We're Going To The Zoo, Zoo, Zoo, How About You, You, You???

The girlies are on Fall Break this week. Since we still have cheerleading practice three nights a week and games on Saturday, we could not take advantage of the mini-vacation like I had hoped. (Syndee, I had originally planned on heading your way!) So, I let the girls pick one fun thing to do each day. Wednesday we went and saw Hotel Transylvania, which was really cute. Yesterday, we were off to the Reid Park Zoo here in Tucson. There were some other Bulldog families going as well, but somehow, we completely missed them! The zoo is not that big, but for some reason we never crossed paths.

I just want to say that I LOVE the Reid Park Zoo. It makes my inner shutterbug do a happy dance. The animals are up close and personal and their are awesome photo ops galore. It's one of my favorite places to take pictures. Plus, if you go early, the animals are all very active. The gibbons are singing for all the world to hear, and the larger animals are all up and about before the Tucson heat compels them to nap in the shade. Yesterday was no disappointment

This is the girlies at 10:11:12 on 10/11/12

Baheem the Malayan Tiger

Lillith the Lar Gibbon had a song in her heart!

The lions actually being awake was a rare treat. The larger male is Shombay and the other two are Abuto and Azizi

Kaya

Kaya and her cubs

One of the cubs apparently needed a bath

When was the last time you were this close to a lion? This shot was taken without a zoom lens.

Up close and personal with Kaya, this pic was taken through the glass, but again, without a zoom lens

This is Texas, our favorite Giraffe

In the newly finished Conservation Center, we found this trio of Bearded Dragons. 

The Reid Park Zoo has had a productive few months. There are new babies everywhere! This is the first one we came across. This male Chilean Flamingo chick hatched on August 22nd. Random fact of the day... When a Flamingo loses a feather, the feather loses it's pink color.

This Swallowtail was hanging out by the Flamingo exhibit

Another baby! Sundzu and his mother enjoyed some breakfast in the recently-opened Expedition Tanzania area of the zoo.

One more baby! This is Amira and her baby born on August 31st. Not sure what his name is. There are also a new baby Tamandua born September 3rd and a new baby Giant Anteater, just 2 weeks old that are not on exhibit.

"Mom, take my picture!"

Tupi the Beard's Tapir

The jaguars, Nikita and Simone were another rare treat, especially the fact that they came down from their perch.