Adventure in Botswana: A Trip with LA Zoo

Recently, the Los Angeles  Zoo has begun offering the chance to embark on a real-life safari. Zoo Director, John Lewis, is bringing a group of willing participants on the journey of a lifetime through the countryside of Botswana. The ten day excursion (with additional travel options before or after) takes travelers to various wildlife camps and reserves throughout the country to observe animals in their natural habitat. Among the species native to Botswana are giraffes, baboons, elephants, wildebeests, hippopotamus, lions and hyenas. Highlights of the trip includes stops to the following areas:

Okavango Delta

Considered one of the seven natural wonders of Africa, the Okavango Delta is one of the most varied areas in Botswana as the river directly contrasts with the arid temperature. As a result, a mixture of water-based animals and large herds of various mammals call the region home. An interesting aspect of the Okavango is that all of the water that reaches the delta is either evaporated or transpired and does not flow into any larger body of water. 

Linyanti Wildlife Reserve 

The Linyanti Wildlife Reserve is in one of the most remote and hard-to-get-to regions of Botswana. It contains an enormous population of elephants due to the abundant acacia and mopane forests. The reserve is also world-renowned for its Lions, which have been captured in numerous National Geographic documentaries. 

Any traveler will have the option to extend the trip before, to Cape Town, South Africa, or after to Livingstone and Victoria Fall, Zambia (pictured below), and continue the adventure. 

A percentage of profits for the trip will go directly to the Classic Escape Conservation Fund, which supports conservation and wildlife research throughout Africa. Use this opportunity to give back while exploring one of the most diverse areas on the planet! And you get to travel with a knowledgeable zoo director, ensuring an informative and exciting trip unlike any other!

Visit their website for the full itinerary and other details. For information about booking a spot on the trip call (323) 644-4792. 

Preserving Burma's Forests

While much of the natural world is compromised by the rapid spread of industrialization, there remains at least one largely unaffected region the destructive hands of the new age have not touched. Burma, also known as Myanmar, is a country teeming with undiscovered wildlife and species not seen anywhere else in the world.

For the last fifty years Burma has been under rigid military rule with extremely strict regulations prohibiting almost all foreigners from visiting the country. Recently, however, the country has gradually shifted towards democracy and the government has loosened the statutes on foreigners entering the country. Taking this opportunity of increasingly lax regulations, BBC recently sent a group of scientists and anthropologists to journey deep into the vast Burmese forests as a part of the fantastic new documentary series Wild Burma: Nature's Lost Kingdom. We are thrilled at the chance to view the amazing landscape and wildlife for the first time.

The expedition has unearthed a multitude of rare and undiscovered animals. Asian elephants, clouded leopards, Malayan tapirs, sun bears and various unknown insects are among the species found.

    Unknown Tortoise Leaf Beetle

    Clouded Leopard

   Sun Bear

    Malayan Tapir

    Asian Elephants

As Burma becomes more accessible to the outside world, it is imperative that the natural order of the massive forests and jungles are intact. The overarching goal of the BBC crew is to present their research to the Burmese government in order to gain the area well-funded protection. Burma has a choice, as it embarks into a new era of openness, of whether it wants to embrace the destructive practices of the contemporary world or help preserve one of Earth's one last remnants of what use to be.

Watch the first episode of Wild Burma: Nature's Lost Kingdom here.

Animal Lovers Holiday Gift Guide

Before Christmas Day is upon us, we get the thrilling pleasure of finding the perfect gift for our friends and family. This task can be daunting or superbly satisfying depending on our ability to find the perfect gift for our loved ones. If it feels you're sister, grandma, aunt, cousin, husband or wife loves animals maybe a bit more that you, this is gift guide was created for you!

One Dog Bones

100% gum rubber dog bones because the way to your friends heart is through their pet!


Two Macaw on Branch Figurine

This hand-painted porcelain macaw is a work of art. Home decor, book-end, or paperweight, this bird is a colorful and lovely way to add life to a room.


Three Wolf Earrings

These sweet, light weight wolf earrings are made of hand-painted porcelain with hypoallergenic stainless steel ear wires.


Four Buffalo Planter

This handmade ceramic buffalo pot is perfect for succulents, plants, flowers, candles or anything else you can think of!


Five Bird Plant Waterer

Water your plants, even away from home. Never worry about coming home to dead plants because this plant waterer slowly releases water into the soil as the soil becomes dry and airy.


Six Elephant Scarf

This fashion accessory features a stampede of elephants in black and white that is sure to match any outfit while keeping you warm in both winter and summer.


Seven Zoo Gift Card

Whether you live in San Diego, Atlanta, Denver, New York or somewhere in between, zoos offer gift cards to purchase for your friends and family. What a thoughtful and fun experience to give, don't you think!


Eight Glass Fishbowl

Humans shouldn't have all the fun! Give your fish a fun place to swim and explore in this handblown glass fishbowl.


Nine Penguin Musical

Soothing and melodic, this hand-painted porcelain penguin family sits atop a Seiko musical.

Ways to Celebrate // Happy Wildlife Day!

Today is National Wildlife Day. Most people shrug off days like today, or Earth Day or Dog Day, etc. But isn't it symbolic, like a birthday, a day to appreciate and celebrate a particular being? Let's celebrate! In this case it's not Timmy down the street, but all wildlife on this earth.

Wildlife includes all animals, plants, fungi, and organisms that are non-domesticated by humans, although it is agreed by most scientists that all wildlife is affected by human species (no surprise there, right?)

Every species is an important of it's ecosystem, and thus the ecosystem of the planet and consequently humans. Jonas Salk once said that if all humans disappeared from the Earth all life would flourish in 50 years, but if insects disappeared all life would end.

That's a very surprising, and humanizing concept (no pun intended). Humans have a unique ability to create and destroy on a massive scale, and like most people, we here at Little Critterz believe in minimizing destruction and conserving the planet for all life on it now, and for generations to come.

So hats off to all the wildlife on Earth. We are entertained and mesmerized by you. We learn from you. We appreciate you. So let's donate to an organization today whose commitment to wildlife preserves the species. Visit your local zoo or aquarium because their efforts are crucial to the survival, education, and research to wildlife. Watch a wildlife documentary to learn about a new species or environment. Or make a purchase on Little Critterz so we can continue to support non-profit wildlife organizations. Whatever you do today, Happy Wildlife Day!

Some of our favorite wildlife species. What's yours?

penguin / caribou / dolphin 

fawn / camel / frog

turtle / octopus / elephant

Did You Know?: Elephant Edition

I'm sure you've noticed how some elephants look different. Sometimes they are very large, with wide flowing ears and a dominating back, whereas others are slender with small features. No, this can't be chalked up to diet, millions of years of environmental conditions shaping these species into their modern form, yes.

But you're right. Elephants can look very different because African and Asian elephants are very different. In fact, their genetic differences are so great they cannot interbreed. A successful birth has only happened once, and unfortunately Motty died just two weeks after it's birth despite intensive care.

African elephants weight 4,000-7,000 kg (8,800-15,400 lbs) where Asian elephants weight 3,000-6,000 kg (6,600-13,200 lbs). African elephants are generally taller 3-4 meters (10-13 feet), have more wrinkled skin, bigger ears that reach up over the neck, have a concave back and have two fingers on their trunks. Asian elephants are 2-3.5 meters tall (6.5-11 feet), smoother skin, smaller ears and convex back, and females have rudimentary tusks or no tusks at all!