We're Going to the Zoo Zoo Zoo!

On March 21st we took a trip with Grandma Lisa, Aunt Laurel, and our cousins to the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.  We had a ton of fun.  Here are Grandma Lisa, Annamae, Gavin and Nathan on the train that travels around the zoo.

The zoo is set up into many different "loops" that are based on the continents.  In the Asian Loop there was a Moon Gate that led to a beautiful Koi Pond and pavilion.  Nathan was really excited about the fish and now wants one (is there anything they don't want?).  We learned that one Koi was reported to have been alive for 265 years.  Nathan had to think about who he would pass on his Koi fish to when he was that old.

In the Asian Loop there was also a misting forest with Bamboo.  The zoo didn't actually have and panda's there, but there was a cute statue of some.  The kids liked to climb on the bears.  In fact Gavin spent a lot of time that day to try and find "lions, tigers, and bears. Oh my!"

Nathan was excited about seeing the Komodo Dragon.  I was just glad that there was glass between us and the dragon.  Even though they look lazy and slow they are very dangerous!

There was a neat aviary where you you could walk with the birds there.  Some of the people who were already there shared their cups of nectar with us.  This lorikeet was wary, but still couldn't resist the nectar.

There was  a kid's play area where we could also go in and brush some pygmy goats.  These goats are really cute and really friendly.  Some of the goats looked pregnant, but it turned out that they just look that way because they have four stomaches. 

Gavin dressed up like a tiger.  Isn't he cute!

At mid-day we left the zoo to have a picnic lunch in a shaded area of the parking lot.  Yummy.

When we returned we spent some time in the Africa Loop.  These cool looking animals are called bongos.  Funny.  They are in a river which is covered in duckweed.  This is an environmentally more friendly alternative to algae.  The bongos seemed to like eating the duckweed.

Rhinoceroses!  Crazy...

Sting Ray Bay.  Tons of fun.  Nathan, Laurel, Alec, Gavin, Annamae and Grandma Lisa are all trying to pet the wings of the Sting Ray's.  We spent the dollar to buy them food which gave us enough to share a little with each person.  It tickled and was a little scary when they suck the food out of your hand, but was worth the dollar we spent on it.  Nathan was upset because he didn't get to pet the big sting ray.  I explained that the reason it probably got so big was because he was more careful.  The explanation didn't make him happy.

Gavin is happy to finally get to the Gorilla section.

Scary Silverback Gorillas.  These remind me of possibly the worst movie ever.  Congo.  If you have seen it then you know what I am talking about.

Gavin and Nathan are looking at the endangered Florida Panther.  It was playing with a fish frozen in a cup.  Not appetizing to me, but apparently gourmet food for a panther.