Look after our Zoo

Bad stuff then the good stuff…..

Bad Stuff
We had a very informative day yesterday finding out about all the animals. It is incredible to learn about them and appreciate the differences of each species and what they require to survive. It reinforces to me the relevance and necessity for us humans, to look after our planet and step up as the custodians responsible for all species who are trying to co-exist here today.

If there were only one small thing that we could all do to help. If their were only one small thing that would directly help the rainforests, global warming, species extinction. Well there actually is. The main issue that every one of us can help with is deforestation via production of Palm Oil. Download the “Palm Oil” scanner app for Ios or Android and simply scan your food purchases as you shop. This will tell you if the item has Palm Oil in it, and if it is sustainably produced. The app actually give alternative suggestions if the product is in deed environmentally crap.

Look after our Zoo….it’s the world we live in, and it’s the only one we have.

Good Stuff
Cycling around the zoo is the only way to explore. From our trusty caravan, we cycled 10min to the front gate. Yes this morning it was a little difficult, considering it was 1deg when we left. Some may see this as problematic, however not being able to actually feel your body helped with wind chill. You simply couldn’t feel the wind. Actually you couldn’t feel anything at all……..

Coffee was called upon to make our blood move around our body again.

Today was all about the Lions. We LOVED them. Talking to the keepers prior to the lions release, gave me the opportunity to position myself in their line of view. I talked to them, meowed, growled and generally made lots of noise, in order to gain their attention. Female Lions are generally into what they want to do and couldn’t give a stuff about me. After all they had been given some Kangaroo to eat and that was priority number one.

The nonchalant gaze of these beautiful beasts, is reminiscent of a disinterested teenager. Forced to sit at the dinner table, listening to family conversations, whilst yearning to get back to ‘Insta-Face’.

She knows…. She knows she is all powerful. She knows she has nothing to prove. She has pride. She knows…..

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Later, after the food was gone, a younger lioness started pacing the fence line right in front of us. I ran to get a better shot of her and when I passed her I noticed a change. She reacted to me. She reacted to me in a startled manner, an inquisitive look on her face and a glint in her eye. I remember that look. It is a playful look. She was looking me directly in the eyes. Gone was the disinterest, gone was the boredom, the mundane. This ‘ground hog day’ life was a little different today.

So what should I do? What indeed ……… I should play with her. I immediately stopped and squatted in front of her. She did the same. Then I turned and ran in the other direction for 20 metres. She mimicked my movement and mirrored my turns. Five or more times I repeated the same movements. Five or more times, the lioness had me covered, at every movement she was there. Her face alive with joy and playfulness. I was playing with a pussy cat. Just one that could take me out with one swoop of her paw. This was, the best time at the Zoo.

This was me and my cat. There is nothing like engaging, really connecting with a wild, strong and powerful animal. It was so cool.

We also saw these cute little dudes.

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See ya. Tomorrow we head further south….Toward the really cold country.