Day 1344: Giraffes!

Way back at the beginning of the summer, my friend Brian and I said that if there was one thing we wanted to do this summer, it was go to the zoo. What it was about the zoo that pushed it to the top of the list, I'm not sure, but we did finally manage to complete our one summer goal...even if school already technically started. 

We saw all kinds of spectacular animals at our local zoo, the N.E.W. Zoo, which is actually fairly large for a small, rural area like ours. Heading there early on Labor Day was a good idea, as the longer we were there, the busier things got, but we had plenty of time to visit with the Otters, Lions, Moose, Owls, and Swans! 

The highlight of the day was definitely the giraffes though, which you can feed year round for $1 at a special platform. Despite the numerous times I've seen giraffes thanks to Kilimanjaro Safaris, I've never actually fed or touched one before, so this was a new experience all around and totally worth the whole trip out there! 

And so, summer might be over, but at least we fed giraffes! 

Have a magical day!

Day 1135: Greater Kudu

Yes, I do realize that the animal above is an Okapi, not a Greater Kudu, and while the Kudu is not the "ghost of the forest" like the Bongo is, apparently I still have very few pictures. Of course, I have what seems like 12 zillion pictures of giraffes, but the second you need a picture of a Greater Kudu, you can't find one. Regardless, go find a picture, because they're definitely an animal that makes Animal Kingdom their home, and I should know, especially considering the day I had.

As I'm sure you know by now, I'm taking an Environmental Science class this semester, and during our lab session today, my professor shared some pictures of his trip to Africa with us. As one might expect, there were some lions and plenty of antelope and giraffes and elephants, but I was honestly surprised when I named many of the animals the second they appeared on the screen, and I even knew a few additional animal facts that I've learned along the way.

For instance, when a picture of the Kudu came up, I knew instantly what it was, the same way I knew all about the warthogs, lions, giraffes, elephants, sables, and elands, When my professor was commenting on the elephants as they appeared to eat dirt, I couldn't help but wonder whether or not they might be eating the clay or dirt for the minerals, and when he mentioned mice in relation to elephants, I almost made a comment about honey bees.

You know, this semester certainly seems to be filled with examples of how Disney has taught me more than I ever realized, and it's definitely making my geography and environmental science classes more interesting! And since we ended class with a picture of a lion, here's a picture of a lion for you guys too!

Have a magical day!