A Trip to the Zoo

A couple of weeks ago, on Tom’s birthday, we thought we’d go to The North Carolina Zoo. We love this zoo. You have to do a lot of walking because the animals have such large areas to live. That’s a good reason to have to walk a lot. While you may not see every animal, there’s always something fun to see, depending on who’s out and about. If I lived in a zoo I would be a very boring exhibit. I would wander out for orange slices and frozen fruit treats and then go back to my far corner. I base this on my behavior in office environments and at parties.

When we woke up that day, it was pouring rain. We took a risk and decided to go anyway because the zoo is an hour and a half away and we hoped maybe the weather would be a little different by the time we got there. Also, we don’t really like other people and thought perhaps there would be less of them there on a rainy day.

It turned out to be a very nice visit. There weren’t many people and the rain was manageable. Here’s what we saw:

I do not believe that the alligators in zoos are the same alligators in the wild. This is all I’ve ever seen an alligator do in real life. I know I’m lucky that I haven’t seen one do anything else outside of a zoo, I do understand that. I think I saw one move a leg once and it was a big event for me.

I’m surprised at how dominant turtle DNA is.

I love silverback gorillas. They are just the best. The thing I particularly love about them is that they love to do this – sit in plain view with their back to everyone. There’s just something about that particular approach to being stared at all day I truly respect.

This sign says “BB&T Chimpanzee Reserve.” We couldn’t help but come up with related slogans – “Just as the majestic and mighty chimpanzee flings it’s poo, we fling the best rates around at you.”

YES. Someday, if I ever get to be the eccentric billionaire that I hope to be, I’m totally getting a dung beetle statue.

Our last stop for the day was the otters. Otters are wonderful. At first, when we walked up, we didn’t see them and figured they were snuggled up napping under some rock or something. But then they saw us and hopped right into the water and started swimming around as if it was their job to entertain us. Oh, it was adorable. And then they started doing it. And then things got kind of awkward. So, we bid the fornicating otters adieu and went on our way.

It was a great day. Then, we got home and I gave Tom a book he already had for his birthday because I’m awesome.

The end.

24 thoughts on “A Trip to the Zoo”

  1. I’m not that into zoos unless they’re rehab facilities, but I used to like the sloths. I think a sloth/hummingbird hybrid is my animal spirit guide or something. Anyway, the last time I went there was a young female chimp that was beating a duck with a stick by the pond. The duck could fly and wouldn’t leave the exhibit, so I’m thinking it was bi-species S & M or something.

  2. I bet if you would have brought back a replica of the dung beetle statue, your readers *cough* would have been all over trying to win it.

    Also, the dung beetle on top of the, uh dung, has kind of perverted glint in his eye as he’s looking at the hind end of the other beetle. Or maybe I’m tired. But I would totally have it in my yard.

  3. “Just as the majestic and mighty chimpanzee flings it’s poo, we fling the best rates around at you.” Clearly, you’re in marketing.

    Send the dung beetle statue photo to Uncommon Goods. I’m sure they’ll pick it up.

  4. Sounds like a great day! I love our Zoo here in St. Louis, and my daughter has always enjoyed our trips there. Never seen otters doing it, though I can’t really say I’m disappointed, ha.

    I saw an alligator in “the wild” once, far too close for comfort. Golfing on a course near Tampa, FL, an errant shot (I’m terrible) went near water and when we approached there was a ‘gator sitting, still as death, probably 50ft from us, just watching. I almost didn’t see him. Needless to say, that ball was deemed “lost.” We moved on, but it was scary!

  5. We have a totally ghetto zoo, although we did get to take my 2 or 3 year old son there and have him get licked in the face by a giraffe, so that was good times.

    The zoo we went to in FL (Tampa maybe?) was pretty cool. We got to ride a boat all around this little lake and see the monkeys on their own islands leaping around. There were a ton of alligators as well, of course.

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