Wild Things
If anyone was giving out awards for making the same mistake multiple times, I'd probably run out an easy winner. Since I neglected to take any extra time off in San Diego (again!), I took a day out of the conference-related schmoozing and butt-kissing and trotted off to the San Diego Zoo, located in Balboa Park, which is also home to the San Diego Wild Animal Park, as well as a vast number of museums and gardens.
I'd heard only good things about this world-famous facility, and it was definitely worth visiting - even in spite of my feet feeling like they were on fire by the end of the day's walking. The complex is beyond huge, and full of twists and turns in the various trails that lead you to particular sights. It didn't take long for me to understand why people might prefer to take one of the guided bus tours through the zoo instead.
I know there are a lot of people out there who really are opposed to the notion of zoos, more specifically having animals "on show" to be gawked at, and outside their natural environment. It might have also been late last year, or very early this year, that I was horrified to read about allegations of mistreatment at Melbourne Zoo, and suggestions that the organisation was becoming increasingly commercial at the expense of animal welfare. I don't have any answers to that, and I really hope that whatever was going wrong has now been put right. That said, in this day and age, with so many species endangered - largely due to interference with their habitat, or poaching - thanks to the likes of us silly humans, there aren't that many other facilities for allowing breeding in captivity and at least trying to educate people on how precious these creatures are.
Anyway, I'll climb off the soapbox now. Here are some pics - from elephants...
....to pandas....
....to gazelles....
....to flamingoes....
....to meerkats....
....to klipspringers....
....to ducks.....
...to snoozing tigers....
....to zebras....
....but can you spot the warthog??
I'd heard only good things about this world-famous facility, and it was definitely worth visiting - even in spite of my feet feeling like they were on fire by the end of the day's walking. The complex is beyond huge, and full of twists and turns in the various trails that lead you to particular sights. It didn't take long for me to understand why people might prefer to take one of the guided bus tours through the zoo instead.
I know there are a lot of people out there who really are opposed to the notion of zoos, more specifically having animals "on show" to be gawked at, and outside their natural environment. It might have also been late last year, or very early this year, that I was horrified to read about allegations of mistreatment at Melbourne Zoo, and suggestions that the organisation was becoming increasingly commercial at the expense of animal welfare. I don't have any answers to that, and I really hope that whatever was going wrong has now been put right. That said, in this day and age, with so many species endangered - largely due to interference with their habitat, or poaching - thanks to the likes of us silly humans, there aren't that many other facilities for allowing breeding in captivity and at least trying to educate people on how precious these creatures are.
Anyway, I'll climb off the soapbox now. Here are some pics - from elephants...
....to pandas....
....to gazelles....
....to flamingoes....
....to meerkats....
....to klipspringers....
....to ducks.....
...to snoozing tigers....
....to zebras....
....but can you spot the warthog??
posted by yossarian | 9:25 AM
5 Comments:
the ducks, so kute! and the colours on the flamingos, gorgeous. good to see you had some play time in bt conferencing...
very awesome zoo photos. I always like exploring the zoo debate with kids and opening their eyes to critical thinking...even infants class!! there is a great kids book called Zoo by Anthony Browne (excellent author) which challenges peoples ideas of zoos.
Still not sure of my own thoughts...i do loving going though!
klipspringers? There's an animal I'd never heard of before! Nice pics yossarian...
OMG that pic of the warthog is a classic! Love the way it's hiding looks suspiciously like a a certain politician back in Oz.
Hope you're well and thanks for the awesome pix!
:)
hey folks, glad you liked the pics!
jfox - had several sightings of that duck family during my few hours at the zoo! wish i'd had even more play time though ;-)
bek - thanks for the Zoo book tip, will check it out. i'm with you - not sure of where i'm at, but i still love going.
jonno - not sure where i'd heard of a klipspringer before, i think it was used as the surname of a character in some tv show. it's got a great ring to it though :-)
m's - hehehe...i love that warthog too. definitely my favourite critter there ;p
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