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| Camels' New Home |
| November 10, 2005 by Stuart |
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After months of hard work, living out in a tent with a dog all spring and summer and part of the fall, while also building a 5 acre horse pasture, and running the rest of the Zoo, and with a LOT of help from a few people, the new camel environment is finally sufficiently ready for habitation.
On Wednesday, November the 2nd, Fear-No-More Zoo's new, much larger camel area was finally ready for their relocation.
We gathered them all together at 1pm and began to lead and coax them up the half-mile long trail from their previous environment, which had grown too small for the four of them.
About one quarter of the way along the trail Peaceful Baba broke away and returned back down the path to the old habitat. A further hundred yards on Purnimama managed to break away also, returning via a more circuitous path through the brush. We continued on with just Google Mama and Jelly Baba.
It was a difficult walk for them, separated from the other two and heading into unknown, unfamiliar country. It took almost a full hour to get these two all the way up to the new area. At times we had to be very forceful to keep them moving forward. I was completely impressed at how benign in temperament they all remained, even when being pushed beyond their comfort thresh-holds. There was not a single incident of the camels moving to kick, spit, bite or run over anybody. They remained sensitive to everyone's physical safety. Knowing them well, I expected they would be like this, but it was nice to see it confirmed. They are a good group of camels with a deep trust, respect and affection for humans.
Once Google Mama and Jelly Baba entered the new enclosure we left several people with them while another group went back for Peaceful Baba and Purnimama. This second hike went a lot faster as we mostly jogged the whole way back up the hill. Peaceful Baba and Purnimama could smell the other two along the trail and were keen to rejoin them. They arrived in the new area about ten minutes after leaving their old place.
Reunited, they all began relaxing again. It was great to watch them all gallop off through the new expanse and out into the broad open field. Every so often they would buck and kick their feet exuberantly, going around and around the entire environment in a tight-knit group, like a band of Masai tribesmen moving purposefully over the savannahs.
While they settled in, getting more used to the 30 acre area and its perimeters, locating the water trough and the bales of hay we had put around for them, I went back to work on various parts of the fences and other minor projects. For a couple of hours or so they chose to follow me back and forth from one end of the environment to the other. Whenever we came near the gates they all wanted to go out and return to their old place back down the hill in the main Zoo. After a while, I took them back out to the far end of the environment, near the lake, and hid myself in the bushes. After looking for me for a while they began to relax with the idea that I was no longer around. As I watched them from the bush, they continued with further exploring, eating, and relaxing, clearly no longer needing to have me in their sight. I snuck out and left them there. After dark I returned to check on them and everyone was fine.
Since their arrival we have been keeping a close watch on the camels as they continue to explore and familiarize themselves with the whole place.
They have a large wet-weather shelter, and a second one will go in soon. There is still quite a bit of work to be done to fully complete the project, but these are all merely refinements to further enhance the life quality, and the practical care,
of our camels in this new habitat.
The move was a success. The camels clearly love their new home, although they are still in the process of assimilating it all. It was great to watch all four of them run together across the fields, with their heads high, nostrils flaring, farting, barking, big backsides flexing from side to side, humps jiggling and woolly manes billowing in the wind. At different places one of them would suddenly pull up to investigate something in the grass, and all the others would rear around and come back to take a look, creating a circle of big hairy backsides in the golden, grassy field! Then they would all be off again in another direction, jogging about in search of the next curious thing.
Once they have fully settled in here, we will start formally training them again.
The people who helped with the relocation of the camels were Andrea Schwab, Andrea Keningston, Malcolm Dunshee, Terry Cafferty, Sandra Gutman, Rita Gordon, and Susan Hughes. These are all people whom the camels know well and trust. Everyone performed their assigned roles well.
And many others generously helped financially to make this possible. Thank you to everyone involved!
Stuart |
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| Black-Capped Lories Join Us |
| August 1, 2005 by Stuart |
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Fear-No-More Zoo recently received a pair of beautiful Black-Capped Lories.
These birds' previous situation was a four-foot square breeding cage in suburban central Florida. They were well cared for but unable to fly at all due to their small enclosure.
They are now enjoying a relatively spacious flight aviary (14’ X 14’ X 9’) with two heated (in winter) nesting boxes, bushes, bamboo, hanging toys and a pond and waterfall beneath a tall shady oak tree. We give them two nesting boxes to allow them a choice of nesting spaces.
Black-capped lories are natives of the New Guinea highland forests. Our new pair, who are now nine years of age, were bred in captivity here in the United States. As far as we know, they have been together for about five years.
They were immediately comfortable and relaxed as they emerged from the travel box into their new aviary. Within a couple of days they were showing a variety of happy courting behaviors, and today they were observed mating. So, if things go well, they may breed before winter.
Since their arrival these two birds have intermittently filled the Zoo Gardens with some of the wonderful sounds of the New Guinea rainforest. It is a delight to be able to care for these exquisite beings. Black-caps are the second largest of the many species of lory. The largest lory is the Chattering Lory. Pictured below is the male of the new pair.
Being a so-called “breeding pair”, rather than hand-raised as pets, these "Black-Caps" communicate a wild, calm, sane intensity, while still being friendly and approachable.
Lories are parrot-like birds whose diet largely consists of fresh fruit and flower nectar. Lories are very intelligent, humorous, playful and fearless birds. They frequently smell like sweet ripe fruits due to their diet, which is high in fruit and natural sugars. |
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| New Tortoise House |
| July 31, 2005 by Stuart |
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Thanks to the generosity of some of Fear-No-More Zoo's supporters we are very happy to have recently completed a new, much larger house for our two Aldabran Tortoises, Yes and No.
When Yes and No arrived here in January 1996, they each weighed 33.5 pounds. Today, nine years later and at 15 years of age, they weigh about 160 pounds each, and have outgrown their original house. Aldabrans can grow to 400 or 500 pounds.
Their new winter / night house has a much larger floor space, skylights, and a large clear-glass frontage. Since we did not have the funds to build them a permanent structure at this time, we opted for this durable (and for them temporary) kit building, which will amply provide for them for another five or more years.
When funds permit we will build the Aldabrans a permanent night and winter house with under-floor heating, an egg-laying pit, and other features to enable their winters to be really comfortable. Once their permanent house is in place, the present temporary structure will be used in other ways.
In their enclosure, which will also be greatly expanded in coming months, Yes and No have the pleasure of a small hot-spring mud hole where, in winter, they can wallow deep in the mud to warm up even on cold days and nights. They always have the choice of going into their heated night-house or staying out in the warm muddy spring (with a portable roof placed over their backs).
Yes is the female of the pair. She is very friendly toward visitors, always approaching people for some contact and gentle neck stroking. She loves contact and relationship. No, the male, is less gregarious, although friendly. More independent, he is less inclined to relate with people. The two of them are very close. I will write more about their unique characters in a future article. |
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| July 4th '05 Anniversary for Robert the Cat |
| July 15, 2005 by Stuart |
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As it is each year, Robert the Cat's death (mahasamadhi) anniversary was honored recently on July 4th at Holy Cat Grotto, here at the Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary. The ceremony was attended by about 150 people in honor of Robert, who was Adi Da's first teacher. Swami Vivekananda's mahasamadhi anniversary was also honored on July 4th (as it is each year) in conjunction with Robert the Cat's passing on that same date.
(from The Knee of Listening pp.123 -- 143)
"Robert himself was nothing less to me than my best friend and mentor. He was more, not less, than human to me. I watched him with fascination. I followed him through the woods and watched him hunt. I tried to understand his curious avoidance of the sea, and how he could sit on the cliff above the sea, watching the evening sun, and the wind blowing his hairs heroically about his head. The mystery of his pattern of living, his ease and justice, the economy of all his means, the untouchable absence of all anxiety, the sudden and adequate power he brought to every circumstance without exceeding the intensity required, all of his ways seemed to me an epitome of the genius of life. And he communicated with me so directly that I was disarmed. He would call me when he returned in the evening. He would touch me whenever he needed my presence. He would lie with me as if with conscious intention to console me with his living presence. And I loved him as deeply as the universe itself."
Today, at The Mountain Of Attention Sanctuary, there is an outdoor Temple named "Holy Cat Grotto" which honors Robert and his Spiritual relationship with Adi Da Samraj. Holy Cat Grotto is a wild, profound place of healing and meditation.
"I recognized that Robert had been my teacher in the wilderness. He had filled my eye and owned a thread of attention in my heart. I Knew him and he Knew me. Nothing could replace that state of life or console its absence. I treated him in death like a saint. I had him cremated, and I kept his ashes."
** The term, "mahasamdhi" refers to a consciously chosen passing from the physical body.
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| Garage Sale Raises $750 |
| June 27, 2005 by Stuart |
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This last Saturday Fear-No-More Zoo supporters Rita Gordon, Susan Thompson and Jake Siglain ran an all-day garage sale to benefit the zoo, raising $750. This money will go toward the new camel habitat.
Thanks to Rita, Jake, Susan Thompson and others who helped. And thanks to everyone who donated goods to sell.
Chances are good for another such sale in a few months or so, so keep us in mind when you come across giveaways in your cupboards and storage.
Stuart
Rita Gordon and camels |
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© 2005-2006 The Avataric Samrajya of Adidam Pty Ltd, as trustee for The Avataric Samrajya of Adidam.
All rights reserved. Perpetual copyright claimed.
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