Happy Easter~

 southeasternoutdoors.com

Happy Easter everyone! We love celebrating Easter at the reserve with all of our animals...but in particular when I think of this holiday, I think of our three gorgeous emus! Their names are Cosmo, Ernie, and Napoleon. I have had these birds since I was 15 years old! Ernie laid eggs last winter (which confirmed to me it was a she). What's so unique is the male emu is the one who sits and protects the eggs. The female’s job is just to lay them. Cosmo our male was in charge of sitting on the eggs to incubate them. 

Their eggs are emerald green and chicks (pictured above) have strips!

Corbin's "Top Ten Places You Should Visit This Summer" # 8

The Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, Oregon places #8 on my list of the "Top Ten Places You Should Visit This Summer." This amazing little aquarium is constantly ranked top in the nation. I'm a HUGE fan of the Oregon Coast and love the aquarium because ALL the marine animals there (except the otters) are from the Oregon Coast.

These are the stars of the aquarium: three female Sea Otters!!!! The Oregon Coast Aquarium has an amazing exhibit for these large otters complete with rocks, deep water, and (for the public) underwater viewing. Unfortunately these otters are in serious trouble out in the wild. Pollution and hunting are the main factors hurting this species.

The aquarium is HUGE on hands-on interactions. This is a picture of their large tide pool where guests can spend as much time as they want touching and interacting with marine life. My favorite: the sea anemones! They are the green squishy looking things (In this pic they are all closed up).

This is the Octomom...I mean Octopus (opps). These have to be one of my favorite marine creatures.

Jane Goodall!!!

I am so excited!!! Tonight I am going to have the opportunity to meet Jane Goodall!!!! What an honor. She is the world's leading Primatologist who is known for her 45 year study of Chimpanzee social and family interactions in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania. This incredible lady travels 300 days out of the year and speaks to audiences worldwide. I was so excited that our friends at Zoo Boise brought her to our Quest Arena. I promise to most more pics ASAP.

PS: When I meet her I wonder if she'll greet me the same as this chimp?

Corbin's Top Ten Places to visit this Summer #9

Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida places #9 on my list of the "Top Ten Places You Should Visit This Summer." Please don't mind the old pic (I was 17)! Here I am standing in front of Animal Kingdom's icon "The Tree of Life." This artificial tree's trunk is made up of 325 carved images of animals!

Look at these gorgeous Nile Hippos!!!! This was taken during the Kilimanjaro Safaris. This multi-species exhibit is so incredibly naturalistic that you will NOT see a single bar or fence separating you and your safari truck. Disney uses secret hidden barriers to keep all the animals safe, secure, and happy. In this attraction you literally drive through a river full of hippos and crocodiles. In the water there are hidden barriers to keep the crocodiles and hippos at bay!

It wouldn't be Disney if I didn't post a pic of riding on one of their attractions. Dinosaur is one of Disney's main draws and for good reason...this ride is CRAZY!!! I'm the scared one in the green (first row).

Walk down the "Maharajah Jungle Trek" and you will come across giant fruit bats (above), tigers, and Komodo Dragons!

Ok. I know this pic looks out of place but take a close look. These towers (which are located in their Asian Village) are connected with ropes to allow gibbons (apes) the ability to swing from tower to tower over the village. What freedom!

 

If you don't know...this is a Gibbon. (I know I've posted this pic a MILLION times...just can't get enough of it)!

Corbin's top places to visit this summer # 10

Jack Hanna's Columbus Zoo and Aquarium makes my list at #10 for the Top 10 places you should visit this summer. This amazing zoo is home to thousands of species, visually stunning exhibits, and the LARGEST snake in Captivity! Woohoo!!!

This is the LARGEST snake in the country on exhibit at 24 feet long and 300 pounds!!! She is a  Reticulated Python properly named "Fluffy." This snake is responsible for bringing the zoo's attendance to 1.53 million last summer. What a draw!

Here I am on top of an "American Crocodile" at the zoo's Manatee Coast exhibit. The exhibit construction was featured on Animal Planet's "Ultimate Zoo."

This is for all of you mammal people out there! The zoo has a A LOT of different mammalian species, including the Southern White Rhino!

One of my favorites! The Komodo Dragon. I have seen plenty dragons at various zoos across the country BUT the Columbus Zoo's Komodo exhibit takes the cake for being the very best. It features a HUGE outdoor yard complete with waterfalls, trees, and grass hills. Did I mention their huge indoor exhibit???

My all-time favorite! The American Alligator. This young female was basking just outside the zoo's Reptile House! Don't you just want to kiss her on the lips?!!!