Afternoon at the Toledo Zoo - Part 1 (pic HEAVY)

[frankykeno]

Just got back from a wonderful trip to the zoo here in Toledo. We bought a family membership this year and are really enjoying it. Just a few of the creatures we enjoyed on today's visit....

Wonderful aquarium, really hard to take pictures in though LOL...here's a lovely mixed tank....


Some gorgeous black spotted rays...last visit we got to watch the feeding but of course last time I forgot my camera!....


Mikey in the newly opened butterfly house....


Very impressive Kommodo dragon....


Renee and her son Louie was just turned 1 on April 30th....


A White Faced Gaboon family...the females are beige but the males are a gorgeous black with a white "beard" type thing...she is a first time mother and the keeper told me they are thrilled with her dedication to the baby....the father also was very sweet, cuddling his youngster and helping it if it was having any problems moving through their wonderfully big enclosure...


There are big bronze lifesize statues throughout the zoo with thick pads of foam flooring under them. Kids like Mikey can actually experience what it would be like to climb on the back of a tiger, sit on a lion or touch the hand of a silverback gorilla through this wonderful artwork....


My hands down favorite snakes there...a pair of gaboon vipers....


We sat and watched this big otter for a long while....he was having the time of his life bouncing on floating logs and rolling them, playing with his clamshells and clearly enjoying the attention of the admiring humans....


The apes and orangs are in Part Two....

[Zinger333]

great pics...i love them gaboon's too

[daaangconcepts]

Great shots!

We bought a family membership this year and are really enjoying it. Just a few of the creatures we enjoyed on today's visit....

You have to pay to get into your zoo? The National Zoo in DC is free for all (except you have to pay to park )

[frankykeno]

The Toledo Zoo is only free on Mondays for Toledo/Lucas County residents, other than that you pay to get in, so the zoo memberships are a good deal.

[chris B]

Those gaboons are amazing!!!!

[CeraDigital]

You do know there's a trio of Gabby's in that enclosure, Jo

Nice pictures! The reptile house is my favorite part.....gotta love the Burms and Retics!

[frankykeno]

Just saw those two Andrew, if there's a third one there, it was tucked away somewhere. They don't seem to have the large Burm there this year. Last year it was housed in with the large Retic, this year it doesn't seem to be on display.

[cueball]

Great pics Jo! You are really doing a wonderful thing to expose Mikey to the zoo often. I know I certainly have many fond memories of going to the zoo as a kid

[adizziedoll]

Oooo I LOVE LOVE LOVE elephants - I would get into the hobby but there is a space issue
In all seriousness though - they are incredible animals.

At the bronx, they have a colony (?) of otters and a family of monkeys in the same setup, and let me say that is something halarious to watch.

And what cue said

[JLC]

Awesome pictures! I think we need to plan a trip to the San Antonio zoo here sometime soon!