An explosion only yards away in Central Park would not close the Central Park Zoo.
And despite my continued news updates and frantic ground searching for anything remotely bomb-like, we carried on with our day’s plans and went to the zoo.
At first, I thought the large number of people walking against us as we entered was a sign the zoo was closing due to the incident. But it turns out that New Yorkers and tourists alike do not panic when faced with an early morning explosion in the park. No, we soon learned it takes much more to clear them out of a public place.
Sunday + summer + New York City + a beautiful day = one packed zoo
We made the best of it though.
Lance forewarned me that he didn’t think the zoo was too large. I couldn’t believe it. I mean, I’ve seen Madagascar, and that zoo is huge.
Our $12 general entry fee made me think Hubby might be right*.
*He’s always right. I can’t stand that!!
With only six acres total, the layout of Central Park Zoo is easy to navigate. However, since I wasn’t the one in control of the map, I over complicated things by continually asking Lance what was next.
Sometimes I think I am the best kind of birth control in our relationship.
The birdhouse filled with many different rain forest birds made me feel like I was walking through a butterfly garden. There were so many different kinds of birds to try to spot and observe in a somewhat natural environment.
These guys pictured above seemed particularly inquisitive of what was happening on the ground around them. That, or they just didn’t want their picture taken.
I think their shyness was catching.
The turtles leading into the Temperate Territory were perhaps the most active animals as they clumped together on tree branches, fighting for the place in the huddle.
The red panda slept the entire time.
The snow leopards were hiding.
Around this point I demanded to know where the lion was hiding. We came upon this picturesque view:
…and I was certain we would soon approach the Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria* of the zoo.
*Yes, I needed to Google those names, but I very seriously believed that at least one of the leading animals of the popular children’s movie, Madagascar, would be present at the zoo.
I suppose I should have been content with the bears…except after scoping out their entire enclosure this is what we found…
Not only were they sleeping, but they were sleeping in front of the narrowest window of their enclosure…meaning it was at all times surrounded by people.
Don’t they know they’re being paid to entertain us?
Though the penguins and sea birds exhibit wasn’t too large, the birds themselves were fun to watch.
They moved with such photographic precision, I swear their movements were choreographed for their audience.
This guy stood frozen in this position for a solid minute…big show off.
I imagine the Central Park Zoo being the perfect place to go during a weekday while the rest of the world is at work* to simply meander around, grab a bench, and watch wildlife in action. In addition to the animals, I loved the unusual plant life that complimented the path to the different exhibits.
*Although NYC is an exception for this…there are people vacationing at all times.
This one was my favorite
Lance and I do not know how to plan accordingly for shows that aquariums and zoos put on. We usually manage to sneak into the last ten minutes of the dolphin show at the aquarium, and just so happened to wander upon the seal show as it was starting.
And now I want a seal….(for Christmas)….only a seal will do.*
*I think a seal is much more practical than a hippopotamus, don’t you?
With the seal show, we were at the zoo a little under two hours. Though I was still coming to grips with the fact that the animals from Madagascar, in fact, do not exist at the Central Park Zoo, I still found it to be an enjoyable little separation from the buzz of the city whose skyscrapers lingered beyond the barriers of the zoo.
Once back home, I realized our receipt included a survey that, once completed, provided one free entrance until the end of December. I think I will use it to treat myself to a personal day in NYC, once the weather is cooler, where I can spend the day people and animal watching.
Central Park Zoo
64th St and 5th Ave
New York, NY 10021
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