Lions, Tigers, Parie Dogs? Oh MY!

Lions, Tigers, and Prairie Dogs are just some of the animals you will find at the Richmond Zoo. Giraffes, Rhinos, Bats, Antelopes are some of the others. Which if you will allow me to sneak back into my childhood memories for a moment, what ever happen to having fun at the zoo? I remember back in grade school, what all the kids look forward to was the field trip to the Pittsburgh Zoo in Pittsburgh, PA. (In case you didn't know, I grew up in Pa. That's why I talk and write so funny.) It was filled with excitement and wonderment of seeing all the wild animals that the zoo held. It was always a great time, wondering around looking at the lions and tigers and bears, oh my... But visiting the zoo in Richmond did not bring the same amount of excitement. Now you have to remember, this was my first visit to a zoo since grade school. Is it that I am getting old was that the excitement wasn't there because of this? Or was it because the Richmond Zoo, kept you too distance from the animals?  Sure you can get close to and pet the giraffes, and they have a large cage filled with lots of colored canaries, that you can walk through but the animals you want to see are so distance to you, it's hard to even get a good picture.

What I wanted to see was the lions and tigers closer. I understand that precaution takes over with these wild animals, and that safety is an issue. But to be so far back that you have to funnel your eyes to be able to see them or that you have to look through a glass window in a crowd, with so many hand prints and dirt you really can't see much at all. Expand the viewing areas, or make it easier for people to see the animals. That's all that is needed.

The tigers and the lions are majestic animals, and they deserved to be treated this way. And royalty should be viewed in that fashion. As royalty. OK enough of that.

My favorite part of this visit was the Orangutan. I am not sure who was watching whom. People were passing by the whole time, and this Orangutan sat and watched as they did. Was this his zoo? A zoo that came to him? People passing by and taking pictures were amazed as he just sat there and watched. Maybe we were the zoo for him and he was looking at the strange creatures that were watching him.

Which ever it was, I think he got his monies worth.

So our trip to the zoo was not very exciting, but it was interesting. The next time you go to the zoo, see who's watching you. More zoo pictures are at www.photosbyrb.zenfolio.com