My kids like animals – what can I say?
We took a trip to the Zoo last week in honor of Jesse’s 4th birthday. They had a blast spotting the animals in each cage.
I had a blast photographing them having a blast.
I even took a few pictures of the animals, too.
Can anyone guess what this animal is???
Jesse was looking forward to the elephants the most. Syracuse Zoo has quite the elephant collection, and the two we saw were mother and daughter, the daughter having been born in the zoo.
We also saw monkeys…
One especially cute monkey that kept climbing all over things…
Jesse’s comment on the tiger when it stood up and started walking slowly along its fence: “Oh, Tiger coming to get us – gonna eat us!!!” Then he pounded on the thick glass between to reassure himself that he was not going to become tiger lunch.
Both the kids really had a healthy fear of the tigers. Can you tell from their body language that they are not at all interested in riding the tiger statue?
Apparently we didn’t read Claire’s cues well enough, and only realized her complete disinterest in tiger riding as Daddy was lifting her up – “No, Daddy, Nooooo!“
See – I did take pictures of animals.
But these three were by far my favorite animals at the zoo…
My next favorite were the penguins.
Jesse liked them, too.
Their tank was really cool, with multiple observation windows that allowed you to see them above and below the water. They would all crowd onto a rock and wait and wait and wait and then JUMP in all together, filling the water with bubbles! Then they would swim around for a while and one by one make their way back up to the diving rock to wait and wait and wait until a big enough crowd was gathered to JUMP again!
I think it was everyone’s favorite part of the zoo trip.
Ok, that and the little plastic animals mommy splurged on in the gift shop. We only chose the ones that matched the animals we saw that day. (so, no zebras or garafes, but a daddy and a mommy lion, tigers, big horned sheep, spotted poison dart frogs, monkeys, and fancy birds.)
We pretty much wore them out, and They were both asleep within minutes of these photos being taken.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this became a yearly tradition – it was the perfect time of year to visit the zoo – cool, comfortable weather and we had the place to ourselves due to school just starting.
So, any guesses on that forth photo?
Oh Poor Claire!!! My first trip to the zoo, I was freaked out by the peacocks that roam free at the Portland Zoo.
If you ever make it out here 🙂 the Portland Zoo is top notch. You could easily spend all day there. And you are right – cooler weather or rain are the best conditions for viewing the animals. When is is hot, they hide!
Yes! they are lemurs! Three of them, all cuddling together – I thought they looked like some awesome, three-tailed creature they were so close together.
Don't have a clue! Looks like a fun trip. You know, I have never been to a zoo. Sad, I know. I need to borrow a child and go to the zoo!
Ringtailed lemur?
Looks like fun. I think we need to go to the zoo soon!
Lemurs they are Lemurs… I think, maybe… Looks like you guys had fun!