Meanwhile, at the Zoo

[rain_gryphon]

Spent 90 minutes or so at the zoo today. That's what I love about having a season pass, is that I can make a brief visit and not feel like I'm wasting my money, especially now that it's $10 to park, and $12 for admission. Zoo pass covers that all, plus lets me bring a friend along if I'm in the mood. I normally avoid the place on weekend days with good weather, simply because of the crowds, but it really wasn't that bad today.


One of the alligators was sunning himself right by the glass window, watching the people who were watching him. That pink on his back looks like they painted a pink stripe on him at some point, and it's wearing off. I have no idea why. They all look pretty much alike to me, but I'd have to think their keeper could tell them apart without a stripe.


The swans fascinate me. Sometimes I'll come, and just spend an hour watching them. Today they were in a very laid back mood, and didn't terrorize the ducks or anything. They can be mean, aggressive birds when the mood strikes them. The vegetation is just exuberant right now, remarkably so for April. It looks more like late May.
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A Balinese Mynah, in the Temple of Birds. The zoo's Bird Jungle is designed in such a way that you're standing on the porch of a (Buddhist?) temple looking out into the jungle.

Comments

[moonhare]

I love our zoo but haven't gone since the kids were little. The Library has money-off passes, too, so I really don't have an excuse not to see it again. Well, almost no excuse. When they shipped off the polar bears I lost interest. They have other wonderful exhibits, to be sure, but I really liked watching these guys swim around in the enclosure and watch them from the underwater view station.

Great pictures, too, btw. The pink is mystifying for certain. The birds are lovely.

[rain_gryphon]

We've got a bunch of polar bears, and a (relatively) new exhibit where you can walk under their pool and watch from a glass tunnel. Our oldest one died this week, though.

I'm glad you like the pictures!

[moonhare]

Our last polar bear died in 2005 apparently. They gave up on the 'new' exhibit in 2012.

[rain_gryphon]

Our whole zoo is pretty much new at this point, and I think those few older buildings/habitats are going to be rebuilt fairly soon. All during the 1960s, instead of expanding the zoo, they concentrated on buying as much land around it as possible. Since about 2000 or so, the city has grown out that way, and they've sold land off for planned communities, and a golf course to anchor them. They're rich as Croesus right now.

[rain_gryphon]

And, since my membership at the botanical gardens allows me to buy one zoo ticket at full price, and get a second one free, I could stop at the ticket booth, do the BOGO thing, then take a guest in with me on my pass, effectively getting four people in for the price of one. I'm not sure if you're supposed to leverage it that way, but since the ticket booths are some distance from the gate, it could probably be done.