Fossil Rim Wildlife Center

Millie, our blue and gold macaw, receives all kinds of enrichment. She's especially fond of paper bags filled with treats, toys or new smells!

We're fawning over fawns 😍 Here we see three different species- a white tailed, axis and fallow deer. All three live together in the various pastures at Fossil Rim.

Many animals will hang out underneath the giraffe feed tower, enjoying the bits dropped by their taller friends. In the wild, it's not uncommon for other species to hang out near a giraffe herd, using them as lookouts for danger!

Aoudad lambs are born climbers- literally! As soon as they can walk they're able to follow their mothers up and down the rocky slopes they live on, keeping them safe from predators who prefer flat ground.

We're mucking around this Monday! Mud is a key part of a rhino's skincare routine 🛀

Bongos are a tight knit species, keeping close to each other for protection. This young calf seems to prefer the company of one of it's older half-siblings, though mom isn't far behind!

Zebras LOVE to roll around in dust and mud. Some research has even shown that members of a herd will roll in the same spot, eventually resulting in a divot that can become a new watering hole with enough rain!

Waterbuck are a unique species of African antelope. As their name suggests, they're great swimmers! Their coat is even thought to be somewhat waterproof, thanks to a special oil secreted by their skin.

When cheetah cubs are born, we try to give them as much privacy as possible. We monitor cheetahs via cameras to keep track of everyone's health and safety without getting in the way!

When male antelope, like this Nile lechwe begin maturing, it's necessary for them to practice future life skills, like sparring. Here, an older calf is training with his dad for the day he'll strike out on his own!

Have you ever seen a Texas horned lizard up close? Their neutral, multi-colored scaled help them blend in with their sandy surroundings!

We set up game cams behind fence lines to monitor elusive species like black-footed cats. Of course, they're still felines, so sometimes their curiosity overrules their wariness😅

Our male fallow deer are currently "in velvet." Their antlers are in the process of re-growing, and are covered in a soft, fuzzy layer that provides blood flow. Right now they don't mind each other's company, but soon they'll enter the rutting season and begin fighting for female attention

Despite its name, the black-tailed jackrabbit is actually a hare! Hares are taller, heavier, and generally more angular than their rabbit counterparts. They don't burrow, instead opting to use their speed to survive in their open, shrubby habitats.

As sable calves age, mothers will begin denying them when they try to nurse as a way to encourage consuming more solid foods. While the calf may be upset and persistent at first, they'll eventually move on to grazing like the rest of their family!

Hartmann's mountain zebra stick close to their mothers for around two years. Once fully grown, both males and females will leave in search of a herd of their own.

The tear marks on cheetahs' faces are, like every part of them, an adaptation for speed. Much like when a ball player wears eye black on the field, the dark tear marks keep sunlight out of a cheetah's eyes as it sprints after prey!

Did you know we grow our own hay at Fossil Rim? In the summer, our animal care and support teams spend a few days harvesting hay grown around property, which will help feed our 1000+ animals for the rest of the year.

Eastern mountain bongo are classified as critically endangered, and there are now fewer individuals in the wild than in human care. Every new baby born, like this little guy, is a big step towards reintroduction and restored genetic diversity.

Przewalski's horses (or simply p-horses) are the only true wild horse left on Earth! Their rugged appearances and feisty temperament point to their ability to survive in the wilderness of southern Mongolia and northern China.

Addax coats change drastically based on season, becoming pale white in summer and dark brown in winter. Regardless of the temperature, however, they always maintain a brown “toupee” marking between the horns

Turbo isn't wasting any energy! Snoozing during the hottest hours of the day is one method many species employ to help avoid overheating 😴

Arnold, one of our Vietnamese pot bellied pigs, is soaking up the sun in the only way he knows how 😎 Pigs don't sweat like humans, so mud is great way to regulate their body temperature.

Taking care of rhinos, especially elderly ones, can be messy business! Our team helps rhinos who have a difficult time wallowing by manually covering them in a nice, cool coat of mud. This mud is a natural sunscreen, bug repellant, and moisturizer!

New babies on the scene! Our sable antelope herd has been calving, and the new arrivals have begun exploring the pasture 🌸

We rely on game cams to capture important data on elusive species like black-footed cats. That "data" also happens to include adorable kitten play sessions 😍

Bongos' prehensile tongues are used to grasp food, kind of like a finger. They are one of the few mammals with this special appendage, which are more commonly found in frogs and chameleons!

When your sibling gets too close while you're eating 🙄These wildebeest put on a gentle sparring show for us this evening

One only tells lies, the other only tells the truth... what are you asking?

Aoudad may look like goats, but they're actually a North African breed of mountain sheep. While they live in pastures at Fossil Rim, wild aoudad have actually become an invasive species here in Texas, causing problems for our native bighorn sheep.