Now that we have been reunited, we decided to take some time off of work to spend together.  We thought we would add to our myriad of summer events (trips and weddings galore) by doing something wild and different, so what did we do?  We went to the zoo… on a Wednesday evening (they stay open late)!  As we have said before, and we still hold to be true – every trip to the zoo is different.  Tonight it wasn’t the tigers, the rhino or even the polar bear.  No, tonight’s craziness started with the hippo who, without fail, heads to his enclosure door nightly at 5pm, which is the usual closing time.  Jock the hippo has not figured out that Wednesday nights are longer during the summer, and after a disgruntled wait he returns to his pool and circles impatiently before trying the door again.  Perhaps some day he will catch on, but that will probably be the time when they return to the regular winter schedule.
Also special tonight was Peazilla’s visit to the prairie dog enclosure.  We have seen peacocks roam all over the zoo, but these were very different surroundings for Mr. Big Tail.  The prairie dogs thought so, too, and whenever he came close they went scurrying or dove into their holes.  There were plenty of warning cries as well.
And we had not yet experienced “enrichment” in the buffalo enclosure, but that was a serious highlight this evening.  That is, if you consider a large cardboard box filled with hay to be an item of enrichment.  Who said children were the only ones who appreciated a large refrigerator box?
Lastly, have you ever played “how many binturongs are in the tree?”  It’s a delightful game, and one that is not nearly as frustrating as waiting for the darn aardvark to move.  We are beginning to lose hope.  Actually, after tonight we are fairly certain that the animal does not move.  Tonight we waited for 20 minutes for a keeper to come open his door so that we could see him at least stand up to go inside.  But wouldn’t you know it… we walked away when closing time came but when, in a moment of weakness, we rushed back for a final look, he was gone!  We have decided that he spends all day sleeping on a specially rigged rock that is quietly lowered into his subterranean dwelling each night, and back up the next morning.  Ah well, there is always next time.