Zoo People

Dear J-

We go to the San Diego Zoo quite often, partly because we’re members (and thus we want to use our passes as often as possible) and partly because there’s so many interesting animals to see. Generally, on weekends we’ll try to go (1) early (2) to the Children’s Zoo and later, (3) to see the big cats.

Early is better, the animals tend to be a little more active, waiting for mealtime. Plus the maddening crowds tend to be pretty thin right at opening, parking is better, etc. … you know the drill. The only drawback is that the large reptiles tend to be very sluggish when it’s cold (although they just sleep when it’s hot … not like they have to chase a chicken or a goat around the island for sustenance, after all).

Immediately upon entering the zoo, hang a left and head past the gift shops towards the Children’s Zoo. Although it’s ostensibly for kids, we like most of the animals, and have come to regard them with something pet-like in affection. Diego’s the ocelot. This fella, according to lore, was slated for release to the wild, but when it came time, they found out that he’d already bonded with humans. (TheVet & I talk about him with loud sappy voices … “HE LIKES … PEEEPULLL! AWWW!”)

Once you work your way through the Children’s Zoo (otter, ocelot, binturong, and meerkats), head back towards the entrance, then upon passing the stinky flamingo pond, make a left, and then another left towards Tiger River. Past the warty pigs, past the clouded leopard (generally you only catch a glimpse), down Tiger River (be sure to stop by and say hi to the fishing cat). You might be able to see the tigers at feeding time, but they’re generally aloof and asleep most days we roll through. Pass through the Ituri River region (more otters, sometimes) and head right, up the hill towards the pandas.

Pandas are worth stopping for. The lady who sits there and ‘whispers’ about the pandas over the PA is occasionally unintentionally hilarious — “Please be respectful of the pandas and be quiet. It’s okay [for me to talk in my amplified voice] because they’re used to me.” I always feel a little funneled past the pandas as the tyranny of the line moves us along, but have gotten a few glimpses of pandas eating cutely — it’s hard to describe, but watching them wrestle with bamboo makes me smile.

Further up the hill from the pandas is a branching road, both uphill — take the one on the left, and get on the elevated pathway to the right of the road. That’ll take you by the big cats, which alternately makes me happy and sad. I like the zoo’s carnivores mainly because, as I’ve pontificated at length in the past, it doesn’t take as much brains to sneak up on plants as it does animals. Therefore, carnivores = more intelligent, in general, than the numerous ungulates and vacant deer-eyes around the rest of the Zoo. They’re cuter to me, as a result — they seem more aware of their surroundings.

But the bastard side to that sword is that they’re more aware of their surroundings. Unlike the herbivores, who are likely as not to placidly chew away all day staring at you, the carnivores know they’re inside, and thus can see what you’re doing. The panther will sometimes sun himself happily, but more often than not you’ll see him pacing at the front of his cage — patrolling? Warning? He’s agitated, and it doesn’t help that there’s always someone passing by willing to agitate him more.

Here’s one guy willing to tweak a FIVE-MONTH OLD lynx. The cub stopped what it was doing (chasing the ball around) to respond to him. Takes a big man, huh? Tripod, 70-210 zoom … inadequate much?

I’m glad I have the opportunity to see the big cats up close. But if you gave me the choice — you can see the cats, but they’ll have to put up with jackasses all day long; or, we can send the cats to a preserve and you can read about them instead — I’ll choose letting them go every day. Life is hard enough without jackanapes taunting you daily. I like the zoo, I think they do good work with many animals … just wish that the big cats had a better environment, one maybe a little less 1920’s.

Mike