Of giraffe tongues and porcupine tails

We used our Labor Day off for a zoo trip to Binder Park with Matt and Kristin. Out of all of our zoo memberships, we picked this one to visit because they close for the season soon, and how can you turn down giraffe feeding? Matt and Kristin thought that was worth the trip alone, enjoying the giraffes' long, scratchy black tongues pulling off gymnastic feats to reach our biscuits.

We discovered that the animals they use for their educational stage shows are completely different species, not on exhibit anywhere else in the zoo. This is how we got a chance to get up and close and personal with a fenic fox, who was very shy and had big, sensitive ears. We really wanted to hold him, but that luxury was reserved for the trainer.

Another animal we wished we could touch was the prehensile-tailed porcupine. We heard that his quills have microscopic barbs on them that would embed themselves in your skin, requiring a visit to the hospital and a dose of muscle-relaxant to get them out! How could something so cute be so dangerous? His special training taught him to tap his enormous, wide nose on the handler's fingers to get a treat, so holding the carrot just out of reach encouraged him to dangle from his special tail for the prize.

We continue to pray for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. www.redcross.org

Four minutes to Africa

Today we went to Africa, and it only took 4 minutes. 
Actually, first it took an hour to drive to Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, then we decided to wait in line for the 4 minute tram to Africa, but we decided that, in the long run, walking to Africa would be faster.  It was.  I know they said that the world was getting smaller, but…In comparison to our other zoos, Binder Park has a very small number of species, but wonderful presentation, and today we felt like we were being treated to a private viewing.  Evidently the storms and rainshowers we drove through to get there this morning scared the rest of the people off, but that was a bonus for us.  It actually stopped raining as we pulled into the parking lot and not only did we get the closest parking space available, but we also got to see all the animals when they were unusually active because it was still cool and quiet.  In Africa we saw zebras, a baby antelope, ostrich eggs and much more, plus we got to feed giraffes.  My what a long tongue you have…
After taking advantage of the 4 minute tram ride back to the U.S., we visited the children’s zoo and pet not only guinea pigs and rabbits, but also a photosaurus (the zoo claims that this child sized dinosaur is a mix between a triceratops and a stegosaurus that feeds on camera exposures and loves to be ridden by children).  Cortney was extremely excited to see the Mexican Wolves up and about and, funny enough, we also saw cheetahs back in the U.S.  Probably one of the best exhibits at the zoo is their wetland walk.  This is about a 1 mile walk through real preserved wetlands that have been beefed up by the reintroduction of native plant species and a few imaginative sculptures that simulate native animal species.  We topped off the day by spotting an albino pea-hen, and leaving just as the crowds started to swarm in, the sun began to overheat the earth and the animals began to retreat into their old lazy selves.  Well done.

Michigan football countdown:  7 days to kickoff!

Our zoo missed us!

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.

Rock N Roar, Toledo Zoo

Who said the seventies were dead?  We went with Kristin and Matt to the Rock and Roar party at the Toledo Zoo tonight.  We're not sure why it was the Rock and Roar party as opposed to the Disco Mania Night, but we had fun just the same.  By the way, Elvis really isn't dead and neither are bell bottoms or platform boots.  We also met Austin Powers, or at least saw him try to dance with lots of girls.  Notably, we did some of our own boogying, but we learned upon arrival that the days of arriving too early at a party to be cool do not stop with middle school.  Thus when we arrived promptly at the beginning of the shindig, we spent most of our time entertaining the wildebeast and zebras, not to mention the various crane birds (hey, some of them have the afro built in).  Once people started arriving, however, our attention was drawn swiftly from the grazing ungulates to the oddities gracing the makeshift dance floor.  There are only so many gyrating afros one can stand, so we joined them.  Kristin and Cortney had the moves down.  Matt and Jon just bopped.  The souvenir martini glasses with seven different LED light settings in the stems were totally worth any amount of disco embarrassment, though, right?

Memberfest

After complaining for an entire month that we had no evenings to relax together at home because Jon was busy directing the music for the musical, tonight was our first night to return to normalcy. So what do we do? We went to the zoo with Cortney's parents! Tonight was actually the "I'm a member and I want special privileges" night at the zoo--meaning that the park was open to members only for three hours in the evening, complete with animal feedings, puppet shows, and live music. While we did not partake in the live music nor the puppet shows, we did greatly enjoy the feeding of the animals--I had a gyro and Jon had a cheeseburger (thanks, mom and dad). After securing our own dinners, though, we all really enjoyed watching the wolverine mom and babies get treats from a bike-riding zookeeper. The best part of that display wasn't even the feeding itself, but the behavior exhibited by the mother before the treats arrived. She started getting antsy about ten minutes early, and she knew which direction to watch, too. She would run (lope, actually) around the enclosure, pausing on top of rocks to look far into the distance. This is where a picture is worth a thousand words. As the hour drew nearer she began to stand sentry on top of those rocks, and bouncing as high as she could to watch for the arrival of her food. When he finally did bike up to the enclosure, she knew him right away. The sweetest thing about it? After he threw the treats in, she let the babies eat first.
And who has ever seen a hippo try to eat a whole watermelon? A half hour later, in another part of the zoo, Jock the hippo waited, mouth agape, for his own special treat. Unfortunately for Jock, he's not a good catch. Nor is he a neat eater. He scooped up the watermelon that landed in the water and, in one closure of his giant mouth, crushed the melon, turning the water around him red. The remains of carrots and lettuce floated all around him in the wading pool. Okay, that may be a little dramatic, but not as dramatic as the half hour wait in line to take the train ride back to the front of the zoo. We could have been in the car and half way home by the time we boarded the train, but the tunnel WAS a lot of fun.