Friday, June 29, 2007

A trip to the zoo

I haven't been to the zoo in years. Friend Dan and I took a day trip yesterday to the Granby Zoo. Did you know it costs $30 to go to the zoo? I was a little shocked but the zoo had many surprises in store for us. The zoo warmed my heart at the get-go with this "scat quiz". Can you identify the correct animals by their droppings? You've got raccoon, moose, porcupine and bear there. See if you can put them in order from top to bottom.

This guy was too much. (Wait maybe it's a she.) She kept making all these poses for us. Totally at ease with herself. Or maybe she's lookin' for some, lol.

This isn't a very thrilling photo. It's just that flamingos are so out of place here. The zoo is open all year, I wonder how they get through winter.

This guy was right against the glass studying his observers. The children were mesmerized.

I love the kids in this shot. Delighted by a strutting peacock.

We were so lucky. It had been oppressively hot and humid for days, and then the heatwave broke and all the animals were out and active. The giraffe came in to give us the eye. Below is a video of the giraffe eating straw.




Even the tigers (I mean lions - thanks Snooze) were up and about. I caught the girls giving each other some love.

The rhinos! These two were running around playing like dogs. Huge animals jumping and butting and running. They didn't even seem real.

Then one came over and showed me some intimacy.

After the zoo, we took a drive and visited a few wineries and then stopped at a cheese farm. I caught these guys around back, hanging out.

Most pictures are clickable for larger versions.

33 comments:

CoffeeDog said...

I can't go to the zo, I feel bad for the animals.

CoffeeDog said...

Oh I am just know seeing they had a scat chart there for you to giggle at. I'd go see that!

Snooze said...

I haven't gone to the zoo in years. I like the photos.

PS Is that not a photo of two lionesses? I thought that even the female tigers were striped.

Anonymous said...

I like the pic of the cat hanging around the cheese factory. Behold the power of cheese! Boy, can I relate!

dantallion said...

Those pics are great. I haven't been to the zoo since I was a kid - you've inspired me to make a run out there. I haven't decided if the "intimate rhino" shot is really cool or just gross.

Anonymous said...

Ahhh! a trip to the Zoo. Animals in a zoo live much longer than those in the wild. Giraffes have really long tongues. The price of admisson is high but those Lions only eat meat and other animals eat food that only comes from far away. I would rather go to a zoo than an Amusement Park.

St. Dickeybird said...

I love the zoo! Althought it's soooo expensive.
Thanks for the photos, except for the hippobum.

Timmy said...

looks awesome! I love the zoo!

r said...

I'm kinda like coffeedog; I feel bad for the animals. Although, our zoo is so tiny that it's colored my world view. Perhaps I need to venture further afield?

Loved all the pics.


(heh, my word vert is "rrrno," fitting)

Anonymous said...

I haven't been to the zoo in years either...
Your pictures have inspired me to get on out there though :)

Anonymous said...

I just heard that a giraffe is capable of kicking a lion's head off. Off. You know, as a self defense trick. I laughed at the thought of it though that makes me sound bloodthirsty.

dpaste said...

I love the zoo! I too a trip to the free zoo in Chicago during my trip a few weeks ago. I took a bunch of pictures, but my zoom isn't very good so they weren't as wonderfully in-your-face as yours are.

A Lewis said...

Nothing like a rhino showing you a little comfort and joy, eh? The zoo is an amazing place....especially on Tuesdays here when the admission is $2.00.....and comes complete with about two gadzillion mothers, children, strollers, babies, I-pods, mobile phones, bleached blonde hair, and big boobs.....all jockeying for the same narrow paths through the zoo.....not really to see the animals...just to run, play,and waste time. I mean, anyplace else would cost you more than the $2.00.

Doug said...

All the things in the first pic look like chocolate-covered somethings. Great, now I'm hungry. ;)

Anonymous said...

Keep up the fascination about varieties of poo, tornwordo, and we'll put *you* in the zoo with a sign that identifies you as "sick puppy." ;-P

Oh my gosh, I've been to the Gramby Zoo but now I'm trying to remember what year. I remember it was the May long weekend and I'd gone with my father and oldest brother. So that would make it at least 30 years ago. *Yikes*! I don't think I've been to a zoo since ...not that there's any correlation between those two facts.

Jason said...

Granby has wineries? Any good?

Anonymous said...

This made me smile. I visited the Vancouver Zoo with my boys last week. It cost $36. for the three of us. I was shocked, too. No cool scat quiz, though. But they did have a cool little train which takes you throughout the whole park after you've had your fill of walking.

I also have a wonderful kid/peacock shot. You have inspired me. I think I'll make my next post a zoo one, too!

Chunks said...

The only part of the zoo I don't enjoy is the bird cage thing. Last time we went to Calgary zoo, we were walking through and I could see there was an owl at the exit. Well, Darin being an ass, grabbed my head in a very claw-like manner and I screamed "Holy fucking Jesus!" at the top of my lungs, thinking it was the owl. We still laugh about it.

GayProf said...

I have mixed feelings about zoos and can never decide which way to go. On the one hand, like Rebekah and CoffeeDog, I feel bad for the animals. In particular, it always seemed wrong to have polar bears sizzling in the ABQ zoo. Still, as Ed points out, zoos also offer protection to animals who might otherwise be hunted down in the wild.

So, in the end, sometimes it's better not to think about it to much and just enjoy the sites. Though, if I were with you, I would have been more anxious to get to the wineries.

Mark in DE said...

In the last photo the cat appears to be keeping an eye out on the rest. How funny!

Mark

Anonymous said...

I guess I'll give it a try I hope I get them wrong. I don't want anybody to think I'm a Scat Expert. LOL. I'll say Moose, Bear, Porcupine, Raccoon.

dawn said...

The poo chart alone was worth $30 for you, I'm sure. Did you ask if it was for sale?

And how cute are the cow and the cat, just chillin'?

Anonymous said...

The giraffe video reminded me of Aunt Myra at the dinner table!

LOL

Anonymous said...

Only you would be able to find a scat exhibit! LOL!!!!

Now that you've made me nostalgic guess I'll be going to the Philadelphia Zoo.

Scottsdale Girl said...

Is the Zoo air conditioned here? no. Will I be going then? no.

Great pics Torn, I love the cat pic post harbls lick.

Anonymous said...

Moose, bear, porcupine, raccoon!

tornwordo said...

Both ed and tt are correct!

tworabbitshow said...

I haven't been to the zoo in forever! Thanks for the pics, they were a treat.

Patricia said...

i love the zoo, too, but i can't imagine it costing 30 bucks. even if it did have a nifty poo sign and all.

Sh@ney said...

Fantastic Images...Thankyou for sharing them...Aussie Zoo's differ in species so it must be great to see those beasts up close...
Here you can get kicked by a roo or cuddle a koala & hope it doesn't rip your face off...hehe no they are cute...

abnitude said...

my pooh order guess is bear, moose porcupine, raccoon. i love the giraffe still and video. i have fed them before and they have the softest lips and nose...like velvet.

Devo said...

You are so funny with the pooh. You should have had a kid, they are the perfect way to pooh obsess, especially if they are like mine. My whole life revolves around pooh actually....it's great. haha. I won't guess since it would be cheating now. Have a happy Canada Day weekend!!

Anonymous said...

Oh Crap! the one thing i'm good at is identifying Poop. I've seen a lot of Deer feces and it looks like Moose dung. I've seen Raccoon Scat around my bird feeder. No Porcupines around here but by the process of elimination I squeezed the answer out.