Get Wild with Complex Carnivores at Zoo Atlanta
Zoo Atlanta has been around since 1889, making it Atlanta’s oldest cultural institution and one of the oldest continuously operating zoos in the nation. Located within beautiful, historic Grant Park in the heart of intown Atlanta, Zoo Atlanta has undergone lots of renovation in the past 30 years, with one of the most exceptional being the creation of a giant panda habitat in 1999, making the Zoo one of only four in the country with giant pandas.
Recently, Zoo Atlanta added a host of new critters to its Complex Carnivores exhibit, and we went down to check them out.
The new exhibit highlights the different ways in which carnivorous animals live. The Sumatran tiger and clouded leopard have made their home at the zoo for many years, and these solitary, gorgeous big cats are definitely worth seeing for their beautiful coats and elegant demeanors. But have you ever seen a fossa or a binturong? How about bush dogs? These smaller predators are just as interesting as the felines. The fossa is a relative of the mongoose from Madagascar that hunts among the treetops. It also happens to look like a housecat; pretty cute, right?
Fossa
The binturong is another small carnivore that lives in Southeast Asia and makes its home in the trees. They are also known as bearcats, and looking at the binturong, you can see why.
Binturong
But the cutest new carnivore might be the collection of bush dogs. These small, primitive canines hunt in packs of up the 12 individuals across South America and enjoy swimming and playing just like a labrador might!
Bush dogs
Zoo Atlanta houses over 1,300 animals representing more than 220 species and is home to the nation’s largest collections of gorillas and orangutans. So whether you're there to check out the new exhibits, or just make baby noises at the pandas, we're sure all 1,300 would love to see you.
