Above: Su-Lin, the 4-year-old sister of Zhen Zhen.
I have spent a week in San Diego, going to the zoo almost every day. Finally getting to know my way around. Hope to return in January or February to see the new male panda cub. Believe he will go on exhibit in December.
Top: Koala
Lower: meerkats
It is so much fun to watch Kalluk play ball. He bounces it both upwards and downward through the water.
Silverback gorilla. “All I get is lettuce to eat?”
Chinese Snow leopard
Two-year-old Zhen Zhen.
Kalluk, on the right, got out of the water and went up to Tatqiq, on the left, and tagged her to come and play. She followed him into the water for one of their play sessions. Kalluk first lets his sister attack him, but he gets rougher as it goes on. They eventually separate to different areas.
The zoo has a new elephant exhibit for Asian elephants. The inside area where elephants receive care is where the public passes by and can observe. Above, one keeper gives an elephant treats while another works on the elephant’s foot.
Below: secretary bird.
Have been enjoying the San Diego Zoo the past few days. I follow the polar bears and the pandas via their webcams and it’s good to see them in person. Also, you get a good workout walking around the zoo, as you are always either going up or down a hill.
Above: Kalluk, the adult male polar bear with a mouth full of carrots.
Top picture: a gorilla striking a pose.
Lower picture: Frank, a one-year-old gorilla that all the gorilla’s have been helping to raise. He had been watching an adult eat a green pepper. He may be holding part of a green pepper plant and not sure he likes the taste.
Some zoo employees were leading two camels down a road. The camels would stop every few feet and need some coaxing to proceed.
A number of herons and great egrets are fly-in guests of the zoo.
Below: Su Lin enjoying her bamboo sitting in a tree.
Kalluk, the 1000 pound male polar bear, showing some basketball moves. Caught a short clip on video. He then trys to put the ball in a hole in the wall underwater. All the bears always check out this spot and spend endless time tying to put things in or take things out.
Kalluk is in the water and one female polar bear is resting on the deck. The other female bear comes around the corner and chases the resting female into the water. They fight/play till one escapes to a small ledge. The remaining female then goes after Kalluk. He has to lie down at the bottom of the pool to let the female know she “won”. She then floats up and the fight is over.
This is a long clip, close to 4 minutes.
Bai stops pacing and sits down for a few minutes while waiting for her caretakers to bring in fresh bamboo and treats.
Gao Gao, Zhen’s father.
Finally have learned my way around the zoo. Next time I come, want to spend some time watching the orangutans and the gorillas. A volunteer or employee was working with the above orangutan through the glass, blowing bubbles for her and doing other things to get her attention.
Came to San Diego to go to the zoo and try to get away from the heat. It’s been warm here too, but am enjoying the zoo. I have a one-year membership, so I get in free. It is a good place to get some exercise. Being so large and on a hill, you are always climbing up and down inclines.
Above a female polar bear has one toy with her left paw, but wanted the blue ball as well.
The bear here got the pink ball and shook it like a dog would.
On the polar bear web site it says: If you see a brown polar bear, it’s probably Chinook—she loves to roll in the dirt!
An anhinga (anhinga rufa rufa, aka snakebird) drying its feathers.
Headed back to the zoo today and was pleased to find that spring break finally seems to be over. Last week when I was here it was crowded like it usually is on weekends. Found out some schools were still out for spring break. Today I was able to circle through the panda exhibit a number of times, the line was so short.
Zhen is starting to ingest bamboo now, not just play with it.
Su Lin became interested in one of her enrichment items. It probably had a scent that she liked. She hung upside down and tried to pull it up to her.
This was the first time I have had the right timing to see the polar bears underwater. They are incredibly beautiful to watch. Kids seemed to really enjoy it too. Heard several say it was their favorite exibit. Read on the zoo web site that they are hoping to have some baby polar bears in the future.
Have never seen an egret sitting like this.
I stayed at Sweetwater County Park again during my stay in San Diego. It is around 10 miles from the San Diego Zoo (takes 30 minutes to drive there). About half of the park’s sites are always filled, either with permanent sites for people who volunteer 20 hours a week or “recurrent” visitors. You can stay here three weeks, then have to leave for one week before you can return. On weekends it often fills up.
