Tag: zoo

Posted in animals, zoo

Sloths have come to our corner of Florida

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by David Gomez on Unsplash

Judging by the highway billboards, sloths are one of the biggest new attractions in central and northeast Florida. The Jacksonville Zoo spent a lot of money marketing their new sloth exhibit. The Daytona Aquarium and Rainforest Adventure features a picture of a sloth on their sign. The Orlando Science Center houses a sloth in their small rainforest habitat. If you’re a sloth, there’s a good chance you can find a job in our area.

We became sloth fans after watching Flash at the Department of Mammal Vehicles in the animated movie Zootopia. We were excited by the opportunity to visit all these new exhibits.

We did get to see the sloths, but we were underwhelmed. At the Jacksonville Zoo, the two sloths had moved into a monkey display not far from the penguins. Since they weren’t out of their shelters, we didn’t see them. At the Orlando Science Center, the sloth was just a ball of fur up in a tree. And at the aquarium, the sloth was just visible on a ledge in a very dark enclosure.

I don’t know why I expected more. That’s what sloths do. They aren’t very active. They “hang around.” Nice work if you can get it.

Posted in zoo

I’m still learning new things at the zoo

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I learned so much when I went to the Jacksonville zoo last week. With five grandchildren in tow, my wife and I, with our daughter, rode the little train to the back of the zoo to begin our day. On the way, the train operator shared information I had never heard before, and we’ve been coming to this zoo for decades.

  • The Jacksonville zoo has one bull elephant, Ali, who is thirty-four years old. Ali is a donation from Michael Jackson’s Neverland ranch.
  • The zoo also has the world’s oldest white rhino. His name is Archie, and he is fifty-one years old. His dirt-sprinkled back makes him easy to spot in his habitat.
  • This zoo rehabilitates injured manatees. They had four on site, but can accommodate six. Manatees usually drift along below the water, but one was floating on the surface. An injury kept the manatee in the front tank from sinking, floating, and swimming around as it normally would.
  • We got to watch two seven-month-old tiger cubs wrestle and chase each other around. A zoo worker explained that tigers and other big cats don’t purr. They “chuff,” a breathy snort from their nostrils. I never knew that.

No matter how many times I visit the zoo, I always learn something new. By the time I leave, I’m even more awed by and grateful for creation!

Posted in zoo

Spending some time with the giraffes

Posted on by William Douthwaite

It’s always fun feeding the giraffes at the zoo. It was even better when the big guy, A. J., showed up for a snack yesterday.

It was the perfect day for a trip to the zoo. My wife and I had two grandsons with us, and we met my daughter with her three girls. We got there early, so it wasn’t hot or crowded. For an extra ten bucks you get unlimited carousel and train rides, 4D movies, and feeding the giraffes at the zoo.

We took the train to the back end of the zoo, where we got to see the two seven-month-old tiger cubs and the Komodo dragon. After that we rode the carousel twice, played on the splash pad, brushed the goats, and ate lunch. Then it was on to the lions, elephants, manatees, and the giraffes.

Feeding the giraffes means a zoo worker gives you a leafy branch and you hold it out so a waiting giraffe can take it from you with her long, blue tongue. Carrying our one-year-old granddaughter, I got in line for her first giraffe experience.

When it was our turn, the male giraffe nudged his way up to the platform. The Jacksonville, FL zoo has a number of females, but only one male. He doesn’t come over for a snack very often, so this was a special occasion.

His name is A. J., and he is sixteen-and-half feet tall. I held out our elm branch, and he only sniffed it at first. The zoo worker said, “He likes to think about it first.” A. J. then licked it, but didn’t take the branch. Finally, he wrapped his foot-long tongue around the stick and crunched it up as my granddaughter pulled back a few inches.

I’ve fed the giraffes before, but never realized how much bigger the males are. I knew they had horns on their head, but never knew that the horns had fur and patches of color just like the rest of his body.

It was cool seeing giraffes in the wild on a safari in Kenya ten years ago. It’s cool to see one up close, too.

In the Masai Mara, Kenya, Africa, 2013
Posted in zoo

I hope the animals got a raise

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Either the zookeepers union got what they wanted or all the animals got a nice raise, because a trip to the zoo has become expensive.

We frequent the Jacksonville (Florida) zoo. It’s the best one within driving distance, even though it takes us over an hour to get there. A membership there used to be a great deal. I think we paid $140 for an annual family membership which included two named adults and four unnamed grandchildren. Two trips with a could of kids and it paid for itself. Now it’s $75 per adult and $60 per named child.

If you visit the zoo more than three times a year, the membership will be worth it since admission is $29.95 for adults and $24.95 for children. That’s if you buy them online at least a day ahead of time. Add $5 for tickets purchased day of your visit.

Oh, and that doesn’t include the train, the carousel, feeding giraffes a piece of lettuce, and a movie in the 4D theater. Everyone must pay a flat $10 extra for total experience tickets, which includes all of those things. Even members. And you cannot purchase any of those things separately. And I can’t imagine telling the grandkids, “No, you can’t ride the train or the carousel.” That’s pretty much what they want to do at the zoo.

Kona shaved ice trucks are strategically positioned around the park. Moms and dads can get a $10 beer or wine to go along with a $14 burger. A cup of ice cream tastes great, but sets you back $9. And of course, you exit the zoo through the gift shop. I know, these aren’t Disney prices, but if you aren’t careful, you could spend $100 per person.

The last time we went was disappointing. The much promoted tiger cubs had the day off. All the animals from the Americas (bear, coyote, eagle, etc.) were off site while their habitats were bring rebuilt. The stingrays were on sabbatical.

Having said all that, I still love going to the zoo. We bring our lunch and some drinks. We know how to bypass the gift shop. The elephants and giraffes are more than happy to pose for pictures. It’s all good.

Posted in fun

Is that a hippo?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I forgot to include this great moment from my trip to the zoo the other day.

As we walked around the African loop on our way to see the ostrich and rhinos, we spied a man fully outfitted in scuba gear, just about to enter the brown, muddy, murky, duckweed-covered water below. As he put on his mask and regulator, I couldn’t help but wonder, “What can he see down there?” I have no idea what was down there that needed repair.

Anyway, once we got a nice close-up view of one of the rhinos, we started walking toward the giraffes and saw lots of bubbles coming up from the brown, muddy, murky, duckweed-covered water. I knew it was the diver, but a few other people didn’t. I heard them wondering out loud, “What’s down there? What animal is that? Is it a hippo? I think it’s a hippo! Look, it’s a hippo!”

I kept my chuckles to myself. I guess they haven’t seen many hippos. They wouldn’t have seen them here since the Jacksonville Zoo doesn’t have any. And hippos don’t breathe underwater. If they are in the water, they typically wade or lay around with their eyes, nostrils, and ears just above the surface. Otherwise, the ones I’ve seen like to lay at the edge of the water.

I have seen hippos at other zoos and in the wild. We saw them on safari in Kenya. Since they are one of the most dangerous animals in Africa, armed guides kept an eye on them as we took pictures. If the hippos decided to get aggressive, we’d be escorted out of there. When they began bellowing at us, it was time to leave.

Now those are hippos

I did not spoil their fun and tell them about the scuba diver.

Posted in Life

Today at the zoo: A predictable adventure

Posted on by William Douthwaite

My wife and I took our four-year-old grandson to the Jacksonville, Florida zoo today. It was a gorgeous day, with blue skies, in the 70s, nice breeze.

We have a family membership and have been there many times. Last night I predicted how the visit would go.

  • First, we stop to look at the flamingos and comment on how stinky they are.
  • As we walk through the African loop, we will look at the warthogs and also comment on how stinky they are.
  • We will look in vain for the cheetahs, see the ostrich, and then the rhinos.
  • After a quick pass through the snake house, we will pause to visit the elephants.
  • From there we’ll pass by the lions.
  • Next, we’ll go to the giraffe overlook and feed them a few branches.
  • Doubling back just a little, we’ll look to see how many manatees are in the recovery tank.
  • Back on the main drag, my grandson will point out the Kona Ice truck, just in case we had forgotten about it.
  • We’ll swing through the path that takes us by the bonobos and gorillas.
  • Next is the carousel. We’ll go on several rides with our enhanced experience wristbands.
  • After lunch, we’ll walk to the far end of the zoo to see the Komodo dragon and the tigers.
  • The train will take us back to the front of the park, and we’ll cover a cup of Kona Ice with every flavor of syrup.

I was spot on for everything except the dragon and tigers. We decided not to go all the way back there today.

“Well,” you might ask, “was there anything new at the zoo?”

Absolutely. No two trips are alike.

  • The elephants were standing much closer than they usually do, giving us a great view.
  • Most of the giraffes were a little standoffish, but one came over and my grandson and I got to feed her. No line at the giraffes, so we had several opportunities each. She was so close we could have reached right out and touched her. But that’s one of the things you cannot do.
  • One of the lionesses was relaxing in the sun on a huge rock just a few yards from the viewing area. She was beautiful.
  • One of the rhinos was very close to the raised walkway, too. They are usually all the way across the field from us.
  • On the way to see the manatees, the bald eagle was on the ground just on the other side of the fence. Probably the closest I’ve ever been to one.
  • We got to see Kevin, the two-year-old baby gorilla up close against the glass.
  • All the snakes in the snake house were out and visible. Usually many of them are hiding in the rocks.

So while the day was predictable, it was also an adventure. For me, zoos always are.

Posted in Life

A croc in the water!

Posted on by William Douthwaite
A croc floating in duckweed covered water at the zoo in Jacksonville, Florida.

I did a double-take walking through the Jacksonville Zoo. We had just passed the bongo and zebra enclosures and were just about to look at the lions. Underneath the wooden walkway, I saw this croc floating on the duckweed-filled water. Yes, a croc in the water! Not an unusual sight in Florida, but not exactly the kind you would expect.

Okay, so if you’ve read any of my posts, you know I always wonder about such things. What’s the story behind this? How in the world did someone’s croc end up in the water?

Perhaps it was a game of keep away. Someone stepped out of a croc, friends grabbed it and tossed it back and forth until it sailed over the railing and into the water. Yeah, you’re going home half-barefoot. Sorry about that.

Maybe it was a dare. “Hey, do you think there are any alligators in the water?” “There are alligators in every pond in Florida, doofus.” “I dare you to throw your croc in the water. Everyone will see and take a picture of a “croc in the water.”

It could have been an accident. Exuberant spring-breakers were kicking at each other. One kick missed, a shoe went flying, and suddenly there was a “croc in the water.” Maybe friends were slapping each other with flip-flops and other shoes, when one went astray and sailed into the water.

Maybe the rhino-ostrich-lion staff saw a chance to mess with the tourists. “I know. Let’s throw a croc out there in the water. They’ll freak out.”

We look for and often see alligators along the banks of every retention pond we pass by. We were not surprised to find a croc in the water.