Early Fall At The Zoo

I went to the Denver Zoo yesterday to take a few photographs, hoping that it would either be an overcast or cooler day, so that the animals would be out and about, and not lying far away in the shade. Unfortunately, it turned out to be both hot and sunny, which made the day a lot more challenging. I took the photograph on the left of the baby orangutan inside it's air conditioned compound - hoping, with no luck - to find food in that yellow bowl. This baby is in constant motion, climbing up and down and all around, and so I always find it difficult to get a good shot, especially with the limited light inside. I suspect I need to invest in some better photographic equipment, but - follow me closely here - that would take money. Perhaps I should set up a "go fund me" web page. That should work.

Happily, the baby zebra was out and about, although it is hard to tell it is still a baby unless you compare it with an adult. In any case, for some reason, it seemed to be licking the wire surrounding it's compound, as seen in the photograph on the right. Just before I took this photo, I was listening to a zoo volunteer talking to a group and telling them how smart giraffes are. I have a sneaking suspicion you can't say the same thing about zebras.

As for the mandrills, they were all outside, but the baby mandrill and it's mother were sitting in the shade in the far corner of their compound, and for some reason the baby clung to it's mother the entire time I was there. I came back during a second loop around the zoo, and they were still in the same position, as seen in the photograph on the left. What is the poor thing afraid of? Zoo visitors? Very likely. After all, the Denver Zoo got rid of all their peacocks, which have been there practically since the zoo was founded. And why? Because zoo visitors - mainly children whose parent's are evidently unable or unwilling to control them - couldn't resist chasing them around the grounds. Why didn't they just get rid of the children instead? And once again, I realize that I am sounding more and more like an old curmudgeon. Which everyone who knows me will verify is not true. I think.