If you were expecting a Christmas post I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I wanted to tell you about an outing I went on recently with my sister. On a warm day, we decided to visit the Little Rock Zoo. I haven’t been
to the zoo in several years. In the past the zoo was not exactly a nice place.
I felt such sorrow when I visited. The animals were kept in extremely small, unnatural cages! The tigers and lions had only a small area that went from inside to
outside. I remember how they just paced between the two. The zoo itself was a
lot of concrete, no trees, and unappealing. I knew some recent
improvements had been made. I’m happy to say that if one has to have a zoo, then this zoo
is finally a place where the animals have room and where their areas are more
natural to them. The whole zoo has changed. The walkways are lined with trees,
bamboo, shrubbery, and even several waterfalls were created. It is so much better!
We were much
more excited to see the animals than they were to see us. Many tended to just
ignore that we were there.
Some tried to
hide.
A good number
of them turned their backs on us.
Some were too
busy eating to notice us.
We even bored a
few!
Some kept their
eyes on our every move. They made me glad there was a great distance between us.
There were
also a few that lay there perfectly still as if posing for us.
(This is my favorite shot of the day.)
I’m not a real
fan of zoos. I’m grateful that I was able to see these beautiful animals, but I
don’t like to see them in captivity. At least now they have a nice place to
stay and are well fed.
I hope you enjoyed this little break from the busyness of Christmas!
You got some great animal shots at the zoo, Cathy. The tiger is beautiful and the fox a real winner! I'm not a fan of zoos either as I think the animals should be in their natural habitat, but sometimes zoos are useful to preserve certain species from becoming extinct. I'm so glad that this particular zoo has improved its conditions to make the animals more comfortable.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in San Diego, we had season passes to the zoo and wild animal park. They are wonderful examples of what zoos can be, but I'm with you - I wish all creatures could live safely and naturally in the wild. You got some wonderful photos! I love that fox too, but my favorite is the beautiful black panther. They've always been one of my favorite animals - there's something so elegant and sort of mysterious about them.
ReplyDeleteThese are amazing photos! I think zoos as a whole have come a long way from when I was a kid. Our own little family of three use to visit a zoo on every vacation we went on, miss those days.
ReplyDeleteoooh i feel exactly the same. i want to go, i want to enjoy the experience, i LOVE animals - but i always wonder if it's the right thing to do. to support the zoo. i go, i talk myself into the fact that it's ok, that they are happy and well cared for!!
ReplyDeleteyour images are priceless. the commentary matches perfectly. your favorite is my favorite, look how you caught his eye, gorgeous!!!
and my blog is loaded with christmas - i think everyone must be thinking "enough already'!!!
ReplyDeleteSuch excellent photos!
ReplyDeleteYou and your sister have so much fun. The zoo photographs are stunning. I too have mixed feelings about animals kept in captivity. I love seeing them but always leave feeling sad they can't be in their natural habitat....I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas. One that is filled with love, laughter, and peace...
ReplyDeleteCathy, your animal shots are picture-perfect. I see their special personalities shining through. I love the gorilla who seems to be watching you out of the corner of his eye. It's wonderful that you and your sister can spend so much time together. Wishing you all the best in 2017!
ReplyDelete