I N T H E N I G H T K I T C H E N 5.6.2001
Zoo! T. and I spent the better part of yesterday at the Portland Zoo. We were either going to go out to the Gorge if it was sunny or to the zoo if it was rainy. It started out a bit rainy so we went to the zoo. Of course, it ended up clearing up completely and it was a gorgeous day. We were both really impressed with the grounds and the animals. All of the animals looked really healthy and active. Their habitats were clean and nice and they all seemed to have a lot of variety in their enclosures. The grounds are really large and by the time we were done, our feet were really tired. However, there so many trees and landscaped spaces between the enclosures that you feel like you're in a really big park. It was busy at the Zoo but because of how things were laid out, it didn't feel too incredibly crowded. I took a few pictures though most didn't come out too well because of the lighting and/or the glass between us and the animals. One of the coolest things (and there were many cool things) was the Bat Cave. It was all fruit bats of different varieties and they were in this semi-circular enclosure with glass on one side. They hung upside down from the ceiling and some were quiet and sleepy, others wrestled with bananas and melon slices that hung from the ceiling. Occasionally, one or two would release and swoop along with their huge, webby wings flapping. They were incredibly fascinating to look at up close. When you first get to the zoo there's a "mountain" with big, shaggy Mountain Goats lazing about. They're pretty neat, actually.  They have Sun Bears and Polar Bears as well as a Grizzly Bear in their "Alaska Tundra" exhibit. The single Sun Bear we saw was lounging in the crook of a tree, scratching his head with his toes and generally hiding out. There were three polar bears and the littlest one is the one below with its head resting on the log.  The Sea Lions were incredibly cool. They have an area called "Stellar" with tide pools surrounding the outside. There are even wave machines in one area to wash over the anemones and clams and other sealife. Then you head underground and pass this surreal and beautiful kelp acquarium that reaches high above your head to the surface of the water. Keep walking along and you come to this area where there are two humongous Sea Lions swimming in lazy, fluid circles. They were so awesome to watch. This first one is the smaller of the two. It swam with eyes closed and would come right along the glass. It was about seven feet long.  This was the big guy and was easily eight or nine feet long with huge flippers. We stayed here for a long time just watching them swim. Truly awesome.  You continue past the Sea Lions and come up and outside to the water line where there are otters. We saw one otter, floating and sleeping on his back right next to the glass. The instant I got over to it this mom screeched to her kids, "He's sleeeeping -- c'mere kids -- hurrrrry!!!" She and her brood then proceeded to muscle in front of me. So... no picture of the adorable otter. Instead you get the massive head of a Rainbow Trout. I had no idea they got this big.  Anywhere where there were swimming creatures, you had the opportunity to get the below-water or at waterline perspective which I thought was really cool. You could see otters swimming and diving, penguins sliding into the water and picking up fish from the bottom and ducks!  Also, beavers!  There were two or three beavers, I think. To the left of the glass viewing area was this little carve in the rock with another glass pane into it with a little sign that read, "Beaver's Den." When we got there, there were no beavers in the den. But, we hung out for awhile and were rewarded by one of the beavers collecting straw from the bottom of their "lake" and swimming up and then into the den and pushing the straw inside. Then it would go outside and do it again. T. and I kept running back and forth from the inside view to the outside view. It was really cool. Outside of the beaver area was a little aviary (there were several aviaries at the zoo) and this was our favorite bird, the Stilt -- a little less than a foot tall but all leg.  As we were leaving this area, I got this picture and it started chirping loudly at us. On our way out, we stopped by the sea lions to see if we could catch then swimming again but, alas, they were tired and out sunning.  We saw tons of other stuff -- elephants (one baby), monkies, elk, zebra, grey wolves, bugs, birds, snakes, lizards, fish, tree kangaroos, meerkats, spiders (black widow and tarantula), rhinos, hippos, impala, crocodile, and more. Say what you will about zoos, this was a really fun experience. 
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