San Francisco Zoo - 29 Mar 2008
When Jacob visited in March, the most tourist-like thing we did was to go to the San Francisco Zoo. This was great for me - I love zoos! And it's not just because of all the wonderful pictures I get every time... The added bonus for the SF Zoo was that they'd recently had some kid killed because he was taunting one of the lions. And so the place was a bit more deserted than usual, and more obsessed with signage...

Images
Bronze Leopard
It's nice to have a reminder of the most recent deadly animal attack up front at the zoo. It adds something special to the affair.
Land Vulture
I think it's a Land Vulture, anyway. It's ugly, at the very least.
Land Vulture Butt
Of course, I can't find vultures on the web page. So it's probably something else.
Zebra
The zoo's most dangerous animal.
Antelope
Some kind of antelope, anyway. I suppose I could probably look up which one on the web site.
Crowned Crane
That's a pretty bird!
Ostrich and Zebra
Living together, mass hysteria!
Giraffe
At least I can recognize these guys easily.
Giraffes are Tall
Some sense of scale always helps.
Hungry Giraffe
Destroying a nicely located tree.
Crowned Crane, II
Dancing? Posing? Or just neat-looking?
Ostrich
They look intimidating, don't they?
Ostrich, II
Of course, they're also lunch occasionally.
Ostrich, III
Maybe it's just that we're scared of what we eat.
Ostrich, IV
Or maybe they're really good at looking Real Big.
Baby Giraffe
So cute!
Baby Giraffe, II
And so... okay, not really tiny.
Giraffe Dinner
How is he getting through the mesh?
Giraffe Dinner, II
Pure willpower.
Mystery Bird
They really don't list enough of them on their web site.
Dik-Dik
The world's smallest antelope.
Mytery Bird Returns
Mystery
Waldrapp Ibis
This ugly-face, pretty-body guy was on the list.
Duck
The least exotic of all species was not listed, though.
Spotted Hen
I think that's what this girl was, anyway.
Spotted Hen, II
She made for some interesting camera edge cases.
Spotted Hen, III
The camera just has a hard time focusing on her!
Respect the Animals
There were a lot of these signs up. I got the impression that they really wanted signs that said "DON'T TAUNT THE TIGER."
Gorillas
One of them transformers into Optimus Primal, I know it.
Gorillas, II
They're always fascinating to watch, but a bit more depressing than most animals.
Gorillas, III
It's the whole "looks kindof human" thing.
Gorillas, IV
I mean, it doesn't seem *hellish*... but not great.
Gorillas, V
I just wouldn't enjoy that kind of boredom.
Gorillas, VI
I guess I'd better go look at the kitties instead.
Mandrill
These guys seemed to be happier.
Mandrill
Or at least they didn't seem as bored.
Mandrill Fur
Actually, their rear is pretty attractive.
Photographers
In captivity, these strange creatures like to admire trees!
Peacock
Pretty, annoying animals.
Squirrel
The second most exotic animal in the zoo!
Lemur
These guys looked perfectly content; but I guess they're a few more steps away from human-looking.
Lemurs
You can also fit more of them in a given area...
Flamingoes
Well, these guys are sure photogenic!
Flamingoes, II
If only I could buy a plastic one for my back yard...
Flamingoes, III
...oh wait, I don't have one of those anymore.
Flamingoes, IV
I'll just have to stick with the pictures, then.
Jacob
Yes, Jacob really did come with.
Random Parrot
An Aussie parrot? Maybe.
More Random Birds
That a big beak! I thought I saw that on the site...
Kookaburra
Sits in the old gum mesh.
Koala
Termites. I don't like them that much.
Koala, II
That said, they are cute little buggrs.
Red Kangaroo
Must avoid singing the "in the pouch of a red kangaroo" song from my childhood... because it was stupid.
Wallaby
Hanging out. He has lots of space.
Demonic Wallaby
And he apparently needs it...
Sleeping Roos
These guys seem to like their enclosure, anyway.
Cassowary
I recognize this bird! I do!
Poison Tree Frog
Poisoning the countryside, poisoning the peasants...
Python
Or some other large snake.
Turtle
Some scale probably would have helped in identification.
Macaws
Pretty bird!
Endless Alligator
I should wrap it around somehow.
Resting Alligator
Oh, it was an optical illusion. Boring.
Black Bear
Vicious killing machines!
Black Bear, II
You know, I'm not sure when the last time Colbert said that was...
Polar Bear
These guys looked upset. T
Grizzly Bears
Umm... yeah. Scary. Looked content enough, though.
Monarch's Tale
No more grizzlies in California? I hope so.
Warthog
A little bit in the distance, but not bad.
Rhino
Rhinox?
Rhino, II
Where are the chainguns?
More Antelope
Or one of the sub-species anyway.
Tiger
Oh boy, giant cats!
Tiger Tongue
Most zoos seem to have their giant cats sleeping whenever I'm around.
Sleeping Tiger
Or resting, anyway.
Waking Up
Back to hunting, I guess.
Tiger Paws
Look at the size of those hands!
Tiger
It still just looks like a giant kitty.
Lioness
She looked pretty content in her world.
Lion
He looked even *more* content.
Giant Eland
I suspect that they put the giant antelope guy right next to the giant cats as a distraction.
Lion, II
The best part was the noise that these guys were making.
Lioness, II
The roar was, undeniably, *scary*.
Sea Otters
From felines to... well, other cute.
Rhino
This guy was really cranky.
Rhino, II
Stomping, scratching, I-want-out-NOW! cranky.
Rhino Butt
He also had a butt.
Penguins
One penguin...
Gay Penguins
Two penguins!
Gay Penguins, II
Red Penguins! Blue Penguins!
Penguin Couple
They were cute, anyway.
Tapir
I really think these things are cute.
Tapir, II
Look at those little noses!
Giant Anteater
This guy was pretty!
Giant Anteater, II
It's always nice when the animals decide to eat at the right times.
Giant Anteater, III
Maybe I need one of these as a pet. Whaddya think, Jesse?
Maguari Stork
The web site helps me look things up!
Scorpion
Little. Yellow. Poisonous.
Little Spider
She's so cute!
Big Spider
She's so...big and cute!
Chupacabra
Or something like that.
Prairie Dog
Another animal that I don't find that exciting anymore, I've seen too many of them over the years.
Meerkat
Watching from the other side of the glass. You get the impression that they might actually *like* being here...
Scary Dog Head
A guardian spirit for the zoo? I dunno, I just thought it was creepy, and a good way to finish up the set.

[ ,,^.,^,, ] Tim Skirvin (tskirvin@killfile.org)
Last Updated: Wed, Dec 03 2008
This Page is Lynx-Friendly
1723 accesses since 03 Sep 2008
Skirv's Pictures
<FISH><
Skirv's Pictures:
Album created by photo album generator a MarginalHack by Dave Madison