Zoo Views At Dusk

If you live close to a zoo that has open areas with many animals, the views can be beautiful at dusk.

I found it quite by accident. One evening, I stayed later than usual and was walking up a path when I looked out on giraffe, various antelope and bongo all in site. It was just so peaceful and pretty.

The animals colors were muted and it just left me speechless.

If you can catch the animal cams at just the right time it might work there, too. I had not thought of that until now, so I will try it later and let you know. I know the cams in Africa will allow that view. I will check the sidebar and see what I have listed over there and put some there. You might check Africam, Kwa Maritame and Vuyatela. If these three are not links yet, bear with me. I am having serious problems keeping this computer online. I will fix them as soon as I can. Otherwise, please forgive me and use a search engine. Sorry.

Baby White Tigers

I have pictures of this foursome but they are prints and I do not have a scanner. As soon as I can get them on a disk I will put them on this blog.

When I first met them they wee in a sectioned off part of the park where the most pedestrian traffic was.

What I remember most is they were perpetual motion running for all they were worth from one fence to the other. Then, all of a sudden, they would just drop in their tracks and be sound asleep.

Later, they were moved to the baby animal nursery where they had a shallow pool to play in. Two of them loved it and were in it a lot of the time. One would have nothing to do with it. I don't remember about the fourth one. Did you know that tigers like water? I, also, have a picture of a grown one swimming in the moat at their display.

It was not long before they were too big for any of the keepers to be in the display with them.

Finally, they were moved to the adult compound. They traded days on display with the rest of the tigers.

If I remember any more, I will come back and add it.

Observing River Hippos

The display started with two older females. It was never really impressive. Occasionally, you could see them out of the water but not often. Usually, if you could see the top of one of their heads, it had been a successful day with the river hippos.

Then, one morning I got you go out on the feed truck. That is when I learned they feed them hay when the ground is dry. But, if it is wet, they get a bucket of grain. Open up. They pour it right into their mouth.

Then, we got a new river hippo display. This time, we could look through glass right into the water. There was also some dry ground where we could see them sometimes.

In the beginning there was a female and an unrelated youngster. It was quite something to watch. I don't know whether the adult took up to the youngster or the other way around. We would see them together. The baby had it's front feet up on the back of the older one and they would go bouncing across the exhibit. Until then, I did not know they bounced instead of walking in the water.

The original two were still in the old exhibit. They were not going to move them because of their age. When one of them died, they did move the other one to the new exhibit. When she was out in the display, she was by herself. Oh, how we cried over the death. Funny how we get attached to animals that we never get to touch or really to know.

They usually stayed in the water in the hotter part of the day. One of them must have gotten confused one day. In the hottest part of the day, there he was standing on the dry land. Stayed there quite awhile, too.

This was all so long ago. I am beginning to miss them all as I am sharing these adventures with you.

I will "take you out on the feed truck" soon. That was quite an adventure. Actually, I got to go out three times.

A Special Youngster

I "met" a very special male gorilla when he was six years old. He weighed in at about 180 pounds and was looking for those who would play with him.

I would try to be the first one in the park on the days I went. He would be waiting the first place I could see him then would race for the first viewing window. From there, he would chase back and forth between the two windows tapping it wherever I was. I think he was just saying "Hi".

If I would be close to the glass but not paying any attention to him, he would hit it right where I was. Do you suppose he was thinking "Hey, remember me?"

I could "call" him to the glass by putting my hand high up on the glass. Most of the time he would come. (Remember, he was just six - still just a kid.)

One day I was sitting at the glass with my chin in my hands. I fell asleep. All of a sudden, I felt someone was watching me. When I opened my eyes, there he was squatting with his chin in his hands. It was all I could do to keep from laughing. (Don't ever laugh at a gorilla. That is aggressive to them.) I wish I had a camera with me that day.

He is now grown. I had been away from him for over two years. He still lets me know he sees me but no longer does any more than that. He has grown up I had watched him grow for about seven years.

Once I tell you all I remember, I will then get into my gorilla logs. No telling what is in there that I have forgotten.

Oldest Female Gorilla

She was my favorite. I have so much to tell you about her. I will not try to put it all in one post.

I guess one of my favorite encounters was when I could not find her anywhere in the display. I checked all of her favorite spots through all of the viewing windows and outdoor viewing spots.

Finally, I just decided to go sit down by her favorite resting spot and just wait.

There was a breeze blowing and all the bushes were movning a little.

After awhile the red hibiscus bush just off to the side was moving, but not with the rythem of the wind. I called her name. Out popped her face. She was surrounded by red hibiscus. I wish I had brought my camera that day.

She loved the bag I always brought with me. She, of course, never got it. But, when I would come up to the window where she was she would just stare at it. If I did not show her what was in it quick enough, she would tap the glass. And, I had to take everything out. She was not interested with seeing just part of it.

I will tell you more later.