A Day at the Pana'ewa Rain Forest Zoo: The ride to the zoo is a long uphill
slope almost exactly due South of my apartment in Hilo. To say it was a day at the
zoo is a stretch. It only takes about an hour to see most all of this beautiful little
pocket of paradise.
zoo is a stretch. It only takes about an hour to see most all of this beautiful little
pocket of paradise.
The distance is 5.2 miles to the zoo and the rise in elevation is 383 feet,
going from 17' in Hilo to 400' at the entrance to the zoo.
going from 17' in Hilo to 400' at the entrance to the zoo.
The zoo houses a white tiger, some monkeys, an assortment of birds, and a
variety of other animals such as a giant anteater and some donkeys.
variety of other animals such as a giant anteater and some donkeys.
"Located on the "Big Island" of Hawaii, this 12 acre zoo is the only tropical rainforest zoo in the United States. It is home to more than 80 animal species including the endangered Nene (Hawaii State Bird) and Namaste', a white Bengal Tiger. The links on the left will take you to interesting information on many of the Zoo's animal exhibits. "
http://www.hilozoo.com/zoo_facts_animals.php
http://www.hilozoo.com/zoo_facts_animals.php
Zoo entrance.
Google Earth map of route to zoo from Hilo.
Inside the zoo entrance.
Admission is free.
A butterfly has a snack.
For more information on the monarch butterfly, see the zoo web site at:http://www.hilozoo.com/zoo_facts_animals_invertebrates.php
A peacock struts at leisure.
Proud bird upon a post.
Pea-hen?
Monkeys
"Capuchin Monkey
Cebus ssp
Family: Cebidae Sub-family: Cebinae
Medium-sized New World monkeys with four subspecies, currently none are threatened. C. capucinus - the white faced capuchin is native to Central America and the other capuchin species C. apella – black-capped, brown or tufted capuchins, C. albifrons –cinnamon, white-fronted, or brown pale-fronted capuchins, C. olivaceus (nigrivittatus) - weeping or wedge-capped capuchins are native to South America, ranging throughout the tropical forests of the Amazon Basin and into the Andes. The family Cebidae also contains the squirrel monkeys, and spider monkeys".
Another monkey, or a Cotton-top Tamarin?
Cebus ssp
Family: Cebidae Sub-family: Cebinae
Medium-sized New World monkeys with four subspecies, currently none are threatened. C. capucinus - the white faced capuchin is native to Central America and the other capuchin species C. apella – black-capped, brown or tufted capuchins, C. albifrons –cinnamon, white-fronted, or brown pale-fronted capuchins, C. olivaceus (nigrivittatus) - weeping or wedge-capped capuchins are native to South America, ranging throughout the tropical forests of the Amazon Basin and into the Andes. The family Cebidae also contains the squirrel monkeys, and spider monkeys".Another monkey, or a Cotton-top Tamarin?
The monkey house.
Bamboo of many colors.
The most wonderful Hyacinth Macaw.
"Zoey Manu, a very friendly hyacinth Macaw"
Amazon Parrots.
The main attraction, Namaste', the Bengal Tiger.
"Panthera tigris
Family: Felidae
Our tiger named Namaste` is a male Bengal (Indian) tiger. His ancestors were found in the forests of Rewa in central India. All of the 250 or so captive white tigers are descended from Mohan, a wild white Bengal tiger caught by the Maharaja of Rewa in 1951.
Namaste's striking white coat and crossed blue eyes are due to the expression of recessive genes. He was hand-raised in Las Vegas and donated to the zoo by a magician, Dirk Arthur, who was impressed with our world-class one-acre tiger enclosure. "Namaste" is an Sanskrit word that is loosely translated as "Aloha".
Namaste was born on September 30, 1998 and arrived in Hilo April 16, 1999. He was 7 months old and weighed 80 pounds. He was held in his night house in quarantine until August 14, 1999. The life span of tigers in captivity is 15 to 20 years. Sexual maturity is reached at age 3 to 4 years. Namaste's weight now is over 500 pounds. His diet consists of 3 whole chickens, 10 lb. meat, ground bone and vitamins per day.
Male tigers are solitary animals. Namaste is very happy in his home. He knows everything and everybody associated with the zoo. Some of his daily routines include patrolling, basking in the sun, playing in the water with his toys, sleeping, sharpening claws, posing regally, and stalking Arnie, the water buffalo, in the next enclosure. He is fed at 3:30 every afternoon in his night house where he spends the night and is let out the next morning. He has caught and eaten several jungle fowl and peacocks in his enclosure."
"Panthera tigris
Family: Felidae
Our tiger named Namaste` is a male Bengal (Indian) tiger. His ancestors were found in the forests of Rewa in central India. All of the 250 or so captive white tigers are descended from Mohan, a wild white Bengal tiger caught by the Maharaja of Rewa in 1951.
Namaste's striking white coat and crossed blue eyes are due to the expression of recessive genes. He was hand-raised in Las Vegas and donated to the zoo by a magician, Dirk Arthur, who was impressed with our world-class one-acre tiger enclosure. "Namaste" is an Sanskrit word that is loosely translated as "Aloha".Namaste was born on September 30, 1998 and arrived in Hilo April 16, 1999. He was 7 months old and weighed 80 pounds. He was held in his night house in quarantine until August 14, 1999. The life span of tigers in captivity is 15 to 20 years. Sexual maturity is reached at age 3 to 4 years. Namaste's weight now is over 500 pounds. His diet consists of 3 whole chickens, 10 lb. meat, ground bone and vitamins per day.
Male tigers are solitary animals. Namaste is very happy in his home. He knows everything and everybody associated with the zoo. Some of his daily routines include patrolling, basking in the sun, playing in the water with his toys, sleeping, sharpening claws, posing regally, and stalking Arnie, the water buffalo, in the next enclosure. He is fed at 3:30 every afternoon in his night house where he spends the night and is let out the next morning. He has caught and eaten several jungle fowl and peacocks in his enclosure."
Always plenty of flowers in bloom.
Rhododendrons
Rhododendrons
