Monday, January 26, 2009

Toucan at Las Pumas Rescue Center

This toucan at the Las Pumas Rescue Center for animals illustrates a bird's eye view of the adage that the grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence. Why did this toucan strain to twist his huge beak and his neck through the chain link fence? Everything he or she needs is inside the fence, and there is nothing outside the fence but a few dry leaves, and a closer look at human visitors.

The Las Pumas Rescue Center takes very good care of its animals. It prepares them to be able to be reintroduced into the wild if the animals would be able to survive in the wild. That means hiding food for the animals in their cages, giving them different types of food, and other methods to stimulate them. It gives them treats. In fact, the cougars and other wild cats are even given cow's blood ice cream.

The only explanation I can think of is that this toucan is simply a very friendly fellow, and he wanted a closer look her two visitors, who were my wife (who does the new
Scottsdale Daily Photo) and our friend Sharon (who does Phoenix Daily Photo).

Las Pumas Rescue Center is a wonderful place to visit and does very worthwhile work. If you missed my earlier posts about it, please check out those posts for Las Pumas on the subject index tab on the left side of this website.

8 comments:

Sharon said...

He really did look like he wanted to follow us home.

Julie ScottsdaleDailyPhoto.com said...

The Toucan was trying to eat red buds that had fallen off a tree. He was quite flexible to reach them through the fence in the hole even with a big beak. It was funny to watch him maneuver his beak through the hole.

alice said...

I really would want to see this beautiful bird into the wild at least one time in my life!
Thank you for visiting Arradon DP, have a nice day.

Judy said...

So much color on one bird!

Jilly said...

What an amazingly beautiful bird. Those colours are incredible. Perhaps he thought he was a chicken and wanted to cross the road...sorry!

Dave-CostaRicaDailyPhoto.com said...

Well, Julie, thank you for clarifying what the toucan was doing sticking his neck through the fence. I guess this goes to show that before I post a photo taken by you with Sharon, I should ask you first for the whole story.

Anonymous said...

I like this bird. The colors are startling.

Is the bird stuck in the wire fence?

Dave-CostaRicaDailyPhoto.com said...

Abe,
He is not stuck in the wire fence. He stuck his head through the hole in the chain link to get to some leaves on the other side, but was able to extend and retract his neck and head just fine.

Although toucans look awkward, they are actually very coordinated in the use of their long beak. As I mentioned on one of my earlier posts about toucans, the beak is a good adaptation of evolution. It enables the toucans to sit onone branch, and to reach up and pluck off the fruit hanging from the branch above them. They toss the fruit up into the air from teh tip of their beak and then catch the fruit again in a position where it will slide down their throat.

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