Mammals

Baird's Tapir

Baird’s tapirs are one of four species of tapirs. Three species live in Central and South America and one species lives in Asia. The upper lip of the tapir forms a proboscis similar to an elephant’s trunk. This is used to help them collect their food as they browse. Tapirs are born brown with white stripes and spots to help with camouflage and turn solid brown with age. Tapirs will poop in nearby bodies of water to hide their scent from predators. You can see our tapirs along the Jungle Loop.

 

Belted Galloway

Belted galloway were first brought to the US in the 1930s. Belted galloway are known to grow larger and produce more milk than other breeds and can sustain colder climates on marginal grasslands. They are also known for their high quality beef. The origin of the coloration is unknown but the white belt can vary in width. Belted galloway will grow a shaggy coat in the winter. You can visit our belted galloways at the Historic Farm.

Bontebok

The bontebok was nearly extinct in the wild but the creation of Bontebok National Park and breeding on game farms led to the current population of over 2,000 existing throughout southern Africa. Their current conservation status includes the closely related blesbok of which 250,000 exist. They graze during the day on grasses in small groups of about 10. Males will mark their territory with dung and participate in challenge rituals with neighboring males. Both males and females will grow horns.

 

Cape Porcupine

Cape porcupines are the largest porcupines and one of the largest rodents in the world. Despite popular belief, porcupines cannot shoot their quills. When threatened porcupines will raise their quills to appear larger. If that does not work they will stomp their feet, click their teeth, and rattle their quills. As a last resort, they will ram a predator with their quills, causing them to be lodged in the skin of the predator.

 

Clouded Leopard

Clouded leopards are the top predators in their range and help control populations of prey species. They are solitary hunters active largely at night. Similar to other leopards they are great climbers and can usually be found in trees which they use to hunt and as resting places. Little is known about their breeding behavior but it is thought that they can mate year round. You can visit our clouded leopards on the Bamboo Trail.
 

Cotswold Sheep

Cotswold sheep are long wooled that are adapted to areas with high rainfall and abundant food. They are considered a long wool breed because they can grow 10-12 inches of wool per year, that equals 15 pounds of wool each sheep can grow per year. This curly white wool is popular with handspinners who turn the wool into thread. Cotswold sheep are a heritage breed with less than 5000 remaining in the world. You can visit our sheep at the Historic Farm.

Cotton-top Tamarin

The cotton-top tamarin is one of the most endangered South American primates and gets its name from the mane of white fur around its face. These social primates live in family groups of 3 to 13 individuals and can produce over 38 vocalizations to communicate with one another. Like other tamarins, cotton-top tamarins usually give birth to twins. Both male and female cotton-top tamarins participate in caring for young, with male parents taking turns carrying young so females can forage and feed. Cotton-top tamarins are critically endangered due to threats from deforestation and the pet trade. You can see our cotton-top tamarin in Expedition Peru: Trek of the Andean Bear.

 

Cougar

Cougars, also known as pumas or mountain lions, are solitary animals mostly active at night. At one point, cougars had the largest range of any mammal in North and South America. With the increase in human population that range has shrunk to mostly mountainous regions of the western United States. Males will have a home range of about 150 square miles which will include several females. Cougars will not mate until they have their own territory and then breeding can take place year round. Females will have 1-6 cubs and breed every 2 years as cubs can remain with their mother for more than a year. Cougars can catch large prey which they can drag over 900 feet from the place of capture to feed. They often bury their kills to feed at a later time.

 

Eland

Eland are one of the largest hooved animals in the world. They are very adaptable animals with the ability to live in all environments except deserts, forests, and swamps. They are some of the slowest antelope, running only 25 miles per hour. Eland will live in herds of up to 25. There may be more than one male but only the dominant male will have access to females for breeding. Calves are born after a 9 month gestation period and hide after they are born for protection.

 

Goats

Goats began to be domesticated for agricultural purposes more than 10,000 years ago. They are used for a variety of purposes including their milk, meat, and hair depending on the breed. Females called does often give birth to twins and can have up to 4 kids at a time. Similar to several other hooved animals, goats have a 4-chambered ruminating stomach. This works by the goat eating food, which spends time in the stomach and then is regurgitated to be chewed again. This helps to produce very little waste and allows goats to get all of the nutrition possible out of their diet. Despite popular culture goats will not eat everything, they are actually quite picky. However, goats are extremely curious and will chew on new things to help figure out what they are.

You can see several breeds of goat including Nigerian Dwarf, African Pygmy, Alpine, Toggenburg, and Nubian goats in the Zoo's Critter Encounter area.

Giraffe

There are 7 different types of giraffes, here at Nashville Zoo, you can see Masai giraffes. Giraffes are the tallest of all land mammals. Giraffes have a neck that is 6 feet long and weighs 600 pounds. Their heart is 2 feet long and weighs 25 pounds. They eat about 75 pounds of food each day which they gather with their 18-inch long tongue. Due to this massive size giraffes do not really need to hide from predators, they do need to be worried about lions, but giraffes have a powerful kick that they will use to defend themselves. You can find our giraffes on the African Savannah.

Guinea Pig

Surprisingly, guinea pigs are not related to pigs, nor did they originate in Guinea. Though they no longer exist in the wild, guinea pigs are cavies indigenous to South America, with fossil records dating back to 9,000 B.C. Domestication began around 5,000 B.C. for food by tribes in the Andean region and remain a popular food source in South America today. There are 13 recognized breeds of guinea pig, and each is characterized by differences in hair color, texture, sheen and patterns present. Guinea pigs are very social animals and are popular as household pets in Western societies.

You can see our Abyssinian, Peruvian, Teddy and American guinea pigs at Expedition Peru: Trek of the Andean Bear.

Meerkat

Meerkats are small mammals related to the mongoose. They live in underground burrows with up to 40 meerkats in groups called mobs. This large social group is key to the meerkats survival. You will see at least one individual on “sentry duty” looking out for predators while others will spend time grooming and playing together to maintain their tight bond. Meerkats are made for digging and can excavate huge burrow systems with many different rooms that provide protection from predators. These burrows can have 15 entrances and they stay a constant cool temperature even in the hot African sun. Be on the lookout for our meerkats near Zoo Central.

 

Mexican Spider Monkey

Spider monkeys get their common name for their extremely long, spidery limbs and prehensile tail, which can support their entire weight and is often used as a third arm for movement. Spider monkeys are adapted for an arboreal lifestyle - swinging through the trees with a hand over hand motion called semi-brachiation. Spider monkeys lack visible thumbs which allows for greater ease while moving through the branches. Spider monkeys are critically endangered in the rainforest due to habitat loss and destruction.

 

Miniature Donkey

Miniature donkeys are comical, intelligent, and friendly animals. They were bred to be tough, trainable, small, and were used for work and transport. In order to be considered miniature the donkey must be less than 36 inches tall. They can come in a variety of different colors including brown, black, grey, and even spotted. Miniature donkeys are also very easy to care for and can make strong emotional bonds with people who raise them or get to know them. You can visit our miniature donkeys at the Historic Farm.

Red Kangaroo

Red kangaroos are the largest marsupials and the largest mammals in Australia. Females use their pouch to carry a baby called a joey that is born after about 30 days. The joey will permanently leave the pouch after about 235 days. These plant eaters can go for long periods of time without drinking water by eating moisture filled succulent plants. Kangaroos in Australia can be seen in large groups called mobs. They can run 40 miles per hour, jump 30 feet long, and 10 feet high. You can see our kangaroos at Kangaroo Kickabout.

Red Panda

The red pandas were once thought to be relatives of raccoons and bears but research has now put them in their own animal family Ailuridae. Red pandas are solitary and they rarely interact with another red panda outside of mating season. Breeding season is in the early winter with most births being in June. Similar to giant pandas, red pandas have a wrist bone that acts like a thumb to help them grip bamboo. You can see our red pandas on Bamboo Trail.

 

Red River Hog

Red river hogs are very social animals who will live in groups of up to 20. Groups are usually made up of 1 adult male, several females, and their piglets. They are mostly active once the sun sets where they will use their shovel like snouts to dig up roots or bulbs to eat, though red river hogs will eat most anything they find. Female hogs will give birth to about 1-4 piglets. Male offspring are forced out of their group at about one year of age. Male red river hogs will fight by butting heads, whipping each other with their tails, and will fluff their facial hair when threatened. You can see our red river hogs on the African Savannah.

Red Ruffed Lemur

Red-ruffed lemurs are 1 of more than 100 species of lemurs on the island of Madagascar. Lemurs are not monkeys but a type of primate called a prosimian. Red-ruffed lemurs will spend most of their day in the canopies of forests and they play an important role in pollination in their habitat. Red-ruffed lemurs are very vocal, with the ability to make more than 12 separate calls. These are used to warn others of predators, keep the group together while foraging, or to warn others that a space is already occupied. Listen for our red-ruffed lemurs on the Bamboo Trail.