The Final Cherry Blossoms

Virginia Bluebells and Friends--From My Gardens

A Walk in Fernbank @ The National Arboretum

Philadelphia Zoo: View 9 of 9

On my way out, I passed by several of the most familiar areas of the zoo: The Bear Country, The Bird Valley, The Meerkat Habi-trails on the outside of the Small Mammal House, and the new Outback Outpost.  More thoughts on each down below.

To say that I love a zoo is not the same thing as to say that I love everything about a zoo.  I am a lover of zoos because I recognize just how critical zoos are to the very survival of far too many species. And this is a list that is unfortunately growing exponentially with the intervention of human caused climate change.

I love how zoos are on the cutting edge of this and work together to maintain healthy stocks of critically endangered animals.  Without zoos the Panamanian Golden Frog and the Scimitar-horned Oryx, the Guam Kingfisher and the Wyoming Toad would all be extinct.  Every one of these animals were doing just fine before humans intervened for our own benefit in their worlds.  We have an obligation to make right what we've fucked up.

So I love zoos.  I love the Philadelphia Zoo.  It's working hard to do better, every time it knows better.  Can it do better?  Of course, it can!  The last part of my visit speaks to this.

 One of the oldest and most beloved aspects of the zoo is the Bear County exhibit with its trio of habitats.  And then this past year, the Polar Bear died of old age after an exceptionally long life.  Now the only Andean Speckled Bear, Rosalie is 23 and rarely on display.  The entire feature is down to their young and playful trio or Sloth Bears from Asia.  I hope that can attract other bears and continue the legacy of Ursidea education and conservation.

 The Philadelphia Zoo is home to a modest colony of Humboldt Penguins.

 They are also home to a colony of American Flamingoes.  These Flamingos are brighter orange and generally smaller than the more commonly held Chilean Flamingos.

 It is the most abysmal aspect of the Philadelphia Zoo--that would be their Small Mammal House.  I can no longer even bring myself to going inside it.  On the outside is a new option for the zoo's Meerkats.  This I really like.

 In a space once earmarked for the zoo's Okapi, until he died of old age in 2014, there is now a new home for the zoo's Red Kangaroos and Emus.  I like it generally, but wonder why they didn't spring for sod?  I've been to other zoos where there animals roam in similarly large spaces on beds of lush grass (Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Metro Richmond Zoo in Richmond, VA).

Philadelphia Zoo: View 8 of 9

The central eastern portion of the zoo has become home to the zoo's African Savannah animals.  This is a collection that has varied over the years.  Once it included both Addra and Addax gazelles--two species of endangered antelopes from the Sahel region of Africa.  This map indicates that where these animals once roamed, now Red River Hogs would be present.  On this day there was still one Addra Gazelle out there and no sign of Red River Hogs...

Additionally, there were/are Hippopotamus, Reticulated Giraffe, Southern White Rhinoceros and Burchell's Zebra.  I do not know why the Addax are no longer there or for that matter why the Addra Gazelle have been removed from the map, but I do believe that there is plenty of room in this part of the zoo for all three species and that the Addra and Addax are critically endangered and important to be part of an zoo's Ambassadorial mission.

 Hippos and sunbathing.  Two things that are as natural as air and water.

 Too cold still for water in the pool.

Addra Gazelle