Turtle Back Zoo: Amazing Asia!

 Well, you could certainly see the potential for amaze- ment!  Unfortu- nately, on this visit, it would better be called Disappointing Asia...  And that OKAY.  That's, to me, actually the sign of a good zoo.  Animals have options, they decide when and where they want to hang out.  So what was there that wasn't there?  The back side of this area houses two large habitats.  One for Amur Leopards (the most critically endangered off all the big cats with any hope of being saved) and the other for Snow Leopards. I really admired the habitats, 'cause there were no inhabitants to be seen.  The other component is a building that has a series of habitats attached to it.  Two are open large cage sorts, one for a Clouded Leopard and the other for a Red Panda.  Between them are two other habitats, one two stories tall with huge glass barriers.  The larger one had a least one large Hornbill of undetermined species, and the other a large tortoise of some species.  Again, neither are mentioned on the zoo's website.  

The glare on the glass made viewing either the bird or tortoise next to impossible.  Signage did actually mention of a Slow Loris, but it was no where to be seen, and it wasn't exactly clear where it was located, maybe with the Red Panda?  Across from this another habitat was home to a trio of White-faced Gibbons, and they were attached to a building that was home to a Komodo Dragon that was off exhibit and the building was closed as were pathways nearby for the aforementioned Press Conference.  Another curiosity of this zoo, it is the only one I have ever visited where large signage celebrating new exhibits and future upgrades also can a larger than life image of the zoo's CEO and Director.  He must be a Republican! <--that's a joke, BTW.

The final part was the White-faced Gibbon Habitat.  It was unclear to me whether or not the scaffolding was an intentional part of the "design" or a serendipitous afterthought as the result of some past painting of the columns project.  It was clear that the gibbons appreciated the extra climbing opportunities.

The entrance with the Amur Leopard habitat behind.

Clouded Leopard Habitat

Look way up to see the sleepy Clouded Leopard

Clouded Leopards have such distinctive markings.

Red Panda Habitat

White-Faced Gibbon Habitat

Turtle Back Zoo: Farm, Australia Walk-about and Ambassador Animals

 The center of the zoo is home to a large barn with farm animals and goat petting.  There is also a side barn with ponies for riding.  Pressed up against this is an Australian walk-about, but your can't because it's closed due to the Avian Flu presently killing songbirds all across North America.  Across from this area are a series of habitats for some of the zoo's ambassador animals.  Some of this was closed off for the use of the zoo's CEO who was giving a press conference to announce the next renovation project at the zoo.

FARM YARD ANIMALS

Within the barn are goats, kune kune pigs, an American Donkey, a horse of indistinct breed, some chickens, likewise unidentified, the promise of an alpaca, but no one en casa.

There are 4 species of goat, this is an Anglo-Nubian, I think.  They also had West African Dwarf, Toggenburg, and another I don't recall.  Unfortunately, the animals listed on their website is quite incomplete.

Jacob's Sheep

The Pony Ride Barn

AUSTRALIA

The anchor to this area is the Budgie encounter which was closed to the public.  If it were open, I could have also had much better views of the pod of wallabies.  I could not find a sign that identified their species, but there was a large group, maybe 7 or 8 animals in a very large space.  

Sculpture of a child holding up a bird at the entrance of the Budgie Encounter.

The Wallaby Habitat

ANIMAL AMBASSADORS

Much of this area was closed, but a very nice Cheetah Habitat was viewable from the long pathway on the lower side of the Farm/Australia areas.  The Habitat was nicely deep, and impressively wide to allow the Cheetah to sprint.  The docent explained how it had been home to a trio of sibling (1 female and 2 males); however, when they reach maturity, the males had been moved.  Now, the female cheetah lives with a companion dog, a golden retriever.  I've seen the same exact set up at the Richmond Metro Zoo in Virginia.  These species seem to make excellent companions.

I Voted!

One of the sacred things I do. Get up. Get dressed. Walk over to the community center just outside of my neighborhood. VOTE with my neighbors.

Home and time to make a breakfast worthy of enfranchisement.  Romeo can't vote, but he does enjoy a mite or two from such a hearty plate!

Turtle Back Zoo: North American Speies

 Not exactly knowing how to proceed upon entering the Turtle Back Zoo, I found the nearest restroom!  I'd been driving for over 3.5 hours and I needed to pee.  At the risk of TMI, I'm of an age were managing the old #1, isn't always done from the standing position with a bladder fully loaded.  Don't laugh young men...your day will come!   Using the opportunity to study the zoo map proved unhelpful.  So, upon finishing my business, I just headed to the right...kinda like our nation...

As fate would have it, this led me into a series of habitats that I would call Animals of North America.

BLACK-TAILED PRAIRIE DOGS

The habitat was spacious and fun.  Little folk could enter a tunnel and pop up in orbs at prairie dog eye-level.  A common conceit at many zoos.  I wasn't clear on the giant sunflowers...a nod to South Dakota?

NORTH AMERICAN BLACK BEAR

Has an amazing habitat.  Was not out to be seen...

AMERICAN BISON

A nice space that is home to three from what I could tell.  A magnificent bull and a pair of cows.  It was not easy to see any of them because of their choice of being within the habitat.  You can't fault animals for their choices, and kudos to zoos that have rich enough habitats to provide options.

The beautiful bull

BIRDS OF PREY

Above the Bison is a loop of habitats devoted to large birds: American Eagle, Cooper's Hawk, Harris Hawk and Raven.  The Eagle and Raven were off exhibit because of the Avian Flu epidemic, and the Hawks were there, but not easy to see, a common problem at zoos with Hawks.

Generous American Eagle habitat, without an Eagle.

Raptor Row: home to Hawks and Ravens.

My best photo of the Cooper's Hawk

GREY WOLVES

The habitat was amazing.  Lots of space, a flowing stream, a den with public viewing.  Also a Docent to ask questions of!  The zoo is home to three Grey Wolf female siblings.  They are rather on in years, so no surprise that they were all sleeping.  She also told the origin story of the zoo's name.  Apparently there is a bolder in a stream nearby that is huge and resembles a Turtle Shell.  It is reverenced by the Lanape Native Americans and from there became the name of the zoo.

BIG CAT COUNTRY

The top of the hill is home to two large felines: Pumas and Jaguars.  The habitats are side-by-side and feature large, scalable rock features with perches to sleep a lazy unseasonably warm Monday away on.

MOUNTAIN LIONS (PUMA)

Mountain Lion habitat

Mountain Lion #1...hanging out below near the door to the behind habitat spaces.  Not looking very happy. 

Mountain Lion #2 curl snoozing

Mountain Lion #3 Lazy sleeping!

JAGUAR

Jaguar Habitat

Another sleepy kitty!

Turtle Back Zoo: Overview

Drove up to Turtle Back Zoo today in West Orange, New Jersey. Turtle Back is the last AZA zoo/Aquarium from my home for which a reasonable day trip can be made. Living in Takoma Park, Maryland, the list is impressive. And now I have been to all of them at least once.

By distance, more or less:

Smithsonian National Zoo - Washington, DC

Maryland Zoo in Baltimore - Baltimore, MD

National Aquarium - Baltimore, MD

Brandywine Zoo - Wilmington, DE

Salisbury Zoo - Salisbury, MD

Philadelphia Zoo - Philadelphia, PA

Adventure Aquarium - Camden, NJ

Elmwood Park Zoo - Norristown, PA

ZooAmerica - Hershey, PA

Cape May Zoo - Cape May Court House, NJ

Lehigh Valley Zoo - Schnecksville, PA

Virginia Zoo - Norfolk, VA

Turtle Back Zoo - West Orange, NJ

The trip was easy, the way up shorter than the way down due to traffic and the time of day.  The total cost was around $188: Gas, Tolls, Admission, Souvenirs and Food.  I left home at 7:34 AM and arrived safely back at 5:22 PM.  The round trip driving distance was approximately 450 miles.  

I would rate the overall experience at the zoo a B+ with many of the major components falling into the A/A- range.  A zoo I would recommend worth the visit.

Everyman Theatre: The Lion In Winter

A classic of American Theater that I had never seen before; not the play, not the movie.  I had basic idea that it was set in the later half of the 12th century at Christmas Tide and involved the familial intrigues of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.  If you, like me, only knew this much about it (or perhaps even less), allow a brief synopsis.  It's Christmas 1183 and you've got your wife, the Queen, locked up in a prison in France because she tried to kill you.  Being the holidays, you grant her a limited clemency for a little family reunion with you, the King, and your three sons.  You each have your favorite, with one left over for extra measure.  They all want to be king--but only one can be.  You (the King) also keep chambers with the Princess of France who is actually betrothed to one of your sons, but not the one you want her to marry.  Her brother, the new King of France is dropping in to either attend her royal wedding or take her back to Paris.  What on earth could go wrong?  

The writing is truly exceptional; a veritable cornucopia of zingers and witty repartee.  The relationships weave a fine tapestry of love and hate.  This is juicy stuff for any ensemble of actors.  As each enters into the fray, they find their groove at different places making for a choppy start to things.  However, the unflinching anchor is Deborah Hazlett at Queen Eleanor.  She entered with the baton firmly in her grip and never dropped.  Once he found his rhythm, Jefferson A. Russell was a fine, at times commanding, King Henry.  Two other members of the cast worth elevating are Zach Powell and Ryan Dalusung.  Zach took on the role of the middle son, Geoffrey--that one that neither parent saw as king material.  Thus, he was left to plot and scheme and move from one dubious alliance to another.  He shone, quick witted and every bit the incarnation of Machiavelli's Prince.  Ryan had the role of Philip, the 17-year-old King of France.  From the moment he walked on stage, he offered us a king with quirks.  As the play progress, it went from maybe odd, to oddly perfect.  As I member of the audience I went from dismissing his performance to embracing it with some delight.

One of the things that I have come to appreciate about Everyman Theatre is their ability to execute an amazing set, and this one absolutely epitomized this.  Beautifully crafted is are a round room that held as many secrets as there were need of rooms.  With the drop of a tapestry, and the entrance of a poster bed and other furnishings we were in Philips night chamber, other panels open, the bed retreats and from the other side a fireplace with a glowing fire appears and we are in Henry's.  In a final switch a set of stairs leading to a second level is revealed and kegs of wine stacked on racks fill in this side and that where we now find the three princes imprisoned in the cellar awaiting their execution.  As the final transformation, I suddenly thought of the entire space as a giant barrel--a barrel full of "monkeys" as the old adage goes.

Everything about this production is designed to delight and it does.

The entire cast in that gorgeous set.  L-R: Grant Emerson Harvey (Prince Richard), Hannah Kelly (Princess Alais of France), Deborah Hazlett (Queen Eleanor), Jefferson A. Russell (King Henry II), Ben Ribler (Prince John), Ryan Dalusung (King Philip of France), and Zach Powell (Prince Geoffrey)

Queen Eleanor

Queen Eleanor, Alais and King Henry II

King Philip of France, Prince John and Prince Geoffrey

King Henry II and Queen Eleanor