Z is for Zoo

In these last few weeks of weather that is warm enough to enjoy time outside, Rich and I have been trying to do as many fun things as we can.  This weekend, after much debate, we decided that we'd go to the Toronto Zoo.  I haven't been to the zoo in year, maybe even since elementary school, so I was pretty pumped. After making Rich swear to stop calling it "The Animal Jail", we packed up a picnic lunch and headed out. 

I don't know why I was so excited, maybe it was such a throw back to being an innocent kid, or maybe it was knowing I'd see my favorite animals ever, the elephants, up close and personal, but I honestly was so so pumped. There may have been some excited running and pointing a few times throughout the day. 

 Rhinos are smelly, they also have awesome, armor plate like skin. So I forgive their smelliness. 

This is not a warthog. It is some sort of bush pig. However , the woman beside me clearly didn't read the sign because she kept singing all of the Pumba parts of "Hankuna Matta". Repeatedly. 

I don't know what it is about the elephants that I love so much. I did a project on them in grade four and I've loved them ever since. And honestly, that project was seriously kick ass.  I got an A.

A Harry Potter parsel-tongue Boa. That's the officially Latin name.

I'll have to upload the rest of my Gorilla pictures when I get a cord for my camera. They were so amazing. This big Silverback got his celery and came and sat right at the fence and chowed down, while watching us like we were the zoo animals. 

Giraffes are on my list of "strange but awesome" animals. That list also include the platypus.  

The grizzly bear, surprisingly, was one of my favorite animals this time. He was massive, and I read that they can run as fast as a horse over a long distance. Man. All of that stuff they tell you about what to do if you encounter a bear? Total garbage. If this guy decides he wants you for lunch, that is all their is to it. 

SLOTH!

I got to watch this little Kookaburra eat his cricket lunch, he was pretty friendly and posed like a boss for me. 

Watching the penguins under the water makes you not feel so bad they can't fly. Lovely.

Otter! They are so fun and playful. And also, totally my spirit animal.

Seahorses are pretty cool too, the papa seahorse is in charge of the eggs and the momma bails. Love it.

Rich's favorite are the jellies. 

The day really was great, and the cool weather made it perfect for walking. I even wore comfy shoes, and walked the whole time without my feet getting sore. That's kind of epic for me. 

If you haven't been to the Toronto Zoo in ages, you should go! Tell the elephants I say hi.

PS- Remember when I said I got an awesome new camera? Well I took a whole bunch of awesome new zoo pictures and when I went to upload them for this blog....turns out I didn't have the cable to connect the camera to the computer. Ugh.  So, again, camera photos in the works.