to 40 members, though generally splits off into small groups to hunt

Communicates with group members by whistling rather than howling

Known to chase leopards up trees

Lives in a variety of habitats from rainforests to snowy mountains

Once ranged from southern India throughout South, Southeast, and Central Asia up to eastern Russia, now populations are mainly concentrated in South and Southeast Asia.

Endangered

it's 1pm at the marsh! come on down, we've got