February At The Zoo

I went to the Denver Zoo Wednesday afternoon to take a few photographs. The temperature was in the mid-40s, not too cold for the animals to be outside and not too hot for them to hide in the shade, and so I was able to get a few good portraits, including the one of the lioness in the photograph on the left. There are two separate prides that reside at the zoo, and rotate between the main compound called Predator Ridge and a small enclosure behind it, and Wednesday I was not sure which pride was which. I suspect that the family pride was actually occupying both compounds, and the four bachelor lions that make up the other pride were probably off on a mid-week vacation at the home of one of the zookeepers.

Sadly, one of the two tigers at the Denver Zoo passed away recently, and the remaining tiger now has access to both sides of its compound, called The Edge. It was pacing back and forth most of the time I was there, but I finally got it to look up as it passed me, and was able to take the photo on the right. The way the compound is positioned, I can almost never take a good photograph of this tiger. As it was, I spent a lot of time working in photoshop to lighten the image and make it presentable. I am sure my friend the tiger appreciates the effort. 

The clouded leopard in the photograph on the left was razor focused on the door to his cage, no doubt hoping to be let inside for dinner and a little TV. It took forever for it to turn its head in my direction so that I could snap that shot, but it finally did. There are, in fact, two snow leopards, one male and one female, but once their kids left home, all they did was fight. They were separated, and now rotate the use of the outdoor facility. I don't know if they officially got divorced or not.

The monkey in the photograph on the right is no doubt severely depressed, based on its vacant expression. It shares its compound with its mate, who was hidden from view when I was there, and so I don't know if it was also feeling down. The zoo definitely needs to have it's animal psychiatrist have a talk with them. Marriage counseling, anti-depressants, weekend visits at their animal handlers home, whatever it takes.