As I live near the San Diego Zoo and its related Safari
(formerly “Wild Animal”) Park, it may seem strange to you that I visit other
zoos when I travel. Heck, a part of me
also views this trait as just one of those queer quirks of character that make
me so endearing to others. Certainly the
San Diego Zoo is world-famous, and must rank among anyone’s list of important
and impressive zoos. But I find it
interesting to see how other people do things, and that includes how
zoo-masters (if that’s a word) arrange their parks, structure their exhibits,
and select their mix of animals to show off and care for. Thus, when the opportunity arose to visit the
Austin Zoo, just a short drive outside the Texas state capitol, I opted to
visit without hesitation.
The Austin Zoo’s website states that it’s main emphasis is
on animal rescue, rehabilitation, and education. I’m not exactly sure how they educate their
animals, but certainly it’s a great place for schools to bring their
classes. On the day we visited, we saw
several groups of children touring the zoo with their teachers and parents, and
of course the kids were having a blast.
But then, no matter how old we get, or how mature we become,
there’s always part of us that remains children, and can tap into the
fascination we have for watching our relatives in the animal kingdom.
Another reason I enjoyed my visit was that the Austin Zoo is
so low-key. Due to its rural location,
and the fact that it’s not on most people’s “Top Ten” list, fewer people visit
it. I didn’t have to constantly look
over my shoulder, wondering if I was in anyone’s way, or have to fight the
crowds for a view of the animals. No
vendors roamed the tree-lined paths, hawking their food or souvenirs. Despite the roars of the big cats, the
squawking of the birds, and the visitors’ shouts, conversations, and occasional
bursts of tears (Yes, I occasionally cry at zoos; don’t you?), I wandered the tree-lined
paths in relative solitude, feeling as if I had the exhibits mostly to myself.
One of the things I didn’t do on my visit is ride the train,
which takes visitors on a two-and-a-half mile trip around the zoo, passing
animals not visible from the paths. But
I had so much fun just wandering at my own pace, that by the time the rest in my
party were ready to leave, I had gotten my “zoo fix,” and felt more than
satisfied with my visit. Plus, it’s nice
to leave some options unexplored for a second visit. At least, that’s my philosophy.
Either that, or its one of my endearing character quirks.
Dragon Dave
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