Those who know me well know I'm a huge animal advocate. If I can't fix it, help it or adopt it, don't show it to me. Because of my feelings for animals I have always avoided going to zoo's and I am against any circus that uses animals. However, I did agree to go to the Bronx Zoo...hoping that it wouldn't turn out to be a horrendous prison for helpless animals. As it turned out I'm glad I went. It opened my mind and I realized (to my relief) that not all captive animals are miserable and suffering. The zoo was quite large, the animals were well cared for and some species would be extinct if not for being protected and bred in the zoo. The Bronx Zoo is also very committed to the protection of many species and deeply involved in trying to save the rain forests. You can do your part for the rain forests by purchasing a membership at the zoo as well as by buying items at the gift shops or by simply donating your spare change. (which I did)
Posted here you will see photo's I took as well as some from KC. I'm glad KC shared her pics with me because she took shots I didn't (the batteries in my camera died!) and some of hers just are just better than mine!
The one thing that will help me to remember this trip to the Bronx Zoo forever is a female gorilla that surprised us all. I'm not a fan of gorilla's or monkeys. I lean more towards the large cats. They have always been my favorites although I wasn't able to get very many pictures of them on this trip. But this gorilla made my day. We were all jockying around to get a good picture of the gorillas and I happen to get close to the glass where a very large female gorilla was sitting up on a rock face close to me. She was huge! And her baby was next to her. I was getting my camera ready and hoping she would look at me and all of a sudden she looks directly at me and stuck out her tongue! My mouth dropped open and Justin roared laughing behind me. Before you knew it, this gorilla and I were going back and forth sticking our tongues out at each other, over and over again for several minutes. The crowd that was watching was enjoying it as much as I was. KC was trying to get a picture of it and so was I, inbetween sticking my tongue out at her..but it just wasn't going to work that way. I even tried making hand signals to her...to indicate to her that I wanted to take her picture with her tongue out and she would watch me intently but she would stop every time I raised the camera. I thought maybe someone had been teaching her things..like hand signals...but apparently she just thought I needed a put down and delivered in the only way she knew how. It was really amazing!
Looking in her eyes felt like looking at a very wise mind...very human like...and a little creepy. Gorillas are very intriguing and I have a whole new respect for them. But I can't help wondering why she selected me to stick her tongue out at. (Things that make you go Hmmmmm...)
