December 30, 2013

Another cold morning at the zoo!  So cold, the Northern Trail was closed.  I asked if there is a certain temperature cut-off for closing the trail (like we do with the playground at work).  Apparently, if the air is at 0 degrees or -10 with the windchill, they are likely to close this trail.  They usually make the decision at about 8:30 a.m., so you can call ahead to find out.

Despite the cold, it was incredibly busy at the zoo.  There were at least three buses and many rows of cars in the parking lot when we arrived.




Watching this tortoise eat made both Allie and me giggle.



I loved the way this little longhorn cowfish swims across the surface.








Here are a couple of the cool birds we saw on the Tropics Trail.

While not a great angle, it was fun to see the baby porcupine out.

We spent some time wondering what this duck thinks about living on the heated beaver pond!














Allie and I had planned to take our selfie from the visit in front of the sleeping brown bears. To our surprise, one of the bears was groggily awake.

After being in the cold air throughout the Minnesota Trail and Russia's Grizzly Coast, warm food was in order!  The kid's cheeseburger meal, from the Call of the Wild Food Court, hit the spot.

December 21, 2013

With my two older girls home from college, I have extra options for zoo companions! Emma volunteered to travel to Apple Valley with me today.

We started in Discovery Bay, where we came across this little bat ray seemingly trying to get out of the pond.

Today on the Tropics Trail, this black and white colobus monkey reminded me of a woman reclining in an impressionist painting ... a little like Edouard Manet's Le Repose (Portrait of Berthe Morisot).

We were lucky in catching the random movements of the white-cheeked gibbons.

Emma and I grabbed our obligatory selfie with this red ruffed lemur.

Things were loud on the Minnesota Trail.  Listen to this gray wolf (and others) howl!

 

December 15, 2013

Once again Allie joined me for a trip to the zoo. It was also another chilly morning.  It was 0 degrees in Plymouth when we left home at 8:45 am.  We started out inside, Discovery Bay and Tropics Trail, hoping it would warm up before we hit the outside exhibits, but no such luck. (It had only warmed to 2 degrees at home by mid-afternoon.)

We discovered something most zoo-goers probably already know.  It periodically rains over the exhibit where the white-cheeked gibbons and flamingos live. Some exhibit residents seemed to love it,







some seemed to dislike it,

while others seemed ambivalent (but this was after both gibbons had traveled to the center of the exhibit where it wasn't raining).  

FUN FACT OF THE DAY:  Tortoises bob their heads like this to greet one another!

Selfie Sunday was celebrated with these dozing pumas!

The Northern Trail and Russia's Grizzly Coast did not disappoint.  Two tigers were alternately grooming and resting when we went by.  One dhole leaped in greeting as we approached his exhibit. The camels were right next to the walking path, once again trying to manage a nibble of something outside their exhibit.  But we had the most fun at the last exhibit we walked past -- the sea otters.  One otter kept locating ice blocks containing food, and then swam, resting them on his chest.  As he swam by, he would pound it on the the Plexiglas to try and get the treats out.  While I didn't get organized to take some video soon enough, you can imagine it with this clip.

December 8, 2013

After collecting and putting on everything I thought I'd need to keep warm, I FORGOT MY CAMERA! It might have been just as well, though, as it was hard to keep my hands warm, even while just grabbing a few pictures on my phone. (I am looking for mittens big enough to accommodate my thin gloves, but haven't found the right thing yet.)

I started on Russia's Grizzly Coast today.  With me as the only spectator, this sea otter was very interested in me.  He or she even followed me to the next part of the tank when I was moving to leave.

When I got to the wild boar exhibit, there were five or more trainers working with the animals.  They train them, with positive reinforcement, to do a number of behaviors so zoo staff can keep them healthy (examine them, draw blood, treat them) without causing the animals a lot of stress.  It was interesting to watch (and I thought I should do the same with our dog... or maybe our kids).
FUN FACT OF THE DAY:  All of the wild boars currently in this exhibit are brothers and sisters.


I have never visited the Minnesota Zoo in the winter.  I now realize it's a great time to see many of the animals on the Grizzly Coast, Northern Trail, and Minnesota Trail.  Several dholes (Asian wild dogs) ran up to the viewing area as I approached.  They then ran to the corner of the exhibit as they heard the crunching of the snow that marked more people coming. They even leaped in the air, seemingly to get a better look at their next visitors.




On the Minnesota Trail the grey wolves and coyotes were also very active.  I loved the close shot, though, that I could get of the dozing puma today.










I grabbed this week's selfie on the Tropics trail. Here I am with a black and white colobus monkey.  (This selfie required a lot of concentration!)









My video for the day came from Discovery Bay.  I tried to get a video of this during my last visit, but it turned out terrible (maybe my phone works better for this application).  Here is the Cassiopea, or upside-down jelly fish.  Like the small movements seen in the coral tank, these creatures can be relaxing to watch.