Service! Service!
Today, one of my aunts, my mom, and I went to the Brookfield Zoo. We went last year, but since my aunt's membership is up at the end of the month, we wanted to go again.
In general, I felt like this year's trip was a lot better. Everything seemed so much more livelier, all around. In fact, they started panicking, when they saw the large crowd of people, outside of the main gate. Traffic was backed up, too. I can't blame people for wanting to go, though. This was the first really nice weekend, we've had, up here.
Then, it seemed like there were more exhibits, this time. Last time, a lot of the exhibits were closed, for maintenance. This time, almost everything was open, and there were even some new exhibits.
Plus, I even broke in the camera, in my new phone, and took a ton of pictures. So, I wanted to share some of them!
Before we started checking out the exhibits, we went to see the dolphin show. Unfortunately, I did not get pics from this. I decided to sit closer to the front, while the others sat further back, to avoid getting splashed. So, Mom had my purse, and I forgot to take my phone out. They were thinking that I'd get soaked, but it turns out that I didn't even get splashed, at all. I guess I wasn't sitting close enough to the splash area. Ah, well. No biggie. I did get some pics of the dolphins, from the underwater section, later, though.
Anyhow, the first area we checked out, was one of the new exhibits. It was called Wild Encounters, and this was probably our favorite part, today.
A statue of a red panda.
This was one of the main reasons, for why I wanted to check this exhibit out. They had a picture of a red panda, on the map. I can't help it! Red pandas are adorable! X3
There were two of them, in there. It took a while, but I managed to get a few shots of them.
In the next area of the exhibit, were a couple of reindeer.
It was a good day for sunbathing.
Next, we passed by a couple of alpacas. Once again, eating and sunbathing.
Next to the alpacs, were the llamas. I was so happy to see some llamas, there. Last year, I wanted to make sure to see the llamas, because, as Llama from Polar Bear's Cafe can tell you, they don't get much respect. Sadly, they didn't have any, last year. So, I was really happy to see them included in this new exhibit, and I'll admit to the llamas being the other main reason for why I wanted to check this exhibit out. They even posed, for me!
In the next part, there was a large, open area, full of wallabies and a trio of emus. For the most part, the wallabies stayed close to the fence, while the emus roamed around. So, I had a few really up close encounters with the birds.
At one point, we were sitting in a shaded area, and suddenly, the emus came running up to the wallabies. They ended up scaring the wallabies, causing them to stampede. According to the zookeeper on duty, this tends to happen a few times a day. The emus get curious about the wallabies, and want to check them out. If only I hadn't put my phone away, momentarily! DX
The last part of the exhibit, was the parakeet house. There were tons of parakeets, everywhere!
In the parakeet house, you could buy a little stick with peanut butter and birdseed on the tip, and try to get a parakeet to eat off of it. I actually had two of these guys, but I only got the picture of this one. A white one came up, on his own, but I had the stick in one hand and my phone in the other. Unfortunately, my finger wasn't fast enough with hitting the shutter, and I couldn't get a picture of it. However, I also got this green and yellow one, that the bird keeper put on it. So, I managed to get a picture of him.
And there he goes!
Next, we went back to the dolphin area, to get some shots of the dolphins underwater.
After coming back up, we saw a couple of seals.
People were wondering if they were in the midst of a mating ritual. It almost looks like they're kissing. ^^
After the seals, we went into the big cat area. To start things off, we saw the snow leopards. Last year, there was only one, but time, there were three. Apparently, this girl gave birth to cubs, shortly after we saw her, last year. (Check out that tail!)
They're not little, anymore, but here's her babies.
Next, was the tiger. The tiger's area was far from where I was standing. So, this was the best shot I could get.
I thought this was kind of weird, but they had two sloth bears in the middle of the big cat area. You can really only see the one, but there's a second one, behind it.
Next up, were the leopards. I was getting my camera ready to take a picture, of one of them walking around. Suddenly, this happened. Yes...I got a very good view of a male leopard mounting a female. Not only was it a good day for sunbathing, but it was also a good day for mating, apparently. ^^'
Finally, there were the lions.
I went over to a section, where you could get a better view, through glass. While I was over there, the male was waking up from his nap. I just loved his cute, sleepy kitty face. ^^
We then decided to head over to the bear exhibit. On our way over, we passed by the pachyderm area, and there were two rhinoceroses out and about.
Then, I had an up close and personal encounter with this peacock. The zoo lets their peacocks roam around this particular area. So, I got quite a few shots of this guy.
Check out that detailed plumage!
And I just included this one, for that train.
We passed by an American bald eagle, too. He was pretty high up, so this was the best shot I could get.
Unfortunately, the polar bear exhibit was closed for maintenance. So, I only managed to get this one picture, of a grizzly chilling in the pool.
Finally, we went to go see the penguins.
I was so glad, that I managed to get such an awesome shot, of this penguin underwater!
After the penguins, my mom, and my aunt, decided that they couldn't go much further. So, we headed out. On our way, I found this peacock on top of one of the cafe's roofs.
We also saw these birds, here and there. I believe they called them bleached peacocks. This one is a mom, who is watching over her nest.
So, while I didn't get to see everything, I still had a really awesome zoo trip. I'm hoping to go again, in a few months, because there's going to be a new bird attraction, and I really want to check it out!
In general, I felt like this year's trip was a lot better. Everything seemed so much more livelier, all around. In fact, they started panicking, when they saw the large crowd of people, outside of the main gate. Traffic was backed up, too. I can't blame people for wanting to go, though. This was the first really nice weekend, we've had, up here.
Then, it seemed like there were more exhibits, this time. Last time, a lot of the exhibits were closed, for maintenance. This time, almost everything was open, and there were even some new exhibits.
Plus, I even broke in the camera, in my new phone, and took a ton of pictures. So, I wanted to share some of them!
Before we started checking out the exhibits, we went to see the dolphin show. Unfortunately, I did not get pics from this. I decided to sit closer to the front, while the others sat further back, to avoid getting splashed. So, Mom had my purse, and I forgot to take my phone out. They were thinking that I'd get soaked, but it turns out that I didn't even get splashed, at all. I guess I wasn't sitting close enough to the splash area. Ah, well. No biggie. I did get some pics of the dolphins, from the underwater section, later, though.
Anyhow, the first area we checked out, was one of the new exhibits. It was called Wild Encounters, and this was probably our favorite part, today.
A statue of a red panda.
This was one of the main reasons, for why I wanted to check this exhibit out. They had a picture of a red panda, on the map. I can't help it! Red pandas are adorable! X3
There were two of them, in there. It took a while, but I managed to get a few shots of them.
In the next area of the exhibit, were a couple of reindeer.
It was a good day for sunbathing.
Next, we passed by a couple of alpacas. Once again, eating and sunbathing.
Next to the alpacs, were the llamas. I was so happy to see some llamas, there. Last year, I wanted to make sure to see the llamas, because, as Llama from Polar Bear's Cafe can tell you, they don't get much respect. Sadly, they didn't have any, last year. So, I was really happy to see them included in this new exhibit, and I'll admit to the llamas being the other main reason for why I wanted to check this exhibit out. They even posed, for me!
In the next part, there was a large, open area, full of wallabies and a trio of emus. For the most part, the wallabies stayed close to the fence, while the emus roamed around. So, I had a few really up close encounters with the birds.
At one point, we were sitting in a shaded area, and suddenly, the emus came running up to the wallabies. They ended up scaring the wallabies, causing them to stampede. According to the zookeeper on duty, this tends to happen a few times a day. The emus get curious about the wallabies, and want to check them out. If only I hadn't put my phone away, momentarily! DX
The last part of the exhibit, was the parakeet house. There were tons of parakeets, everywhere!
In the parakeet house, you could buy a little stick with peanut butter and birdseed on the tip, and try to get a parakeet to eat off of it. I actually had two of these guys, but I only got the picture of this one. A white one came up, on his own, but I had the stick in one hand and my phone in the other. Unfortunately, my finger wasn't fast enough with hitting the shutter, and I couldn't get a picture of it. However, I also got this green and yellow one, that the bird keeper put on it. So, I managed to get a picture of him.
And there he goes!
Next, we went back to the dolphin area, to get some shots of the dolphins underwater.
After coming back up, we saw a couple of seals.
People were wondering if they were in the midst of a mating ritual. It almost looks like they're kissing. ^^
After the seals, we went into the big cat area. To start things off, we saw the snow leopards. Last year, there was only one, but time, there were three. Apparently, this girl gave birth to cubs, shortly after we saw her, last year. (Check out that tail!)
They're not little, anymore, but here's her babies.
Next, was the tiger. The tiger's area was far from where I was standing. So, this was the best shot I could get.
I thought this was kind of weird, but they had two sloth bears in the middle of the big cat area. You can really only see the one, but there's a second one, behind it.
Next up, were the leopards. I was getting my camera ready to take a picture, of one of them walking around. Suddenly, this happened. Yes...I got a very good view of a male leopard mounting a female. Not only was it a good day for sunbathing, but it was also a good day for mating, apparently. ^^'
Finally, there were the lions.
I went over to a section, where you could get a better view, through glass. While I was over there, the male was waking up from his nap. I just loved his cute, sleepy kitty face. ^^
We then decided to head over to the bear exhibit. On our way over, we passed by the pachyderm area, and there were two rhinoceroses out and about.
Then, I had an up close and personal encounter with this peacock. The zoo lets their peacocks roam around this particular area. So, I got quite a few shots of this guy.
Check out that detailed plumage!
And I just included this one, for that train.
We passed by an American bald eagle, too. He was pretty high up, so this was the best shot I could get.
Unfortunately, the polar bear exhibit was closed for maintenance. So, I only managed to get this one picture, of a grizzly chilling in the pool.
Finally, we went to go see the penguins.
I was so glad, that I managed to get such an awesome shot, of this penguin underwater!
After the penguins, my mom, and my aunt, decided that they couldn't go much further. So, we headed out. On our way, I found this peacock on top of one of the cafe's roofs.
We also saw these birds, here and there. I believe they called them bleached peacocks. This one is a mom, who is watching over her nest.
So, while I didn't get to see everything, I still had a really awesome zoo trip. I'm hoping to go again, in a few months, because there's going to be a new bird attraction, and I really want to check it out!