Reeves' Muntjac: The Chinese or Barking Deer

Did you know that deer can bark? If you live in Wisconsin you probably answered "no" to that question. The common name for the Reeves' Muntjac is "barking deer" for the loud bark the deer is known to make when they are alarmed. They are also known as Chinese Muntjac.

Muntjacs are the oldest known deer species; fossil remains date to 15 to 35 millions years ago!

These small deer are native to China. Typically only 16 inches in height at the shoulder, the Matjacs coloring ranges from dark brown in summer, grey brown in winter. Their face is tan with a black forehead and nose and have excellent hearing and eyesight; they also have large glands that are visible on their face. The haunches are higher than the withers which gives the deer the appearance of being "hunched."

The males (bucks) have short antlers that are usually unbranched; older bucks occasionally have a brow tine.

Muntjac are found in deciduous forests in southern China and Taiwan; they are also found in the southern portion of Great Britain due to human introduction.

Generally the deer are solitary or found in pairs. Like other deer, bucks will defend small exclusive territories against other bucks whereas the does' territories overlap with each other and with several bucks.

Reeves' Muntjacs require large amounts of cover, usually near a water source and they make their ones out of large broken branches.

Muntjacs are herbivores; their main diet consists of grasses, leaves, tender shoots, sprouts, fruits, seeds and tree bark.

Male's have canines that can grow up to 1 inch long. They primarily use these teeth to fight other males. They also use their antlers are also used to push their opponent off-balance and then the canine teeth are used to wound. Females (does) do not have antlers, but they do have short bony knobs on their heads. Females do have canines, but theirs are smaller than males'.

When the park opens in the spring we hope you'll include the Reeves' Muntjacs exhibit.

A Wet and Wild End of Season Doesn't Dampen Closing Event and Zoo Boo

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebration our annual end of the year festivities at Zoo Boo!

We hope you had as much fun as we did! While we may be closed for the season, keep in touch with us on Facebook and Twitter and through our blog.

Pardon Our Dust While We Expand Your Experience At Wildwood!

While we are nearing the end of our season, we will continue (as long as Mother Nature allows!) with our plans for expansion at the park.

We've received several inquires about the areas that have been in various stages of construction. 

New to 2013 will be our new giraffe building/exhibit area. Also under construction are new bathrooms and a snack stand. Judging by the leaves on the trees and the warm weather clothes the workers are wearing, these photographs were taken earlier this summer.

Check out the work being performed in preparation for our new tiger exhibit.

This area is all under construction but we cannot give a definite time line due to the usual construction bumps in the road!

Wildwood Wildlife Park Operators Expand Zoo

The following article appeared in a recent issue of the Portage County Gazette. We extend our thanks to Jim Schuh of the Gazette for the lovely article. Links within the article were added to reference other posts within our blog.

"For the past several years, we've returned to the Wildwood Wildlife Park in Minocqua each summer to visit the owners who are friends, and to see the ever-increasing array of animals and attractions the park features.

"The annual treks coincide with a week-long stay with us of two youngsters from the Twin Cities area - children of friends, who come to stay with us for about a week this time of year. Martha and I serve as their "foster grandparents." They are 13-year-old Will and 11-year-old Tiana Cachuela.

"They like the park visit in part because  the owners - Duane and Judy Domaszek - give us individualized tours and often let them hold some of the animals. The Domaszeks are Rosholt-area natives who purchased the park in 1997, and have built it into the second-largest zoo in Wisconsin - after the Milwaukee County Zoo. They have more than 750 animals. And the indefatigable Domaszeks keep working on expansion - they're in the midst of preparing a Serengeti-like space to house some new additions, including an anticipated pair of giraffes in 2013. Just in the past year, they've added a host of new animals.

"Wildwood is becoming a true family business, with the Domaszeks one son joining mom and dad in operating the park and a second son about to. Running a wildlife habitat is one of those enterprises that doesn't allow for many days off - the need to feed and care for the animals daily is a necessity. It's a 24-seven operation.

"On our most recent visit, we were amazed to see how many changes they've made to the park since last summer, and at how many new species they've acquired.

"After a fascinating afternoon, we headed home and all agreed the most interesting new animal at Wildwood was the binturong, or more popularly, a bearcat. We got to see the creature up close - its face had long, white whiskers like a cat, but a body more nearly like a bear, with long, coarse black hair. The animal has a thick prehensile tail as long as its body, making it nearly six-feet long from nose to the end of its tail. It's in the civet family.

"The nocturnal bearcat's natural habitat is in the trees and forests of Southeast Asia. It eats mostly fruit - it seemed well-pleased to feast on chunks of banana that Duane fed it with tongs. But when I put my camera lens through the sturdy wire cage, the binturong let out a high-pitched screaming growl that made us think we'd not like to encounter one without something substantial between us. The facial expression that accompanied the scream was proof the animal could be vicious if cornered. They have an unusual scent - Duane described it to us as the smell of popcorn in a movie theatre.

"Another new addition to the park is the blue duikers, tiny antelopes native to Central and South Africa.

"The blue-tinged brown animals resemble baby deer, and don't grow much beyond nine or ten pounds in weight, and a foot in height. youngsters would love to pick them up and cuddle them - they're really cute.

"Also new to Wildwood this season is the nene, or Hawaiian goose. The medium-sized bird is exclusively native to Maui, Kauai, Molokai and Hawaii. Scientists surmise some of the birds flew off-course on their migration south, and wound up in the Hawaiian Islands half-a-million years ago.

"The endangered nene is Hawaii's state bird. It developed strong, padded feet with partial webbing, which allow it to move quickly along rough terrain, and does not migrate.

"The newest addition to the park is a baby Hoffman's two-toed sloth, born on Aug. 12. The slow-moving sloths are native to South American rain forests. The baby is still clinging to its mother and snuggles in her camouflaged fur. At last report, the mammal weighed about a pound and was eight-inches long.

"Sloths love to sleep - snoozing for at least 16-hours each day. They eat leaves, flower buds and fruit. Judy told us it could be six months before the baby will try to hand by itself from branches.

"Among other new animal attractions are a pair of newly-born Red-Handed Tamarins, primates native to northeast South America. The babies have orange-red hands and feet and claws rather than nails.

"Tamarins are a highly-endangered species, about the size of a squirrel.

"It was fun to see some of the older attractions again - wolves, tigers, zebras, kangaroos and wallabies, camel, free-roaming deer and goats, and birds.

"Things are not always roses when operating a wildlife park. Duane told us that in the past year, he lost almost a dozen peacocks to a predator. After hearing some loud squawking one day, he looked out to see a bald eagle carting off one of the colorful birds.

"And there are always some visitors who don't pay attention to instructions cautioning against feeding or harassing the animals, and need reminding to behave.

"But the Domaszeks' love of animals and their hard work keeps them going, and their efforts are amazing, indeed.

"You might enjoy a stop at Wildwood, west of Minocqua on Highway 70, the next time you're vacationing in the area."

The Nene Goose Story

Before the first canoes arrived Hawaii was a kingdom of birds. Hawaii was a much different place prior to human contact. Birds and insects were the only land animals able to colonize this remote group of islands. There were no land mammals or reptiles. Under these conditions, flightless bird species evolved in the islands. The largest were "true geese" related to the Nene and Moa Nalo ("vanished fowl") related to babbling ducks. They lived all over the islands as recently as 1200-500 years ago. Now all are extinct.

Ancient Fowl of Hawaii Were Grounded For Life

Ancient fowl of Hawaii were territorial. They evolved greater size and weight with larger feet as they gradually lost their ability to fly.

Flight was not needed in prehuman Hawaii because there were no ground-living predators and migration to other regions was unnecessary. Flightlessness has evolved on many isolated Oceanic Islands. Flightless birds were the first to go extinct when humans settled on the islands. They were defenseless against the territorial predators that people introduced.

The Nene Recovery Story

Nene was once abundant in a variety of habitats throughout the island until humans arrived.

Polynesians introduced mammals, modified lowland areas for agricultural crops, and exploited Nene for food.

Westerns almost hunted the species to extinction until hunting was banned in 1907. Recovery of wild Nene populations began on opposite ends of the globe in 1949. Two Nene pairs from a captive flock on Herbert Shipman's Big Island Ranch began the captive breeding program at the Wildfowl Trust in Slimbridge, England and Pohakuloa, Hawaii.

Beginning in 1960, year-old captive reared Nene were released on Maui and the Big Island to boost the numbers of Nene living in the wild. They were released in the high mountains because, at the time, it was thought this was their preferred habitat.

Controlling Predators is Necessary for Nene Recovery

There were no native land mammals or reptiles in the ancient Hawaiian environment. Humans introduced mongoose rats, cats, dogs, and pigs that feed on Nene eggs, goslings and/or adults.

Defenses of ground-dwelling Nene continue to be relatively ineffective against these predators. Goslings and molting adults are especially vulnerable because they cannot fly.

It is very difficult to remove all predators from Nene habitat. Feral dogs and pigs must be hunted from large tracts of land or fenced out.

Feral cats must be caught in traps. Poison bait stations and traps are used to control mongoose and rats in the vicinity of nesting and brood rearing Nene.

Vehicle traffic is a new kind of danger. Adult Nene is often killed by cars in places were people feed them along the roadside.

People Saved Nene From Extinction

In 1950 there were only 30 Nene left in the wild, from an estimated 25,000 in 1800. Captive breeding saved the Nene but has not restored them to their former numbers.

Since 1960 more than 2,300 Nene have been raised in captivity and released on four islands. Many of these have not survived and there are still only about 1,300 Nene living in the wild.

Loss of breeding habitat and introduced predators, such as mongoose, rats, cats, and dogs, challenge the ability of wildlife managers to restore the Nene to its former range. Only the population of Kauai is growing. This is due in large part to the fact that the on goose has never been introduced to this island.

Nene Hawaii Goose

Hawaii's state bird, Nene is found naturally nowhere else in the world. Unlike other geese, Nene is non-migratory and have adapted to terrestrial life. Their feet are padded with reduced webbing, creating longer toes for climbing on the rocky lava flows. Nene has a variety of calls, including the usual "honk" of similar geese. It is also reported that they make sounds while feeding which is described as a low "any-nay." Vocalizations often accompany many postures.

Monogamous, the Nene breeding season corresponds with the wet wirer season in Hawaii, when most plant growth occurs. They have the smallest range of any species of goose and have endured a long struggle against extinction.

A family begins when a young Nene, about two-years old, chooses its partner. A pair usually stays together for life, which may be up to 28-years in the wild. They return to the same area each year to hatch a new brood of 1-4 goslings.

The family stays together as a unit for about nine years as the parents teach the youngsters where to find food and how to behave around other Nene. In the summer, the family may also join with other Nene to form a small flock.

In September the parents return to their nesting brood of goslings. At this point, the offspring from the previous year are able to fend for themselves. Nene males and females have identical plumage. The male is typically slightly larger and more aggressive.

At the Wildwood Wildlife Zoo, males have a numbered band on the right leg and females have the band on their left leg.

Protecting their goslings is a tough job. In December or January, a female Nene constructs a rough nest on the ground, concealed under low shrubs. She digs out a shallow bowl and then lines it with leaves and feathers to help keep the eggs warm.

As she inoculates them for 30 days, her mate vigilantly stands guard nearby, often on an elevated area. The male Nene threatens and tries to chase away anything that comes near the nest, including other Nene, predators, and humans.

After the 1-4 goslings hatch they sometimes nestle next to the mother who covers them with her wings to keep them warm. Goslings must feed on nutritious, protein-rich plants to survive. Within two days of hatching, parents and goslings trek per rough ground to an area where food is plentiful. One parent walks on each side of the goslings at all times, always vigilant of predators.

In the wild, many goslings die from predators. As a result, the Nene population in the wild has not been able to increase on its own.

Wildwood Wildlife Park has the privilege to have two pairs of Nene geese donated to our zoo by Ali and Mike Lubbock from Sylvan Heights Bird Park, Scotland Neck, North Carolina. Wildwood Wildlife Park's mission is to educate people about the importance of conservation and research, focusing on waterfowl and wetland habitats. Wildwood Wildlife Park will also place special emphasis on the captive propagation of rare and endangered waterfowl. Check out this world-renowned facility Sylvan Heights Waterfowl Center, now the largest and most biologically significant waterfowl collection in the world.

Announcing Our Newest Arrival!

We can hardly contain our excitement! On Sunday, August 12th, we welcomed our newest baby ... a Hoffmann's two-toed sloth.

According to Wildwood's animal curator/director the baby is nursing, clinging well and appears healthy. Newborn sloths use the stomach of their mother as a cradle and snuggles into the well camouflaged cuddly fur. As a consequence, the baby is very difficult to photograph. The little sloth measures just under 8-inches and weighs less than a pound. Can you see the baby, cradled under the mother's chin?

The long, coarse hair of the sloth protects them from sun and rain. Their fur, unlike other mammals, flows from belly to top, not top from belly, allowing rainwater to slide off the fur while the animal is hanging upside down.

Hoffmann's two-toed sloth is found in the rain forest canopy in two separate regions of South America. Sloths are slow moving animals; the Hoffmann's two-toed sloth gets its name from the two toes on their forefeet. The toes end with long, curved claws that they use to hang upside down, almost completely motionless. Sloths sleep in this position for a minimum of 16 hours a day! As you can guess, they spent most of their time in trees, although they may travel on the ground to move to a new tree. They are strictly nocturnal, moving slowly through the canopy for about eight hours each night. In the wild, they are solitary and aside from mothers with their babies, it is unusual for two sloths to be found in a tree at the same time.

The name "sloth" means "lazy," but the slow movements of this animal are actually an adaptation for surviving on a low-energy diet of leaves. Sloths have very poor eyesight and hearing, and rely almost entirely on their senses of touch and smell to find food.

We don't know the gender of the baby as yet and the development of the new baby is almost as slow as their every day lives! The sloth offspring won't attempt the two-toed upside down "hang" until they are 6-month old!

Come and see the newest addition at the park; you will find them located in the reptile/primate building in the main park.

Twins Times Two!! Congratulations to Resident Cotton-Top and Red-Handed Tamarins!

Congratulations are in order for Wildwood Wildlife Park's residents: Cotton-Top Tamarin father Titus and mother Tullia and Red-Handed Tamarin father Cleo and mother Clowee. Both resident couples are now proud parents of twins!

The Cotton-Top Tamarin is a small New World monkey, weighing less than one pound, is found in tropical forests. Newborn Cotton-Tops can equal 20 percent of their mother's weight! Breeding pairs of Cotton-Tops are monogamous and raising babies is a family affair. Both Titus and Tullia take turns carrying their babies on their backs.

Cotton-Top Tamarins vocalize with birdlike whistles, soft chirping sounds and high-pitched trilling. They get their name from the long white hairs on their forehead that flows over their shoulders. They also have loud territorial songs as well as songs when it is excited.

The life span of Cotton-Top Tamarins in captivity has been as high as 25 years, in the wild the life span is about 13-16 years. The wild population is estimated at about 6,000 (source). Fewer than 300 Cotton-Top Tamarins make up the captive population; the population in Columbia are literally losing ground in the wild due to forest destruction to provide land for agricultural purposes and timber for fuel and housing.

Cotton-Top Tamarins are now protected by international law; they are critically endangered and are considered to be one of The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates.

You can see these beautiful little monkeys in their enclosure right next to the river otters at the Wildwood Wildlife Park.

Proud Red-Handed Tamarin father Cleo and mother Clowee are also busy with their newborn twins. Most tamarins have traditional white fur around their mouths except for the Red-Handed Tamarins; their face and body are mostly black. Their hands and feet are orange-red in color, which is why they are also known as the Golden-Handed Tamarin or Midas Tamarin.

Unlike other primates, Red-Handed Tamarin have claws instead of nail on all of their digits with the exception of their big toes. Also, their thumbs lack the saddle joint which allows for opposable thumbs.

The Red-Handed Tamarin is an exceptional climber and spends most of its time among the vines and branches of the trees. They are quick and agile and are superb jumpers known to jump distances of over 60 feet from a tree to the ground with no sign of injury.

Like all new babies at Wildwood Wildlife Park, the Cotton-Top and Red-Handed Tamarin twins are very important additions to a highly endangered species.

Wildwood Wildlife Park along with other zoos are working together to save species like Cotton-Top Tamarins and Red-Handed Tamarins by optimizing genetic diversity and ensuring a healthy captive population which in turn we can hope to save the endangered species from extinction in the wild.