Another Trip to the Zoo!

I love going to the zoo! Every time I have been since getting my pass I've been surprised.

Do you see the two ostriches? Well the one in black made the most throaty bass-note noise with its throat. It put its head up straight, widened its throat, and warbled a deep guttural croak of a noise. I got some of it on video but the audio didn't quite catch it. It was amazing and kinda scary. I'd never heard an ostrich before...didn't know they made noise, did you?

Next was the hippo pool. When I have gone to the zoo in the past there are usually too many people trying to cram around the pool and the hippos have mostly been asleep. Well, go in the winter just after the park opens and every animal will be up and waiting for you. Even the squirrels!

Hippo yawn

The giraffes mostly stay in their shelter - a big heated bay like overgrown horse stalls. I can't get as close to them as other animals. This one seems to like to tease me about it by sticking out its tongue :-) It would come out to the outer edge of the stalls and watch from a distance, chewing contentedly and standing back just far enough that I can never seem to get a good photo.

Instead, I chose to follow around some little birds in the bushes. I followed them with the camera mind you, the bushes are not a place to humans. The zoo uses choice pricker bushes, snarly roses, and thorny shrubs to discourage anyone from wandering off the path.

The birds find this situation quite comforting and I'm sure that in summer with and abundance of dropped crackers and sandwich crumbs they do just fine setting up housing in the briar patch.

Warthogs - always sleeping...

Lions - being lions...

Komodo Dragon - being scary and awesome...

It had just eaten two white mice that had been placed up near the window. The salvia was thick and dripping off the dragon's muzzle...I was thankful for the glass to protect me from the dragon and what must be a very particular odor.

Asian small clawed otters - being the cutest most adorable chirpy water-weasels ever!

Tiger - being lazy...like a tiger - yawn!

Harris hawk - during the flight show. They have a bird show at certain times and I had a front row seat.

Peacocks - wandering the grounds...

Waxy Monkey Frog and a Gecko - hanging out...

And lastly, the Boa, lounging in the pool and watching my hand (red fingernails maybe?) as I traced it across the glass. No tapping!