Asian Myna

The Asian Myna is the most famous talking bird in the Philippines. They are known in mimicking sounds and words from people who they often heard. They do not understand what they are saying and just keeps on repeating the canned words in random moments.

The size of this feathered animal ranges from 6 to 17 inches in height. Is among the starling family of birds or scientifically termed as Sturnidae, the songbird family. This Myna is a high flier songbird. It has a slightly curved bills, long and pointed wings and hard black colored feathers. Their legs and feet are extremely strong which can carry a prey in the air with ease. They can be  commonly found in Asia and very rare in the western countries.

In the wilderness, the Asian Myna mostly do not fly in groups since they are usually aloft and tends to be alone. They hardly feed on small animals, and insects since their staple food are fruits. A very ripe papaya is their most favorite meal.

This bird is one of the best pet to be kept at home since they are not hard to take care and  are fun to be with except on the noise they make.

To train these birds, it would be best to own it when it is still young and put it in a secluded place where only you can talk to them, in this manner no external sources of sounds or words will fill their photographic memory and you will have the grandeur to teach them what words you want them to talk.

As you enter the gates of Cebu Zoo, you would be delighted to hear the first animal speaking the sentence "How are you?" in Cebuano. The bird will say:"Kumusta ka kyaw" ("kyaw" is a what this bird is typically called in Cebu) . Sometimes it can be heard saying "Hello"  which is obviously what it often heard from the zoo visitors.


Here is the actual footage video of the talking bird:

Saltwater Crocodile

Saltwater Crocodiles are one of the predators on top of the food chain. Being carnivorous in nature, they eat every animal that enters its territory. Juveniles of this crocodile eats fishes, squid, insects and other small reptiles. The full growns nearly eats anything that has meat; they include sharks, boars, deer, domestic livestocks on their diet, and including humans. They use their strong jaws to get hold of their prey and a rolling technique to drag it on water to drown or crush it. The Males of this crocodile are extremely territorial and often compete with each other to occupy a comfortable place to dwell.

Saltwater Crocodile Mariano touched by a zoo visitor.

Scientifically called Crocodylus Porosus, the Saltwater crocodile found its habitat on tropical wetlands, which includes marshes and swamps between rivers and seas. It is historically found in Asia and some parts of Australia. Though extinct already in some parts of Southeast Asia like Vietnam, Thailand and Laos; Hundreds of thousands of full grown adults can be still found on Northern Australian territories.

 

These breed of crocodiles are considered to be one of the largest living reptiles to ever live today. Incredibly, some subspecies of male of this reptile can reach up to 30 feet in length and can weight more than a ton. These reptiles have something in common from human beings. They sexually mature at the age of 16 same as the adolescent stage of humans.

 

 

In contrast with the description of this crocodile specie, Cebu Zoo has one of the most friendliest Saltwater Crocodile named Mariano. Mariano is already 60 years old and is still very healthy. He often makes funny noises when being touched.

 

Mariano the Cebu Zoo Crocodile

Albino Hammerhead Shark

The Actual Albino Hammerhead Shark in the Cebu Zoo

Albino fishes are often prone to danger, this is because they lack their protective camouflage from their natural environment. Being unable to conceal themselves from predators on their habitat makes them an easy prey. They also have quite a challenge in catching food since their natural white color makes them difficult from hiding themselves in doing an ambush.

The Albino Hammerhead Sharks are technically named as Albino Pangasius Catfish. This kind of fish grows as much to 4 feet in length. They are not related to the original Hammerhead Shark found in the ocean that can grow as much as 15 feet as there name was coined from some local freshwater fish enthusiasts.

The name Hammerhead Shark which is technically the Freshwater Pangasius Catfish can only be heard in the Philippines. The name has been coined by freshwater aquarium fish sellers to put an elegant name on this fish to entice buyers all over the country.

This can be commonly bought from live freshwater vendors with a price ranging from 50 to 100 Philippine pesos with a size at about 3 to 4 inches in length. Raising this fish as a pet is an inexpensive hobby. You can have it  placed on an aquarium in your very own room or too maximize its gigantic size, have it placed in your backyard fishpond.

Talking about safety, this fish does not have any teeth and completely harmless. You can even bathe on a pool together with dozens of full grown of these species.

Here is an actual video on the pond of the Zoo where the Albino Hammerhead Shark and other co-inhabitants dwell.