Zoolungzoolung! Nice to meet you~ I’m Garfield, the Leader of the Life Guardians at the Yeongdeungpo branch, where I’m fulfilling my childhood dream of becoming a zookeeper at Zoolungzoolung.
Now approaching my third year at Zoolung, the most rewarding moment has been meeting the red-crowned crane named “Hongdu”!
Introducing zoolungman
Yeongdeungpo
Garfield
Guardian of Life
We're good friends
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Call Duck
The Call Duck is the smallest of all domestic duck breeds. Even as adults, they rarely exceed a body length of about 30 cm or a weight of 1 kg. With their plump bodies, round heads, and short beaks and legs, they have a charming appearance. They are very affectionate toward people, highly curious, and have a gentle temperament, making them popular as pets. Their feathers are mostly white, but there are also varieties with spotted patterns or colorful plumage resembling that of mallards or magpies.
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Aquatic turtle
Its name comes from the word “kuta,” which means “turtle” in the African Bambara language. As a semi-aquatic turtle, it spends most of its time in the water and always eats its meals underwater. This is because it has difficulty swallowing its food without water. However, it also really enjoys coming ashore to bask in the sun.
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Plover
Black-winged stilt It is characterized by its long, slender pink legs; the word “Himantopus,” which appears twice in its scientific name, “Himantopus himantopus,” means “long, slender legs” in Greek. Pied avocet It gets its name, “back-billed,” from the shape of its beak, which curves backward. It catches crustaceans and aquatic insects by moving its long, slender, bow-shaped beak from side to side while keeping it parallel to the water's surface. Although its legs are long, they are relatively short compared to those of the black-winged stilt.
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Scarlet ibis
The scarlet ibis's red feathers become more vivid as it ages. It is said that the feathers are red mainly due to a pigment called astaxanthin found in the crustaceans they eat. Newborn chicks are featherless, but their feathers gradually turn brown and then, as they grow older, become red like their parents. Their beaks are long and slender, curving downward, and they use them to probe soft mud or shallow water in search of food.
1. Self-Introduction
2. What is your most memorable moment?
The elegant red-crowned crane at Mingo Pond, with its beautiful pink feathers, laid several fertilized eggs; however, it was deeply disappointing that the eggs failed to hatch successfully each time despite the mother birds’ care.
To support the healthy breeding of the red-crowned cranes, the Yeongdeungpo Life Guardians team joined forces to volunteer as surrogate parents, and two caretakers stood by around the clock to ensure that the baby red-crowned crane, “Hongdu,” could grow up safely. After Hongdu hatched from the egg, the two caretakers even worked overnight shifts to feed him weaning food at two-hour intervals.
It was hard work, but seeing little Hongdu grow day by day was enough to melt the hearts of the Zoolungmen and bring them comfort.
Once ‘Hongdu’ had grown to a certain size, we observed him closely to ensure he could naturally join the flock and become independent, providing him with generous support and love.
So, did baby red-crowned crane ‘Hongdu’ safely join the flock at Mingo Pond?!
If you visit Mingo Pond, you can meet our ‘Hongdu’!!
Since ‘Hongdu’ grew up under the care of the Zoolungmans, he sometimes comes over and sits next to a Zoolungman wearing the black Life Guardian uniform when they visit Mingo Pond.
3. A Message for Our Guests
You’d like to meet Hongdu?!
He’s still just a young bird, about six months old, and since he stands out with his black plumage among the pink-feathered red-crowned crane flock, you’ll be able to spot him easily.
In a year’s time, our Hongdu will be able to don a beautiful pink plumage just like his older brothers and sisters.
Please join us in cheering for Hongdu so he can grow into a magnificent adult with brilliant pink feathers!