The Bronx zoo is one of the few places that I remember fondly since childhood. Any school that was remotely close to the New York Metropolitan area was probably given the opportunity to visit this spectacular natural preserve. So given the chance to do an event blog on this amazing zoo, I jumped at the prospect. On Saturday October 4th, I took the 5 train to East 180th Street and then walked 15 minutes to the zoo itself. The admission itself was inexpensive, priced at thirteen dollars; however I should’ve went on a Wednesday when admission is free. Upon entering the zoo, the scenery was simply breathtaking. The wooded walkways ranged from paths to large roads carrying hefty traffic.
The zoo is separated into multitude of main attractions including the African Plains, Congo Gorilla Forest, JungleWorld, Madagascar, and Tiger Mountain, Baboon Reserve, and the Himalayan Highlands.
The Congo is a 6.5 acre recreation of the heart of Africa rainforest. This area is home to hogs, monkeys, gorillas, and numerous other species ranging from amphibian life to different types of birds. However, in order to get in, fee is charged on entry. But the I was given the opportunity to select a conservation project to which that money will be donated to. In addition to attempting to conserve nature’s wildlife, educational videos are also shown to warn the visitors about the damage to the environment.
One of the most interesting features of the Bronx Zoo is the Wild Asia Monorail. This guide tour/ride let you easily spot animals. In addition, the monorail would slow down when a herd roaming animals come into view. Some of the animals spotted were deer, antelope, and different types of cattle.
One of my favorite exhibits is probably the African plains. This area is home to zebras lions, cheetahs, giraffes, and African dingo’s. However, some of the animals were disappointing to watch. Lions were inactive for long periods of time before even twitching in its sleeps. The visitor may feel like the animals are living in the same exhibit, but they are actually separated by rivers that they cannot cross in this African Plains exhibit. Along this trail, there are so many opportunities to capture pictures of many dangerous and harmless mammals appearing in a safe distance. African Plains is not open all year round; it is one of the seasonal exhibits in Bronx Zoo. I was lucky that they didn’t close it in October.
The three acre Tiger Mountain is a enclosed habitat with six Siberian tigers who are kept behind a thick glass cage. Inside is a large pool where the tiger can bath or play or even drink. Inside the cage is also a scratching post and balls on a chain for the tiger's enjoyment. One negative aspect regarding Tiger Mountain is the fact that there is a smell coming from the mountain. This may be artificial stench that is sprayed to make the tigers not feel alienated. Tiger Mountain is created to be exactly like the environment of Asia where the tigers can feel at home. If I didn't know that the tigers were captive, I would've believed that I'm actually in Asia!
Overall the trip to the Bronx Zoo was a very interest and exciting one. It was well worth the $15 admission and my four hours spent there. This trip taught me much about nature and how it’s important to conserve nature’s treasures while we still have it. In addition, it offered me the opportunity to upload photos onto facebook.