Zoo Minutes

One-minute segments on various species that reside at our world-renowned Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens. Each segment provides an opening that points out habitat and scientific name.

Grades K-8

Footage from the world renowned Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens is utilized in each segment with an opening that points out habitat and scientific name. These segments are perfect for any school news program, and they are suitable for all ages. From tigers to tortoise, ostrich to slippery snake, facts about these fascinating creatures are explored in Zoo Minutes. 

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African Elephant | Zoo Minutes
African Elephant | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The largest living land animals are the African elephants. Males can weigh up to 13,000 pounds and reach shoulder heights of 10 to 13 feet. These animals are very strong and highly intelligent, and...
African Lion | Zoo Minutes
African Lion | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

This segment explores the largest and most powerful of the African carnivores, the African lions. Male lions are known for their tawny manes, which eventually grow darker with age. Lionesses do not...
African Penguin | Zoo Minutes
African Penguin | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

An adult African penguin is approximately 27 inches tall, and it weighs 7 to 8 pounds. This penguin is located along offshore islands and occasionally on the mainland of southeast South Africa, and on...
Amur Tiger | Zoo Minutes
Amur Tiger | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The largest living cat is the Amur, or Siberian, tiger. These cats are known for their orange and white fur with its black stripes. This pattern camouflages them in the tall grasses or forest...
Arowana | Zoo Minutes
Arowana | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

This segment examines the long, carnivorous fish known as the arowana. These fish are found in the black-water rivers of the Amazon basin. This type of fish is known for its unique ability to jump...
Barn Owl | Zoo Minutes
Barn Owl | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Barn owls are medium-sized owls that are found throughout the world. They have an average wingspan of 30 inches, and they feast on small rodents and birds. They are also known to eat bats, frogs, fish...
Bataleur Eagle | Zoo Minutes
Bataleur Eagle | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The Bateleur eagle is a medium-sized bird that is about 2 feet in height, and it is mostly black with a brown triangular pattern on their back. This eagle is found throughout Africa and extending to...
Black Rhinoceros | Zoo Minutes
Black Rhinoceros | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The black rhinos are located throughout eastern and southern Africa and from northeastern Sudan to as far west as northeastern Nigeria. This rhino is actually gray in color, and it weighs about 2,500...
California Sea Lion | Zoo Minutes
California Sea Lion | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The California sea lion is classified as a type of Pinnipedia. Seals and walruses are other types of Pinnipeds. These carnivorous animals usually eat a variety of fishes, small crustaceans and...
Caribbean Flamingo | Zoo Minutes
Caribbean Flamingo | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The Caribbean flamingo is the most brightly colored flamingo out of the 6 flamingo species. Flamingos are known for their long legs and neck, and they are usually 3-4 feet tall. They have an unusual...
Crocodile Monitor | Zoo Minutes
Crocodile Monitor | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The crocodile monitor is only found in the tropical forests of New Guinea. They are known for their elongated toes, strongly curved sharp claws, rubbery pads on the bottom of their feet, and an...
Diamondback Rattlesnake | Zoo Minutes
Diamondback Rattlesnake | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The largest of the rattlesnakes is the eastern diamondback. This snake is one of the largest venomous snakes in the world, and it is capable of reaching lengths of more than 8 feet and can weigh up to...
East African Crowned Crane | Zoo Minutes
East African Crowned Crane | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

In this segment, the East African crowned crane is examined. This bird normally lives anywhere south of the Sahara to the southeastern tip of South Africa. These unique birds learn dances from their...
Galapagos Tortoise | Zoo Minutes
Galapagos Tortoise | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

This segment explores the largest species of the tortoises, the Galapagos tortoise. This tortoise can weigh up to 900 pounds. Sailors that visited the Galapagos Islands in the 17th century originally...
Giraffe | Zoo Minutes
Giraffe | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

This segment explores the tallest living animal, the giraffe. This animal can reach up to 20 feet tall. They also have 18-inch tongues that they use to pull leaves off the thorny acacia tree. Giraffes...
Grant's Zebra | Zoo Minutes
Grant's Zebra | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Zebras are known for their mostly vertical black and white striped coat. Their patterns of stripes are as individual as a human fingerprint. This species is closely related to the horse and the donkey...
Jersey Cow | Zoo Minutes
Jersey Cow | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Jersey Cows are famous for the high butterfat content of their milk. This breed is small, and this breed was originally developed on the Channel Islands off the northwest coast of France. The average...
King Cobra | Zoo Minutes
King Cobra | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

According to this segment, the king cobra is the largest of all venomous snakes, and it is potentially one of the most deadly snakes. This snake is known as the only snake to construct a nest. This...
Moon Jelly | Zoo Minutes
Moon Jelly | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The moon jelly is an invertebrate because it does not possess a backbone. These animals are often referred to as jellyfish, but they are not fish. They are found in all of the oceans except the Arctic...
Nile Hippopotamus | Zoo Minutes
Nile Hippopotamus | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

This segment examines the life of a common (Nile) hippopotamus. This amazing animal is the second-largest land mammal, and it can weigh up to 8,000 pounds. This animal spends much of its time in the...
Nubian Goat | Zoo Minutes
Nubian Goat | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Nubian goats are the most popular of the six officially recognized breeds of dairy goats raised in the United States. Their high, rounded faces, variable coloration and pattern, their short slick coat...
Ostrich | Zoo Minutes
Ostrich | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

The Ostrich is the largest living bird, and it can stand 8 feet and weigh up to 345 pounds. This bird is flightless, but it is able to run at speeds of 50 miles per hour. This is also the only living...
Polar Bear | Zoo Minutes
Polar Bear | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

One of the largest land carnivores on the earth can be found around the coasts, islands and floating ice of the Arctic regions of the world. This animal is known as the polar bear. Although their cubs...
Reticulated Python | Zoo Minutes
Reticulated Python | Zoo Minutes

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Grades: PreK Kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

One of the largest snakes in the world is the reticulated python. Lengths of up to 32 feet have been documented for this large snake. These large snakes also eat large animals such as deer, wild boar...