Long Summer at the Zoo: Memories to Last a Lifetime

Yes, this long summer is growing to a close. The days are cooling from that blistering summer heat, kids are back in school, and many zoos are slipping into their winter hours. This summer has reminded me of summers past as a child and the many memories that have stayed with me a lifetime. Those same memories are what gives me the caring attitude and desire to help animals now. It is those memories which helped shape the person I became, so to my mother "See! It wasn't a waste of time going to see the same animals at the zoo every year"!

My love of animals started at a very early age. While many often flocked to the Elephants or Giraffes, the Rhinos always held a special place to me. Wild animals they will remain, never allowing themselves to be tamed by man. It is one of the few animals I have never touched, feed by hand, nor had any close contact. The strength and power in a Rhino always amazed me. I never found the special excitement many kids found out the zoo. We all had our favorites, but mine always seemed to be the underdogs. The animals most people pasted by without taking a longer or deeper look.

Okapi are another animal of mystery that has had my thoughts for so long. Known by even the ancient Egyptians, Okapi were thought to by mythical. They are very gentle shy creatures, all the Okapi I have been in close contact I could have taken home with me. This one here is enjoying the summer, hanging out in the shade. The stripes all ways reminded me of a Zebra but Okapi are related to the Giraffe. The green summer here in Saint Louis reminds me of all the new babies born.

The five Amur Tigers born this year have been special. Like all children they won't hold still for a photo, so you have to catch them when you can. I don't think Momma would like anyone trying to pose them. As you can see they are doing fine and growing fast. Sofiya, the Amur Leopard cub is also doing well. She is growing fast and is very playful. Her brother being still born worried many of us, but it looks like she is on a healthy road. Don't make too much fun at the name, but the Somali Wild Asses are doing fine also. The three babies are growing fast and looking great.

It is kind of hard to mention baby animals this year without our baby Giraffe. Very playful, but still time to spend with mother.

No, the Ostrich didn't learn his lesson. He still keeps the baby on his toes. Mom might give the Ostrich a flying lesson one day. Yes, I was a bad girl this year and got yelled at by a zookeeper. The Giraffes are able to lean over out of their exhibit further then the outer fence surrounding it. So when they feel the mood, I always take it upon myself to give them grass and a quick rub.

I think the one area of the zoo which always excited me was the aquariums. The large fish swimming by gave me a curious nature about the sea at an early age which still brings a nautical thought to me now. While marine life always brought thoughts of ships, diving, and the surf, freshwater always made me think of the giants lurking deep in the rivers near. The dark water held a mystery of those giant Catfish, Spoonbill and Gar which controlled the river. Catfish were always the old men of the river to me. I have never been bored in just staring at them for hours.

My first zoo was the Tulsa Zoo, not a big zoo, but as a child it was place which I longed for every summer. The same animals didn't matter to me, just being close to the same old friends is all I desired. As I travel I have found other found friends at the Zoos across the world. These Dwarf Mongooses only look alone, they have MANY playmates. I would have not even known this animal existed if it wasn't for a zoo. How can you protect species if you don't know they exist? Reptiles have always been another interest of mine.

Aldabara Tortoises, the giants of the land. Living longer then most people, I often thought of them as the old men of the land. The hard shell they live in always look very limited to me, but safe. Slow to move but still could give you a nip to remember they always seemed tame to me. I had a bad habit of looking for tortoieses as a kid. I think as a child, my love of tortoises would be strange, but that was only because my parents didn't react too well to snakes. Yes, I'm a self admitting snake lover. Pythons are my favorite but I always had an interest in any snake. I learned to handle snakes early, always out of sight of my parents of course.

My love of Alligators started in New Orlean's Zoo. On a photo trip to the Zoo I often found myself eating at the Cafe which set on a deck overlooking the Alligator exhibit. I remember those days clearly, a nice big po'boy or Crawfish Etouffee and a Dixie beer. Brings back fond memories of the Big Easy.

In the many years I have been going to Zoos, Conservation areas, and wildlife refuges I have to say I have seen more then my share of strange things. It was only this early spring that I probably learned my most important lesson when it comes to wild animals. Primates are probably some of my least favorite animals. Not all primates though, Oranutangs have always had a special place in my heart, and always will. Chimps and Baboons though are a different story. I have always been able to have just about any wild animal or unfriendly pet turned into a furry friend in a short time. Baboons however, there seems to be nothing but total aggression. I thought it must have been with just the group I had interacted with but have found over the years, Baboons and I just have issues. They tend to get very aggressive towards me, while others are ignored. Charging fences, throwing things, beating on the ground, at times it has been very un-nerving. This spring brought on another story in which I learned to NOT make eye contact with a male Chimp. I found myself at the Saint Louis Zoo, during the Chimps breakfast.

The big male was sitting 4 feet from the glass, munching away, totally ignoring the people watching. I walked up, took a few photos and then let my camera down. That is when it happened, our eyes locked on each other and at that same moment he quit moving in middle munch. We were staring each other down and my head was higher then his. Not more then twenty seconds had passed when he decided I needed to back down, he moved quick jumping up and pounding on the glass with both hands and feet at the same time. You could feel the glass vibrate as he hit it repeatedly. It was only then I realized I had made the mistake of eye contact. As the crowd backed away from the glass I turned away and pressed myself through the crowd.

Only after I was gone could you hear him quiet once again. I have never showed any fear towards animals, respect but never fear, that was the only time in my life that being around an animal made me nervous. Even being in an enclosure with three tigers, finding me sitting on the ground with one laying across my lap like a house cat, did not even get a moment of fear or second thought from me. The many visits to the Saint Louis Zoo I have made this year has brought back many memories which I knew would last me a lifetime. It has reminded me how my view and opinion of Zoos have changed over the years. While I have always loved seeing the animals, I have never liked them being in cages. No matter how you design it, an exhibit is still a cage. As I have explored over the years though, I have learned that Zoos aren't always a bad option. Mankind has destroyed much on this planet, animals that use to number in the millions are now just a few or already gone forever. The habitat wildlife around the planet is being destroyed daily in search of more products, to make room for farming, and our ever increasing population. If things keep going in this direction, Zoos might be the only safe place left for most animals. It would be a very sad day to realize animals did not exist in the wild anymore.