#biofacts

Super cool docent cart at the San Francisco Zoo today! This Nile hippopotamus was a previous zoo resident and his skull is now helping educate guests.

Curious about Ruks Khandagale’s height and personal details? This profile dives into his height in feet, background, career highlights and interesting facts from his journey. A quick and informative read for fans and followers!

As I'm standing there, holding a lion's mane for people to touch (and learn), an adult woman approaches. The woman was at least in her 40s, probably older.  While stroking the lion's mane, she looked at me and asked in a little baby voice, "The kitty wasn't alive when you took this, was it?"

Me:  *trying to recover from the shock of an adult speaking like a child*  "Umm, no --"

But before I could continue on and explain, her husband approached (even older) and asked, also in a baby voice:  "Umm, why did you skin a tiger?"

Def:  "dead material of a once-living organism," often used in the zoo/museum world to refer to "preserved items such as animals bones, skins, molts and eggs" (Wikipedia).

Me (holding giraffe biofact):  "You can touch it if you like.  It won't hurt you."

Tween girl:  "It feels like a dead body."

Me:  "How many dead bodies have you touched??"

Ziphius cavirostris

They are the most widely distributed of all the beaked whales. It is the only member of the genus Ziphius. The specific name, cavirostris, means "hollow" or 'concave" and refers to the prenarial basin, a concavity in the skull just ahead of the nasal bone that is unique to males of this species. Usually seen alone or in small groups of up to about seven individuals. Diving can last for thirty minutes or longer. Based off of stomach content of stranded individuals, they eat mostly squid, but fish and crustaceans have also been found. As with most beaked whales, they do not have functional teeth and capture their prey by suction. 

Length: 23' (7m)

Weight:  Male: At least 5,700 lb (2,600kg)

             Female: About 6,600 lb (3,000kg)