big cats in sepia tone

i love using the sepia tone effect. i took some before last year, but for some reason didn't have any of the big cats. snapped these today. the one of tony (siberian tiger) playing with his ball is the cutest and one of my favorite all time pix i've taken at the zoo. ... the one of jahari full frame mane came out exactly how i wanted it to. all the male lion ones are jahari, female lion is amanzi. ... leanne (sumantran tiger) ... rigel (snow leopard) wasn't sleeping today but was on the go! too bad about the fence, but i like that i finally got him up and about! ... just looked at my photos again after posting and having eye contact with such majestic creatures makes me tear up. its really incredible when they look right at you and some you know recognize you. look at the pix of tony and jahari how they are looking right at me. even amazni was, but you can't tell the depth in that photo like with the other two.

gems from yesterday

i'm at the zoo at least twice a wk. i get some really good pix that i think capture the animals personalities. i'm going to start posting more of these gems. ... miss tallulah doing what she loves best, reading a magazine wrapped in a blanket. ... padang was grazing in the grass. i love how she looks against green, especially her eyes. ... jahari and amanzi were striking this awesome pose for quite sometime. ... jonesy and half sis zura, side by side, watching being watched. ... all the giraffes in one snap! papa sam, camilla, niklas, moms carolina and bititi. ... niklas.

niklas gettin' his groove on!

shot this video today on my digital camera. its a bit out out of focus at this size (my clips play better at small size) but it was a great moment to see and a close capture so easy to tell the detail of what is going on, even if not clear. posting it anyway becuz his playfulness was adorable! ... fyi niklas is seven months old now!

a personal memory - the old seal pool

i've been continually trying to organize my digital photos and in that attempt i keep coming across this pic. it is not from my childhood, but probably the last photo i took of a seal in the old pool and one of the cutest photos i've ever taken or seen. too cute to pass up sharing, so i thought i'd write a bit about what a highlight the seal pool was when i'd visit as a child. ... i remember before you even got to the area you could hear all the seals barking! as you approached you would see the line coming from the hut that sold fish you could buy to feed them. it was always a big attraction for visitors and for me. my parents would always get the fish. watching them swim fast around the pool and then jump up on the rock right in front of you so you could throw the fish to them, was one of my favorite things to do at the zoo. ... the seal pool is still there but not in use. it was last used as a rehabilitation holding area in connection with the marin mammal center. the photo was taken in 2002, so this cute harbor seal was probably a part of that program and was probably eventually released back into the wild. that partnership was a great use for the pool. its sad when things you remember so fondly are no longer, but in this case, there are better places for healthy seals to live, this pool is just too small. i'm also grateful that seals and dolphins are not housed at the steinhart aquarium anymore. great memories but not a size appropriate place for these animals. i note healthy, becuz we do have orkney, a gray seal with special needs and i believe the zoo is the best place for him. ... i think my experience feeding the seals at the zoo, was a foundation for another favorite activity that is no longer. up until pier 39 corralled the seal lions and began making a profit for free off that confinement, i used to go to marina safeway and buy a bunch of fish and go down to the area behind fishermans grotto and feed the seals. it was fantastic! i would dangle a fish over the edge and a seal would jump out of the water about a foot from me! so close that i would just drop it in their mouth! fun times. ... i mentioned the marine mammal center. great organization. if you are in the sf area, check them out. i haven't been there since they re-opened after a major renovation, but it used to be a place i visited regularly. one of the most beautiful things i've ever witnessed was one of their seal releases. it took place in the early morning near point reyes. they released three seals that were rehabilitated and ready to go back in the wild. it was incredible to see.

today's news, re the grizzly invasion

there are so very many things wrong with the outcome of this jury trial.

please read the article available via the sfgate.com website.

the judge is the lamest excuse for a justice renderer and in my opinion the jury is worse becuz they are supposed to be the balance of logic. to me, this jury is made up of those same people who i witness every visit, rapping and tapping on the glass of enclosures, and yelling and roaring out to the animals. the people who come up to me and ask why the animals are all napping. can't we go and "get them to move around." ... i'm not a fan of humans and during one jury selection poll, when the judge explained to me the process was to also ensure my right to a jury of my peers if ever needed. i told him i would wave that right. evidentially you are not allowed to wave that particular right. so, its not a right at all , its a mandated demand. anyway, this jury's logic or lack of proves that i was wise beyond my years as the cliche goes. i would not want people so inept making a decision on my life. ... so the judge doesn't know the meaning of the word "trespass", and both deemed the guy too mental to know what he was doing, but still let him go with no reprimand, not even to deal with fact of said mental issue. .. it was noted that the bears did nothing to him so it wasn't an "intrusion"? how would the judge and jury have justified if the animal had lost its life becuz of this creep?

bottom line, its just another bad message being sent to those who lack a moral conscious in regards to how animals should be respected. who is going to set the precedence on how to punish these people? its obviously not the justice system, so it needs to be zoos, just flat out saying "if you go in, too f-ing bad." sorry if this offends anyone, but i'm pretty pissed and tired of the same old human bullshit in regards to animals.

george update!

george, now offically able to claim his given name of bali (by a public vote) made his debut at his new home at the point defiance zoo on saturday. here is a local news article with all the details and a photo! ... i miss you georgie!

Big cat delights crowd at zoo

New tiger: Despite a ‘mob scene’ Bali takes his first appearance in stride

PHOTOS BY DEAN J. KOEPFLER/THE NEWS TRIBUNE

Judging from the intensity of his eyes, Bali, the newest Sumatran tiger at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, enjoyed a meat-sicle at his debut Saturday as hundreds of visitors watched the spectacle.

JOYCE CHEN; The News Tribune

Published: 10/25/09

Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium’s newest Sumatran tiger made his big debut Saturday.

Bali, an 11-year-old transfer from the San Francisco Zoo, lounged around in the 4,950-square-foot Asia waterfall display, unperturbed by curious zoo visitors.

“We had a big mob scene,” zookeeper Andy Goldfarb said. The number of tickets sold on “Tiger Day” was not available Saturday night.

Bali’s brother Java and the resident female tiger Jaya also were on display - in separate exhibits. Zoo officials hope that Bali and Jaya will produce offspring to bolster the Sumatran tiger population, which is listed as critically endangered, with about 70 living in captivity in North America. (About 250 live in the wild.)

Bali first arrived at the zoo mid- September and spent a month in quarantine, which is standard zoo practice. Goldfarb said that Bali handled the transition admirably.

“He’s been a good boy. He gets excited, but he’s never charged the mesh (barrier) at us.”

One quirk: the 294-pound Sumatran shares his brother Java’s affinity for the special treat whipped cream – only the real kind.

“They won’t eat the fake stuff,” Goldfarb said.

On Oct. 14, Bali and Jaya had their first meeting, separated by a mesh metal gate. Although the 6-year-old Jaya seemed apprehensive, Bali was relatively relaxed.

“When he saw Jaya for the first time, he chuffed,” a puffing sound used as greeting among tigers, Goldfarb said. “Java took a year before he chuffed at Jaya.”

Bali and Jaya will continue living in side-by-side enclosures, and zoo staff will monitor the new tiger’s behavior when Jaya goes into estrus, or heat. If Bali shows signs of interest over several of Jaya’s estrus periods, zoo keepers will place the tigers together for breeding.

The odd tiger out, Java will depart at an undetermined date for the Los Angeles Zoo, where he will be partnered up with a female tiger who has littered before.

Meanwhile, visitors get to enjoy the spectacle of three tigers at the zoo.

boo @ the zoo day two

the big cats are always great to watch get treats because they really get into them. i watched kimani and tunya come out first. kimani went straight for the treat (frozen bunny) and tunya went right for the big cat nip (rhino pee scent hay)! kimani turned her back and guarded her food, like most kitties like to do, while papa got high rolling around and making the most adorable faces :) and his signature "tunya" pose, to which kimani said "my dad is silly!" so cute! jahari and amanzi got their sheep legs today. it was hard to get good snaps of jahari and amanzi since so many people were around the enclosure, but i watched jahari fight with the one tied to the tree. he must have defeated it and drug it to the ground where he was enjoying it when i came past the second time. amanzi had hers in a far corner, closer pix were obstructed by her party box. i love these cats.

boo @ the zoo day one

today's featured pumpkin treats were scheduled for the chimps, meerkats and spectacle bears. since i saw the chimps on wed at the preview, i went late and got there for the meerkats. i haven't done a post on these little guys yet, so i'll post alittle info on them here. they live in the children's along side their neighbors the prairie dogs. at past boo events, the meerkats are always fun to watch get their treats, pumpkins filled with meal worms! yum! our group of meerkats (called a mob) consists of three females and three males. the girls names are, victoria, ness, and okeechobee. the boys names are, saro, huron, and bailko. they are all named after rivers. ... i was disappointed when i got the schedule for this years event and saw that many animals (tigers, polars, lemurs, gorillas,) who usually get treats would not be, but i also thought maybe some might still even if they weren't listed and i was right. while wandering around visiting all the friends, i caught this female patas enjoying her pumpkin. the tamarins had treats too and i heard there was pumpkin remnants at gorilla world. as well when i left i saw displays at the lemurs, so maybe tomorrow for them? the lions will get their halloween treats tomorrow but had sheep legs today! its a bit too much nature for me, but they seemed to really dig them, especially kimani who grabbed hers and headed to the bushes with it. ... before wishbone and annie (spectacle bears) came out, it seemed the gulls were stealing all their treats ;( , but thankfully when they got at em, there were still enough fruits and veggies for them! i love when i get snaps of wishbone with his tongue out! do you see his tongue in the pumpkin? these two are so precious.

the name game

our male sumantran george aka bali moved to the point defiance zoo in tacoma last month. he is set to leave quarantine and debut this saturday. the zoo is having a vote to decide which of his two names he will be called by them. here's the link, if you want to cast your vote. http://www.pdza.org/ ... i voted for bali. i have only called him george, that is becuz that was the name i first came to know him as before i knew his given name was bali. he will always be my georgie, but i think bali is what he truly knows and i think the keepers still used this name. becuz i think he knows bali to be his name, its only right. i don't like when animals have their names changed. ... often zoo animals will have a "public" name and a given name. the public name is chosen by someone who has donated money to a zoo for the naming rights to an animal. if its a name given at birth it usually stays with the animal while at the zoo it was born. if an animal is transferred, like george was, the animal staff will most likely still use its given name and then if there's a "new" name, that name becomes the name the public will know the animal as.

BOO!

today the zoo had a pre- boo @ the zoo event for the press. the chimps were the lucky recipients of halloween treats! i took alot of pix, but these were my immediate favs! ... come out to the zoo (or check your local zoo if out of the sf area) for the annual boo event this weekend! i love halloween, mostly becuz i love pumpkins! so seeing the animal friends get pumpkins and other hallo themed treats is most enjoyable for me. will post more pix from the event next wk!

another note about respecting animals

kudo's to the zoo for finally posting a "respect the animals" sign at the gate house (entrance). it is long over due. i hope they take the initiative to post such signs at every enclosure. i have written how its a daily occurrence that someone is violating these animals homes, whether it is vocally (yelling, roaring) or physically (slappin/tappin walls and glass). i wish zoo's would band together and support one another to finally go the un-PC route of having to bow to society when some Ahole, whether mentally challenged, stupid or just downright evil, invades an enclosure and post a sign the basically says "IF YOU ENTER AN ANIMAL ENCLOSURE ON YOUR OWN (IE NOT FALLING IN) YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK. STAFF WILL ATTEMPT TO EXTRACT YOU, BUT NO ANIMALS WILL BE HARMED IN THIS ATTEMPT." ... this comes in the wake of the guy who invaded the grizzly girls home a couple weeks ago. he may have been deemed mentally challenged in some way, but he was able to calculate how to get in there, so for me he is responsible for his actions. the sad thing is, if one of the girls didn't find a "distaste" for him, she may have paid for his actions with her life. that is very wrong and its time to change the way these incidents are handled.

giant eland

since i posted about the new rhino enclosure, i'll add bugsby, the giant eland, who lives next door. bugsby came to the sfzoo from san diego in 2007. my bad for not knowing more about this guy, but he is beautiful to see an photograph. probably the most magnificent looking horns i've even seen.

speaking of baby lions

here's some pix from my archives. ... 1997 cub who wanted to play ball with me. seriously, it batted the ball from the other side til it got close to me. it was in front, but when it hit the fence it rolled a bit back. very special moment to me. a keeper recently ID as baby kita! kita was kimani and jahari's mama. even though at the time i didn't know them by name, when i heard she passed, i just knew that it was her who i shared that interaction with and i really felt her passing. i feel lucky to have had that moment and to have this photo of her.... spotted cubs from 2003. baby kimani and jahari! jahari is the one with the dark spots. he looks like a leopard! you can still see spots on kimani's legs but none on jahari. kimani still rules the rock!

animals on the move

several residents got new homes within the zoo in the past few weeks. ... first, the male snow leopard rigel, who has been living at the fcc for a couple years since coming to sfzoo, has moved into padang's old digs, the corner enclosure on the eastern side of the lion house. he is still getting used to his new surroundings and can most often be viewed just hanging out or napping in the semi secluded corner closest to the path. ... the new black rhino enclosure across from the big cat grotto's is finished! and the moving of this couple has begun. gene was moved first and is still getting used to his new home, venturing out for short periods at a time. to date ellie hasn't been moved yet, becuz they are doing some alterations to the floor in her night quarters. will update this post when she is moved in!

puente al sur

since i mentioned lady capybara in the previous post, now is a good time to add this section. this exhibit is now home to only angelo, the anteater and various types of birds. the mountain tapirs who were living here went back to the la zoo where they were on loan from. in the main outdoor area where angelo has access to, there are swans and whistling ducks that live in the pond. on the opposite side outdoors lives walter the stork with his roommate the turkey vulture, who is a rescue. indoors lives a pair of great currasows.

resident updates

first, very sad to say the capybara passed away. everytime i pass the puente now i miss her. i've been told two names for her, janie or lottie (she has a sister who lived there too, that passed away a couple years ago). so sadly as well i don't even know which name was hers, but she had a sweet face and it was always nice to stop and say hi to her and wish her a good day. ... another friend i'll miss is george (bali), who moved to the point defiance zoo in tacoma a few weeks ago. he is the highest sumantran male on the SSPs breeding list for his genetic contribution, so he's gone there to get the job done! his brother java is there and its with java's mate he is intended to breed. java and jaya, his reccomended mate didn't get along, so they called in the stud lol! can't wait for him to have more babies! i also hope one day he might come back to us. ... i went to my first joint zoo committee meeting last week. very informative about the way the zoo runs and the intricacy involved in all decisions. the best news for me was that the SSP has (finally!) given the go ahead for jahari and amanzi to breed! so hopefully someday soon we will have lion cubs! when i saw jahari the other day i said,"go make babies with your woman!" amanzi was sunning her belly across the way. jahari just looked at me and smiled. ... jahari and amanzi are pretty cute when they affectionately rub heads, but possibly the cutest sign of affection i've seen at the zoo was between cobby and tallulah. they were sitting near eachother and tallulah put her hand on cobbys chin and went in for a kiss! cobby gave her a smooch back and it lasted pretty long! i had my camera out and ready but i was so taken by this moment i didn't get a snap ;( it was VERY sweet!

barnyard buddies

i love these barnyard buddies! i can remember visiting the barnyard friends from when i was as tall as they stand. in recent time these friends have provided much comfort to me. after losing my kitty who was my best friend, these goats and sheeps were the first animals i had hands on contact with. you don't have to visit them repeatedly for them to warm your heart, but if you do your heart will be that much more filled. coincidentally when my new kitten came into my life, i realized being born april first made him a aries, sign of the sheep. ... this blog doesn't allow for me to put text where photos go, so i will upload individual photos over the next few weeks to my flickr stream (link on left of this page) with the names of the buddies titling them. in addition to goats and sheep, you can find a llama, two alpaca's, a father and son donkey, a pair of kune pigs, a couple horses, turkey's, runner ducks, geese, and assorted pond fowl. i'll try to be more specific about them all in additions, as till i've done them all justice this post will be in progress. ... this first photo is my most recent and best goat pic! ... the sheep gathering is another great fav, i have a copy to post on my front door, as my home is my quiet space as well. ... fav gal ginger telling visitors its almost time! ... the morning race out of the barn is on!

what's happening

hello followers! sorry for the delay in updates. i wanted my next post to be about the residents who started me thinking of doing something like this, the goats and sheeps. since i haven't had the time to dedicate to that i haven't posted. as well, as fun and satisfying as its been doing the blog, i sometimes wonder if anyone is really out there who cares and stops by regularly to view it. my goal for this blog was to educate people about the residents, so hopefully more people will support the zoo by visiting and helping it thrive. at first i tried to promote by posting to folks tweets about the zoo on twitter and reviews on yelp, but i didn't get much feedback via email or twitter followers and i haven't gotten any feedback from the zoo on this effort, so after the goat and sheep friends, i was going to leave the blog as is. i just added a counter and surprisingly i've had ALOT of hits! so i guess people are visiting. for those of you who stop by regularly thank you and i hope you are enjoying, the info i'm providing on these wonderful zoo friends. please take the short survey i have also just put up, to help give me some feedback about all you visitors who are adding hits to that counter! ... here's a recent pic of silly jahari with a blanket over him!