There’s a new critter at Zoo Atlanta, although you may have a tough time seeing him as he acclimates to his new surroundings.
The zoo announced this week that Hamlet, a 19-month-old male warthog from Texas’ Houston Zoo, has been welcomed to the African Savanna habitat. There, he joins 6-year-old Eleanor, a female warthog.
“We’re excited to introduce Hamlet to the African Savanna. Warthogs are animals that many people consider iconic to a legendary part of Africa,” said Jennifer Mickelberg, Ph.D., Vice President of Collections and Conservation in a press release. “The animals that are part of this environment are all emblematic of the connectedness of this ecosystem – and of the connections between us here in Atlanta and the future of Africa’s wild savannas.”
Zoo Atlanta welcomes Hamlet seven months after the death of 13-year-old warthog Shirley. She assisted in introducing zoo attendees to her species in 2007 following her arrival with Vern, a warthog who had passed away previously. Eleanor, one of Shirley and Vern’s daughters, moved to the then-new African Savanna in August 2019.
Although populations of the wild warthog are currently widespread, the sub-Saharan Africa-native creatures are in decline because of desertification, drought and human-caused habitat fragmentation and habitat loss. Still, the wild pigs are very resilient and can adapt better to human actions than most of the other mammals that reside in the grasslands.
Hamlet’s arrival follows that of another addition to Zoo Atlanta’s African Savanna in May. Unlike the warthog who joins others at the zoo, 9-year-old southern white rhinoceros, Mumbles, was the first of his species to live at the capital city’s zoo.
Guests can see Mumbles and try their best to take a gander at Hamlet at the zoo safely knowing that COVID-19 protocols are in effect.
Among the procedures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are advanced ticket sales, timed ticketing, a mostly one-way zoo experience, hand-sanitizing stations throughout the property and signs posted to encourage social distancing. Masks are required for guests ages 10 and up and some optional paid experiences, such as giraffe feeding and the zoo train, require masks for guests ages 2 and older.
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