Wednesday, April 30, 2014

A to Z: Zoo Love


Zoos are pretty neat places to visit, if you want to learn about animals.  While I am not a huge fan of keeping animals in captivity, I understand that zoos can bring the world to children.  After all, most families cannot afford a trip to Africa every summer.  So we take Zane to see creatures from far and wide, and we discuss where those animals come from and what they do when not waiting for him at the zoo. 
Also, when the heck would I ever get this close to a cheetah? How about never?
The San Antonio Zoo is celebrating their 100th year in existence right now.  They just added lions to their exhibits, and the tiger cubs that were born last year are now old enough to frolic on their own.   The recent birth of a Komodo dragon just adds to the fun.
This statue is at the front of the Zoo, and every single child who comes to visit wants to climb them.  I don't know why.

Our family visited the zoo during spring break, on a cool windy day.  We went early, to avoid the crowds, and had a great time.  Zane asked lots of questions about everything, and I was glad that the Zoo had people standing around waiting for just such situations. Larry and I just let Zane talk all he wanted. 

I have no idea what kind of bird this is, but he really, really, really wanted me to take his picture.


But the coolest thing at the zoo right now?  The carousel.  Yes, it's a merry-go-round.  But it is a merry-go-round with 100 different animals instead of horses, all meticulously crafted.  Of course, my son had to ride the rhino!

Meanwhile, I made friends with a hummingbird, who seemed to be winking at me.

Is there a zoo in your neck of the woods?  If so, when is the last time you visited?




8 comments:

  1. We take the boys to the sweet Santa Barbara Zoo, every visit and they go many times during the year on their pass. You would love the web site for http://www.zooborns.com/ a great site for baby animals born in zoos around the world.

    ReplyDelete
  2. We used to be members at the zoo near us, and knew several of the animals by name (not kind...actual given names) ;)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes, Dublin Zoo, three hours away by bus and train, haven't been there since the kids were young, maybe it's time to go back. Well done on finishing the challenge.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hello there. I haven't been to the zoo since childhood. That might be my next trip! Congratulations on completing the challenge! Visiting from the A-Z Road Trip.

    Entrepreneurial Goddess

    ReplyDelete
  5. I don't believe it's entitlement to keep them in bondage, they're creatures... They are intended to be free! They are mishandled in zoos, by being kept in cages they aren't by and large genuine creatures. They are being isolated from their families, it isn't useful for their wellbeing with all the shouting noises and all stress that is put on them!

    ReplyDelete
  6. In the wild, elephants walk up to 30 miles each day, bears are active for up to 18 hours a day exploring their home ranges for up to hundreds of miles, and tigers and lions love running and climbing and will roam many miles to hunt. But when these animals (or any wild animal) are imprisoned in cages or small enclosures at zoos, they don’t get dissertation services to do the things that are natural and important to them. Instead, animals in zoos are kept in cramped spaces with virtually no privacy and have very few opportunities to exercise or keep their minds active.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Yes, it is a merry-move-round. but it's far a merry-go-spherical with 100 specific animals as opposed to horses, all meticulously crafted. Of route, my son had to journey the rhino!

    ReplyDelete
  8. The author's passion for the subject is palpable in every word. Their enthusiasm is contagious, making it impossible not to get excited about the topic being discussed. Employers across various industries can benefit from incorporating this color blind test online into their recruitment and occupational health processes. By screening candidates for color vision deficiencies, companies can assign tasks more effectively and mitigate potential risks in visually demanding job roles.

    ReplyDelete

I welcome comments, but reserve the right to correct your spelling because I am OCD about it!