Birmingham Zoo

Sunday is normally Brian's day off so we try to get out and do something as a family on this day each week. This week we chose to go to the zoo. It took an hour and a half to get there, which wasn't too bad considering where we've lived in the past, and it was a pretty nice drive. When we got there the kids were so excited. We had a pretty good time, but Brian and I weren't too impressed. They had your basic animals; Lions, Monkeys, Sea Lions, Snakes and such....they even had a Wilds of Alabama exhibit, that was actually pretty cool because it was kind of like walking through the woods. It just seemed to lack. They had tons of koi ponds, I mean a TON! Why did they need so many? I really couldn't tell you. My main problem with the zoo was that the animals seemed SO unhappy. Look at the Hippo-


He had no pond to laze in, inside there was a small area of water but I doubt he could have submerged himself in it, he just seemed so unhappy! I was talking to him and he perked up as if to tell me I was totally right when I mentioned that he didn't have enough water. I've never been to a zoo and saw hippos that weren't in an area where they could just be completely submerged in the water.

On to the Rhino-


You can SEE his hips! Poor baby. He had next to no room to hang out in, really, nothing. These are animals that live in herds and he was alone. I don't know what they do to him, but he's miserable.

Now lets see our tiger,


He was pretty decently fed, I guess but I've seen privately owned tigers that were fatter than him, and he was so sad. He was prowling the display window prowling it literally! Pacing back and forth looking for a way out. I understand he is captive and its unnatural for them to be and that alone would make them mad, but he was in a small area, no room to play no one to play with for that matter. He was screaming to me, Let me out of here! I want to run and play. I was devastated.

Now, it wasn't all bad mind you. The layout of the zoo was pretty. The exhibits were neat, although the cages in my opinion were VERY small, but I've been spoiled with Audubon in New Orleans, so far the BEST Zoo I've ever encountered. The California Sea Lion was happy as a pig in mud:


He even posed for me. How cute is that?

The giraffes seemed content, but I've yet to see one that wasn't. They just didn't seem to have enough room to me:



The monkeys were lazy and content:



And the meerkats were gorgeous as usual:



They had a petting zoo with goats and sheep.


You know I LOVE goats! I did get really upset around this part of the zoo, however, because not only did they have Pygmy goats, they also had Boar goats. I cried my eyes out because it made me think of Sally and Sandler. I didn't get any pictures of them cause I could barley look at them. I cried for about 10 minutes and it kind of ruined my mood a bit. It was so hard to hold back from boohooing like a baby.

They also had nice Halloween decorations:



They have been having this boo at the zoo thing each weekend, which is kind of cool, we were thinking about staying for that but the kids got moody about the time we finished getting through the whole thing.