Today we visited the 'world famous' San Diego Zoo. I have always been skeptical about zoos but being that we were in the city that has one of the 'best' zoos in the world, (so we are told) we had to go.
Since we now consider ourselves 'fit' after 7 weeks on the bikes, we decided to walk the 5 miles to the zoo and the 5 miles back from the zoo. We covered the 100 acres that makes up the area of the zoo in about 5 hours. What was I saying about being 'fit'? We may be fit for riding a bicycle but our 'hiking' muscles were 'groaning' by the time we returned to our hotel at the end of the day!
We saw lots of exotic animals...at least they were 'exotic' to us...from all over the world but mostly from Africa. We were constantly reminded that these animals were being kept in the conditions that they would experience in the 'wild'...but, but, but...elephants on dirt piles over top of concrete...birds in confined spaces that if they could fly sure could not fly far...monkeys on platforms and climbing on man made ropes...Koalas sitting in artificial trees eating eucalyptus branches that were provided for them...and a polar bear with temperature controlled water walking around on concrete that was supposed to look like the Artic Tundra with no ice in sight. You get the picture...it was interesting to see animals and birds from all over the world but they sure as heck do not look like they have enough territory to 'mimic' their real environments. I personally came away still skeptical of zoos and their purpose. But we can now say that we have been to the 'World Famous San Diego Zoo'!!!
Tomorrow we are off to visit the 'USS Midway' a United States 'retired' Aircraft Carrier.
Female Monkey (one of the many that we do not remember their name nor where they are from...we do know that it is endangered)
This Is The Male Of The Same Species...And They Call This A Natural Setting!
Hippopotamus
Red Panda
Giant Panda
Cougar
African Elephant...We Saw An Asian Elephant As Well
Giraffe
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