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Black and White
from A to Zebra

Black and white is taking center stage at the Zoo as giant anteaters, white tiger cubs and Damara zebras make their debuts. "We don't usually get the opportunity to unveil three species at once," said Zoo President Rick Schwartz. "The fact that they are all black and white is even more unusual."

Giant Anteater Sneak Peek

Nashville Zoo has the largest collection of giant anteaters in the country, but for most of the Zoo’s history, guests could only experience these long-tongued giants on a Back Stage Pass or an All Access Expedition Tour. For a limited time, visitors can spot two of the Zoo’s nine giant anteaters in the former African Wild Dog Habitat (the dogs are temporarily off exhibit).

The anteaters will be on exhibit until the weather becomes too cool for their tropical preferences (around November). A 4.5-acre South American exhibit will eventually permanently house all of the Zoo’s giant anteaters, in addition to jaguars, tapirs, giant otters, jabiru storks, and saki and howler monkeys.

The Zoo’s other anteaters reside in a state-of-the-art breeding facility on the Zoo’s back property. Nashville Zoo has been involved in giant anteater conservation for 11 years. Only about 5,000 giant anteaters remain in the wild due to habitat loss and hunting, and Nashville Zoo is working to increase that number and ensure the giant anteater’s survival. Seven giant anteaters have been born at Nashville Zoo since 2001, and ultrasounds have confirmed another one is on the way. Important species information, from dietary requirements to breeding habits, also continues to be gathered.

Twice the Tigers

Nashville Zoo’s two tigers, My-lee and Sareeka, are favorites of many Zoo guests. Now visitors can catch twice the stripes with the addition of Benwa and Taboo, two rambunctious 4-month-old white tiger cubs.

Benwa and Taboo are in the former Eurasian Lynx Exhibit this spring, down the trail from the adult tiger exhibit. Once the cubs return to their permanent home in Florida, the two lynx will be back on exhibit.

The white coats of the cubs and My-lee result from a natural color variation caused by an extremely rare double-recessive gene. They are not “albino” as many people often think, and they are the same species as their more common orange counterparts.

From a Handful to a “Herd”ful

The African Field Habitat, home to eland, ostriches and Grant’s zebras, has a few new inhabitants. The Zoo recently welcomed seven Damara zebras, a subspecies of the plains zebra. All seven mares are believed to be pregnant, so some foals could be joining the herd soon. (Did You Know?: Zebra foals can walk just 20 minutes after birth and can run after one hour.)

Damara zebras have lighter, brown-colored stripes in addition to the usual black and white. Different zebra species have different types of stripes, but each zebra has a unique stripe pattern, like human fingerprints. In the wild, a zebra’s stripes actually help protect it. When zebras group together, lions and other predators cannot easily pick out one zebra to attack among the myriad of stripes.

IF YOU GO

What:        Giant Anteaters, White Tiger Cubs, Damara Zebras

Where:     Nashville Zoo

When:       Zebras: March 6
                  Tiger Cubs: March 13
                  Giant Anteaters: March 20

Hours:      March 15 - Oct. 15
                  daily 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
                  Oct. 16 - March 14
                  daily 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.