Mid-Winter Zoo Trip

L works with a girl that says the only reason she works as a nurse is so she can volunteer at the Hogle Zoo. She has encouraged L to take Hippo this winter. She says the animals are much more active and it is a better zoo-experience than the traditional spring/summer excursions. "I don't buy it," I kept telling L until Sunday night when I had been complaining for 72 hours straight about 1) being sick for 2.5 weeks (the flu, cold, sinus infection, not sure what is currently going on) 2) Hippo being sick for 2 weeks (cold, sinus infection, and then pink eye) 3) my IT band being strained, again, preventing me from a thorough workout 4) L going skiing every Monday 5) getting our house ready to sell 6) not leaving the house for days as a result of the above mentioned when L said for the millionth time this winter, "Why don't you go to the zoo?"

I hate the Hogle Zoo. It's small, over-crowded, and there are more snack shacks/vendors than there are animal displays. I reviewed my other options for Monday: sit around, touch up paint, feel sorry for myself, deal with 467 temper tantrums, watch daytime television while trying to drown out 467 temper tantrums, clean out Hippo's baby clothes/closet, or deep clean the kitchen.

I chose to go to the zoo.

I figured that since it would be 45 degrees and sunny outside, and we could wear heavy coats there was no reason I couldn't take a pink-eyed kid (and a sick mom) to the zoo--he can't get anyone else sick there (he's been banned from all other children museums, the church nursery, and the gym daycare due to being sick). We both REALLY needed to get out of the house.

This mandrill came to the glass from the back of the exhibit to hang out with us. Hippo was quite take aback by the mandrill, which was surprising because I have never seen Hippo scared of an animal.

This tiger was pacing back and forth on this bridge. His brothers were off to the side gnawing on slabs of meat.

I was taken with this white wolf. There was only a description for the grey American wolf and so I am not sure what kind this one is. Isn't she beautiful? We talked to her for several minutes, Hippo refused to howl even though he knows how.

I included this guy in the picture because it shows how if this male giraffe bent down lower they could touch each other. The giraffe must have head lice because he itched his head the whole time were there. Hippo learned to say "giraffe" and I learned that giraffes have a special organ in their head, next to their brain, which adjusts to changes in air flow/pressure so the giraffe doesn't get dizzy or pass out. They are the only animals on the planet with this extra organ.

Now that's a big butt, Hippo and I kept saying to each other. Even though I didn't get it well on camera, this silver back gorilla was taken with Hippo. He mostly wandered around and ate but he would turn toward Hippo every couple of minutes and stare at him. He didn't like me nearly as much and always turned away from me. Hippo refused to pound his chest like I've taught him.

Does it surprise you that Hippo forced me to stop and gaze at this exhibit for 10 minutes?

There were only 30 other people in the park, maybe. It's the only time I've ever been to the zoo where I could take as long as I wanted to look at the animals, and at all angles. I have never seen all of the animals so active. My pictures of the cougars pacing and playing didn't turn out well, nor did my pictures of the bears running around. All of the primates were extraordinarily active, with monkeys coming right up to us and interacting with Hippo. One spider monkey ricocheted off of the glass (with his feet, about 20 feet high) right in front of my face. It was so funny.

Hippo's favorite part was the birds (I cannot believe he is not biologically related to his cousin, Buddy, who is more knowledgeable about animals and birds than an average adult). He loved the indoor rainforest area where parrots and other exotic birds flew around us freely. He also loved the duck and swan pond (I'm glad he's not traumatized by being pecked by a black swan this summer) and tried sneaking them a snack of pretzels and grapes. At one point we encountered a zoo worker who was holding a beautiful falcon, the fastest animal on the planet. Hippo loved this bird, who flapped her wings wildly for him. The zoo worker told us all about this beautiful bird and said that the orange/brown color on a bird's chest is called "roughage." I've heard this word before, probably from Buddy, but never knew exactly what it meant.

I've had a change of heart toward the Hogle Zoo. We'll remember to go in the winter, however.