Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Lovin' the zoo

I once had a visiting teacher that hated zoos. I remember having a conversation with her about how she just couldn't stand to look at the poor animals in cages. She felt like they should be running free! I have to admit, her perspective changed zoos for me a little bit. I love the animals--and I love looking at the animals. Yet now I realize that it is totally selfish! I think that zoo animals have it pretty easy, and quite of few of them would have been a predator's meal if they were born in the wild. So I don't feel too bad for them. Although I have to admit, when I was little we visited the Hogle Zoo, and it was pretty bad. I don't remember much, I mostly just remember a lot of concrete. Luckily the whole zoo profession has gotten a little bit more in touch with the animals needs since I was a tyke. They really have done a lot to improve the habitats of the zoo animals. This was really the first time going with the twins, where they enjoyed looking at the animals also. It was a ton of fun! It also helped that they opened the new Rocky Shores exhibit--so we all had something new to check out!
Amelia loving the Elephants!


We love watching the now toddler elephant. It is fun to see how much like a human toddler she is in her behavior!


We kinda have an obsession with otters at our house. We have been enjoying them at the aquarium and now get to enjoy them at the zoo also! Their life is pretty nice--swim, eat, sleep, play, repeat. See why we love them?








The new seal--lovin' some sun


watching the sea lions swim around








I may have a few too many of Cooper. It was just my mission all day to get one of him smiling! I don't think it happened.






I have to admit, with all of the viewing tanks, we kinda felt like we were at sea world!






Even a blurry picture can be adorable when it is of this cute girl!!


Loving the zoo!
So, these animals might not be running free. Hopefully they love their perfectly heated/cooled habitats with things to do (I think they call that enrichment), and all the food they need.  Maybe life as a zoo animal wouldn't be too bad!

3 comments:

  1. Cute! Did you do the train? Tom's niece Taylor is an engineer there most days. I love the zoo.

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    1. We didn't do the train that day, but we normally do-we will have to keep a look out!

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  2. Zoos...I don't remember loving them as a kid either, but selfishly I really love them now. What the animals are is spoiled but thats besides the point. Don't get me wrong I am super glad they get to roam more with enrichment activities. Its so fun to see my children point and get excited, and I think its interesting too. Cooper looks really cute though not smiling, and that blurry girl is adorable. Love the both smiling/one winking photo above. ;)Fun to hear you are getting into otters. Love when kids get into things like that.

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