We to the Zoo yesterday......

Yesterday we eventually decided to go to Colchester Zoo on a special mission to see their zeedonk.

The zeedonk in residence is called Shadow, and unfortunately seems to be very glum and miserable most of the time. I tried to reassure Kevin by telling him that maybe that's how all zeedonks look, and possibly Shadow was actually a very happy zeedonk, but I'm not sure he believed me. I was previously told, and can now verify, that zeedonks look like donkeys with funky stockings.

That wasn't our first stop though ? first we went to the Aquatic House where live some reptiles (I know, don't ask) and the underwater creatures. Oh, some toucans too. I didn't manage a photo of a toucan, lovely though they were, but I eventually snapshotted a penguin underwater. We were standing next to their tank for about twenty minutes waiting to watch them being fed, and amused ourselves observing them. There seemed to be a bully among the group who at various times bit and chased the others. Kevin was enamoured with the penguin sulking in its hut in the corner, who stood staring resentfully out at the others having a good time without it.

Afterwards we wandered along to the African section to find the zeedonk, and on the way bumped into an inquisitive otter who posed beautifully for the camera. Credit to Kevin for the camera-work; no credit to me for not being enough of an image-editing software whizz to remove the red stripe from the reflection. We then moved on and found a couple of lions snoozing in the sun.

On, then, to the Spirit of Africa area ? definitely my favourite section of the day. It was a large enclosure in which were kept giraffes, zebras, an ostrich, the solitary zeedonk and some rhinos. They all seemed to coexist quite happily, apart from one giraffe incident that we witnessed. It had wandered over curiously to the ostrich, which was minding its own business. It leant down and sniffed the bird, which didn't pay it any attention. We were just thinking what a touching and clich?d animal moment this was when the giraffe's foot suddenly delivered a great kick to the ostrich, which leapt up and down a bit before running off to another part of the enclosure.

We also ambled around to have a better look at the rhinos. Although I determined (from the signs stationed at various points around the enclosure) that they were white rhinos, I didn't find out if they were Northern or Southern white rhinos. We did find out, however, that one was called Simba and the other one was Flossy. Which one is the above, I don't know, but here's the other one. As we headed out we had to edge past a lordly-looking vulture who stared as we went past.

There's not really enough of this entry for the rest of the pictures, so I'll just list them here: there's a group shot with the zebras, giraffes, ostrich, melancholy zeedonk and an elephant in the background. There's also the good picture of the elephant on his own, and another photo that's a bit closer in. There's the ostrich on his own and also one with the zeedonk (I think someone got a bit carried away with zeedonk photos... just as I was a bit carried away with the African photos). And finally, there was the crocodile in the glass enclosure, whose intent seemed to be to get as close to the visitors as he possibly could.

No Small dogs to be seen!

Posted By: BSE Canary, Dec 8, 09:34:42