It was very hard to title this thread and not be misleading. If I put favorite zoo animals most think it was a repeated thread, as we already have one on what our favorite animals are to see when we go to a zoo. But I mean a particular animal at a zoo that you fall in love with because of their personality or maybe because they are just beautiful to see. This thread is inspired by Zoo Story by Thomas French, as his descriptions of certain animal personalities really affected me.
Buffalo Zoo:
* Alejandro, the male Southern Tamandua. I have many favorites at the Buffalo Zoo, and maybe later on I'll add some more. But my all time favorite is this tamandua. I remember not even knowing what a tamandua was and when I posted my pictures online, a friend reminded me what they were called. A year later when I returned to the zoo after becoming a member, I was intrigued to find him anytime I went into the Rainforest. It's not always an easy task as he's nocturnal and has very good hiding spots. The foliage throughout certain seasons can also block a person's view. But when he is active, he's the most adorable and fascinating animal to watch. He goes back and forth looking for ants and climbing all over the place like he's Spiderman. Currently I only catch him when he's napping, but it's always in an unusual, cute position of tucking his head into his arms and body and being shaped as a ball.
Seneca Park Zoo:
* Louise, the Virginia Opossum. Although she is no longer with us, she was a favorite of mine when I worked a summer at the zoo. She's one of the biggest opossums I've ever seen and I instantly fell in love with her face. I enjoyed giving her and her sister enrichment in between shows as I let them out of their crates and walk around backstage in the woods area. I later became a zoo parent and adopted her (providing the zoo money to take care of her...or one of their other animals that need it). I also purchased art her and her sister made during the zoo's art auction as I knew they would the last they'd painted before they both died.
* Dorothy, the White Handed Gibbon. She is my zoo animal adoption for the year. She is almost forty years old, but doesn't show signs of aging. She has the most unique and beautiful song and would sometimes disrupt the stage show, across the way from her outdoor cage, when she called to her mate, Bennett. She is always intrigued with her next door neighbors, the Spidermonkeys. She can be seen a lot in a corner of her exhibit spying on them. She's in control of Bennett, but you'll also catch her being tender to him as she grooms him.
* Blanca, the male African Black Footed Penguin. I got to do a question and answer session when the keepers would feed the penguins. It was real informal and the first half of the summer I was in the crowd looking into the exhibit and having people ignore me. It was decided later that we the interpreters would go into the exhibit with the keepers to seen and answer questions. Anyway, Blanca stood out from the other penguins. When it was feeding time, he was not shy to jump up on the keepers rock and try to snag fish from her. I also remember a time when he waddled over to my rock hoping I might have some fish for him. He was also distinct because he was one of the few penguins that didn't have a ban on their flipper and he always had a cowlick hairdo.
* Pimento, the Matriarch Olive Baboon. She has a distinct look as most of the time she has the tip of her tongue sticking out of her mouth. I always found this endearing and I liked I could pick her out from the troop because of this feature.
Erie Zoo:
* Joseph, the Bornean Orangutan. I've often said despite the cramped exhibit the orangutans have at this zoo, they seem to make the most of it. Because of the close space to visitors, they have grown to love them and are always seen interacting with people. Joseph has no problem getting up to the glass and staring at people. He likes to puker up his lips for a kiss to familiar women, lounging on his back, or playing with his blanket. The whole family seem to be a favorite among the visitors.
Toronto Zoo:
* Chrissie, the Tree Kangaroo. I remember first seeing photos of her and thinking she was one of the most adorable tree kangaroo I've seen. I was thrilled to go to the zoo this summer and be able to see her. I was so glad I returned later on in the day when she was eating her food and find her active.
* Luca, the male Jaguar. I didn't see much of his personality as he was lounging the day I saw him, but one look at that face and it's hard to resist watching him. There's just something about his face that makes him distinct from other jaguars I've seen and so much cuter.
I may think of others later, but I would love to hear other people's favorites.
Buffalo Zoo:
* Alejandro, the male Southern Tamandua. I have many favorites at the Buffalo Zoo, and maybe later on I'll add some more. But my all time favorite is this tamandua. I remember not even knowing what a tamandua was and when I posted my pictures online, a friend reminded me what they were called. A year later when I returned to the zoo after becoming a member, I was intrigued to find him anytime I went into the Rainforest. It's not always an easy task as he's nocturnal and has very good hiding spots. The foliage throughout certain seasons can also block a person's view. But when he is active, he's the most adorable and fascinating animal to watch. He goes back and forth looking for ants and climbing all over the place like he's Spiderman. Currently I only catch him when he's napping, but it's always in an unusual, cute position of tucking his head into his arms and body and being shaped as a ball.
Seneca Park Zoo:
* Louise, the Virginia Opossum. Although she is no longer with us, she was a favorite of mine when I worked a summer at the zoo. She's one of the biggest opossums I've ever seen and I instantly fell in love with her face. I enjoyed giving her and her sister enrichment in between shows as I let them out of their crates and walk around backstage in the woods area. I later became a zoo parent and adopted her (providing the zoo money to take care of her...or one of their other animals that need it). I also purchased art her and her sister made during the zoo's art auction as I knew they would the last they'd painted before they both died.
* Dorothy, the White Handed Gibbon. She is my zoo animal adoption for the year. She is almost forty years old, but doesn't show signs of aging. She has the most unique and beautiful song and would sometimes disrupt the stage show, across the way from her outdoor cage, when she called to her mate, Bennett. She is always intrigued with her next door neighbors, the Spidermonkeys. She can be seen a lot in a corner of her exhibit spying on them. She's in control of Bennett, but you'll also catch her being tender to him as she grooms him.
* Blanca, the male African Black Footed Penguin. I got to do a question and answer session when the keepers would feed the penguins. It was real informal and the first half of the summer I was in the crowd looking into the exhibit and having people ignore me. It was decided later that we the interpreters would go into the exhibit with the keepers to seen and answer questions. Anyway, Blanca stood out from the other penguins. When it was feeding time, he was not shy to jump up on the keepers rock and try to snag fish from her. I also remember a time when he waddled over to my rock hoping I might have some fish for him. He was also distinct because he was one of the few penguins that didn't have a ban on their flipper and he always had a cowlick hairdo.
* Pimento, the Matriarch Olive Baboon. She has a distinct look as most of the time she has the tip of her tongue sticking out of her mouth. I always found this endearing and I liked I could pick her out from the troop because of this feature.
Erie Zoo:
* Joseph, the Bornean Orangutan. I've often said despite the cramped exhibit the orangutans have at this zoo, they seem to make the most of it. Because of the close space to visitors, they have grown to love them and are always seen interacting with people. Joseph has no problem getting up to the glass and staring at people. He likes to puker up his lips for a kiss to familiar women, lounging on his back, or playing with his blanket. The whole family seem to be a favorite among the visitors.
Toronto Zoo:
* Chrissie, the Tree Kangaroo. I remember first seeing photos of her and thinking she was one of the most adorable tree kangaroo I've seen. I was thrilled to go to the zoo this summer and be able to see her. I was so glad I returned later on in the day when she was eating her food and find her active.
* Luca, the male Jaguar. I didn't see much of his personality as he was lounging the day I saw him, but one look at that face and it's hard to resist watching him. There's just something about his face that makes him distinct from other jaguars I've seen and so much cuter.
I may think of others later, but I would love to hear other people's favorites.
And then there's Rooney the Black Wildebeest bull: He just stares, no grunts or charges; just stares straight into you. xD
