Boy that looks fantastic - much more lush than when I was there on New Years Day. Not just the main grass, but the taller green grass in the foreground and the green trees in the background (which were leafless during the winter).
I have already booked a return flight for early September and I hope it looks even partially similar to this. (I realize the main grass will likely be worn down).
(In case anyone cares, which they probably don't, my week in September will include one full day each at Caldwell Zoo, Cameron Park Zoo, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Fort Worth Zoo, Dallas Zoo.)
This photo does make the already excellent exhibit appear to be magnificent! It's amazing what newly laid grass can do to a zoo habitat, and I wonder how much it cost to re-sod such a large enclosure?
@Arizona Docent: you rated Texas as America's #1 state for zoos in a poll on this site, and therefore I'm not surprised that you are heading east for the second time in less than a year. Last time around I think you visited Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, etc, and this time around your 5 choices are all solid. You've already been to Gladys Porter and El Paso (the two toughest Texas zoos to visit in terms of geographical location) and so you must have seen everything in that state by now. Do you also visit aquariums when you travel? (They don't normally have cats)
No aquariums. The reason for my travels is I am trying to gather photos and information to potentially self-publish a book on Zoos Of The Southwest, hopefully in late 2012 but more realistically 2013.
I went to El Paso Zoo (a fairly easy drive from Tucson) in summer 2010. Went to Dallas Zoo for two days of New Years weekend 2011. Went to San Antonio Zoo, Gladys Porter Zoo, Houston Zoo during a week trip in March 2011. Next will be the five mentioned in September. (Possibly throw in Albuquerque over July 4th holiday, which I have not been to in many years).
Due to logistics, I am limiting the book to major zoos and wildlife parks, so no aquariums or what I would consider smaller or substandard zoos. I am also limiting the area to what would be considered the Desert Southwest, namely SE California (only the Living Desert in that section), Arizona (5 zoos), New Mexico(3 zoos), Texas(9 zoos).
