The Big Cats! (A trip to the zoo)

John and I spent *hours* at the zoo yesterday. (I can't believe I forgot to
take my camera, darnit.) We saw some awesome big kitties The cheetahs
were hisspitting at each other. One of them was lounging under a shade tree
and every time the other tried to come near she'd start to rise and issue a
low growl, or hiss, and I swear at one point she even barked like a dog!

The cougers were sound asleep, doing upside-downy head! John noticed there
was a beer keg floating in the water and made the comment, "They must have
had one heck of a party last night!" A guy standing next to us heard him
and started laughing.

The lynxes were busy having a wash. It's so funny to see a cat the size of
a medium dog patiently washing its face and ears just like our little furry
owners.

The black panther and a leopard were in the same enclosure (aren't they
actually the same species?), hanging out in the shade of some rocks by a
waterfall, looking very laid back. They looked so soft!

The Memphis Zoo is an excellent one. Regardless of what you think of zoos
in general, the animals all looked fit and healthy. I remember 30 years ago
the big cats were in cement cages about 10 foot square with a tiny door to
the outside of the "cat house" if they wanted some sunshine. It took the
better part of 10 years for them to revamp the zoo with natural settings,
water falls, moats, plants, rocks and plenty of room for the cats to roam
around.

Oh, and we have a pair of Pandas on loan from China for another 8 years or
so. It was cool to get to see them. I also got a big kick out of watching
one of the zoo staff feeding sardines to some penguins. Those little birds
sure can boogie under water!

I highly recommend you go to the zoo if you're ever in town. Be prepared to
spend the better part of the day there in order to see everything; it's very
big!

John is on his way to a show in Ohio now. Persia has apparently forgiven me
for ignoring her for the better part of the week, except to run home and
clean the litter box and feed her. I thought I'd have to endure much more
torture... maybe I'd better keep my eyes peeled. She probably has something
up her paw

Jill
--
I used to have a handle on life...but it broke off.

Oh sounds like fun. The tigers are my favorite. I have photograph at
home of me feeding a baby tiger! Well he was about 3 months old but as
big as a small dog!

Skritches,
KittyLady

KittyLady wrote:
Oh sounds like fun. The tigers are my favorite. I have photograph at
home of me feeding a baby tiger! Well he was about 3 months old but as
big as a small dog!

Skritches,
KittyLady

Oh yes, we saw tigers, too. Huge stripey cats... absolutely gorgeous. The
sign said the adults eat about 70 pounds of raw meat a day. And here I
complain about the price of Persia's prescription x/d food... hmmm. LOL

Jill

Originally Posted by jmcquown

The black panther and a leopard were in the same enclosure (aren't they
actually the same species?), hanging out in the shade of some rocks by a
waterfall, looking very laid back. They looked so soft!

Yes, they are the same species. A black panther actually is a black-furred leopard. In some angles of sunlight, you can tell the rosette-marking in a blacky's fur.
I know how awesome a trip to the zoo can be; down here in the Netherlands we have some great zoos as well, and it is indeed true that the animals are nowadays housed way better than they used to be! The Ouwehand Animalpark in Rhenen is one of the best examples; they have created large forests and plains for lots of different animals. The zoo in Arnhem is a good example as well; they have a full tropical forest in a huge greenhouse, with birds and butterflies and all flying around loose (and sometimes pestering visitors ), and some more dangerous animals in pens that just look like natural valleys so they can't reach the visitors. They also have a desert plain in a huge greenhouse, and one of the latest additions is an enormous walk-through ocean! (You walk through a glass tunnel at the bottom of the ocean).
Yes, indeedy, a trip to the zoo can be enchanting, and not just for little kids. Even many adults can enjoy themselves very much and even learn a whole bunch!
Purrs,
Fritti and his gang.

"jmcquown" wrote in message
t

The black panther and a leopard were in the same enclosure (aren't they
actually the same species?), hanging out in the shade of some rocks by a
waterfall, looking very laid back. They looked so soft!///

You can be pretty 100% sure that the "black panther" is a melanistic
leopard. The black coat comes from a genetic anomaly which causes the
coact to be black instead of spotted. However, if you look in the sun,
you can still see the spots.

Same thing with black jaguars and also many domestic cats who are black
are actually melanistic tabbies. HRFL Tiger is one.

Helen M


--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG

On Tue, 21 Jun 2005 13:09:42 -0500, "jmcquown"
yodeled:

KittyLady wrote:
Oh sounds like fun. The tigers are my favorite. I have photograph at
home of me feeding a baby tiger! Well he was about 3 months old but as
big as a small dog!

Skritches,
KittyLady

Oh yes, we saw tigers, too. Huge stripey cats... absolutely gorgeous. The
sign said the adults eat about 70 pounds of raw meat a day. And here I
complain about the price of Persia's prescription x/d food... hmmm. LOL

Jill


Sounds like you had a fabulous time!! I love to see the big cats,
too-- in the Bronx Zoo, there are great exhibitions. You look at the
tigers from a glass enclosure-- you're in the cage, so to speak, and
the tigers are all around you.

Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

Fritti wrote:
jmcquown Wrote:
The black panther and a leopard were in the same enclosure (aren't
they actually the same species?), hanging out in the shade of some
rocks by a
waterfall, looking very laid back. They looked so soft!


Yes, they are the same species. A black panther actually is a
black-furred leopard. In some angles of sunlight, you can tell the
rosette-marking in a blacky's fur.
I know how awesome a trip to the zoo can be; down here in the
Netherlands we have some great zoos as well, and it is indeed true
that the animals are nowadays housed -way- better than they used to
be! The Ouwehand Animalpark in Rhenen is one of the best examples;
they have created large forests and plains

Same here in Memphis, Tennessee USA (along with waterfalls).

animals. The zoo in Arnhem is a good example as well; they have a
full tropical forest in a huge greenhouse, with birds and butterflies
and all flying around loose (and sometimes pestering visitors ),

We went into a "free flight area" in the bird house and John was being
buzzed (I'm sorry, it was funny!) by some sort of wren. I love the bird
part of the zoo because they have done a fantastic job with the natural
flora and fauna.

In one area (not the free flight) where they have no netting or caging, I
overheard a young girl (heh, I must be getting old, she was 20 if she was a
day) asking "Why don't the birds fly out of this [area]?" I said, "It's the
lighting." "What?" "Yes. Birds will not fly out of well lit areas into the
dark. That's why they don't need any sort of netting between us and the
birds." [Note: I'm sure there's an errant rebel who decides to fly into the
dark and smack a visitor on the head but in all these years I have never
heard of one.]

and some more dangerous animals in pens that just look like natural
valleys so they can't reach the visitors. They also have a desert
plain in a huge greenhouse, and one of the latest additions is an
enormous walk-through ocean! (You
walk through a glass tunnel at the bottom of the ocean).
Yes, indeedy, a trip to the zoo can be enchanting, and not just for
little kids. Even many adults can enjoy themselves very much and even
learn a whole bunch!
Purrs,
Fritti and his gang.

I hate zoos, after 3 bad experiences, 1 seeing the poor old lions
pacing up and down like zombies at Regents Park Zoo, another seeing a
poor elephant in Perth Zoo shackled up with no shade and third and
perhaps more memorable was at a school trip (I was about 12 at the
time). It was a hot day and the keepers told us not to go too near the
tiger enclosure. Being that age we defied them, and one of them peed
on us, which was his party piece apparently. The smell of tiger pee on
a hot day in your hair is something I've never forgotten!