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Come celebrate World Bear Day with our very own diva, Jelly! 🐻

Jelly is an American Black Bear (Ursus americanus), the smallest and most widely distributed species of bear in the Americas. Chances are, if you`re from this region, you`ve seen or heard of black bears in the area. They were once found in 49 of the 50 states but are now locally extinct in a good chunk of the Midwest.

In New Jersey, the best thing to do if you see a black bear is to keep your distance & leave it alone. If you live in a more wooded area, consider bear-proofing your garbage bins to discourage black bears from foraging near humans. Only call wildlife authorities if the bear is acting extremely aggressive and you fear for your safety or for others nearby. New Jersey is their home too!

Unfortunately, of the 8 species of bears around the world, 6 are considered vulnerable or threatened. The threats to bears include climate change (in the case of polar bears), habitat fragmentation/deforestation (sun bears, panda bears, Asian black bears), and poaching/illegal trade (sloth bears, spectacled bears).

We know Jelly can be hard to see at times, so check out her habitat first thing at zoo opening or for one of her scatter feeds scheduled daily around 12pm & 3pm.

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Here at the Essex County Turtle Back Zoo, people may think we are partial to the turtle, but we love our amphibians too! 🐸 So today, let`s celebrate World Frog Day! We have four species of frog that can be seen in the Reptile House: Splendid Tree Frogs (Litoria splendida), Amazon Milk Frogs (Trachycephalus resinifictrix), Dyeing Poison Dart Frogs (Dendrobates tinctorius), and Lake Titicaca Frogs (Telmatobius culeus). In the wild, three of the four species can be found in South America, while the Splendid Tree Frogs are found in Northwest Australia.
🐜Dyeing Poison Dart Frogs are one of the largest and most variably colored species of poison dart frogs. Unlike our other frogs mentioned so far, this species tends to stick closer to the ground. Like many other poison frogs, they do not actually produce their own toxin but instead become toxic due to their high alkaloid diet of ants & mites in the wild.
🥛Amazon Milk Frogs get their name because they are found in the Amazon rainforest and secrete a sticky milk-like substance when they feel threatened. While they are primarily arboreal, they do spend a good amount of time in water and will often live specifically in trees that are above permanent water sources.
🌙Splendid Tree Frogs are a nocturnal species that live mainly in trees, but they can also be found in caves or rock crevices throughout the day when they are resting. They also tend to live in areas near humans and can even be found in toilets or showers on occasion! They are also relatively common pets in Australia.
⛵Lake Titicaca Frogs are found in only ONE lake in the Andes Mountains (the eponymous lake from which they are named). Because their natural habitat is restricted to this singular lake, any human interaction or other environmental damage affects their population very greatly. They are endangered, mainly due to pollution, over-hunting by humans, and the introduction of an invasive species of trout.

Have you been able to spot all 4 species in our Reptile House?

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It`s easy bein` green 🍀💚

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Do you consider Friday the 13th to be a lucky or unlucky day? Here, we believe it`s a lucky day because we get to share some fun facts about animals as omens!

🦉Owls are the symbol of Athena, Greek goddess of wisdom and war. Seeing an owl means some changes are coming your way!
🐢Turtles, bison, bears, and eagles are all part of the Seven Grandfather Teachings of the Anishinaabe clans, symbolizing strength and stability, respect, bravery, and honesty, respectively.
🐍Snakes can represent temptation and greed or represent longevity, intelligence, and adaptability, like in the Chinese zodiac.
👇Share some of your other favorite animal mythologies with us!