The Watcher Becomes The Watched

Monday, my sister Sara and I took a trip to the zoo on one of her last days before leaving for the Peace Corps. Despite being a fairly warm and humid day, the animals didn't disappoint. While some slumbered away in the summer heat, others let their personalities out on display. At times you wondered who was really watching who.

This orangatan stared at me with a bored insouciance as he sat in a shady spot next to the wall.

This Amur Tiger was barely contained violence as he prowled through one of the water holes. I couldn't help but think the tiger was mentally licking its lips while it tried to decide which one of us to eat first.

Then, of course, there were the ones that were just over it all. Even the King of the Jungle needs a nap sometimes.

This gorilla is the zoo's "thinker".


This golden lion tamarind held on tightly as he surveyed the gathering crowd in front of him.

When the giraffes weren't eating leaves, they were strolling around their paddock posing for us.

For the most part, the penguins were trying to get relief from the heat by swimming through the water; but, periodically, they would pop up on the bank.

This penguin liked to sit next to the glass so the little kids could get right up next to him.

Finally, this red panda looked so cute and cuddly, I wanted to take it home.

Zootopia

I wrapped up my vacation last week with a trip to the Philadelphia Zoo--the oldest in the country, dating back to 1874. I strolled through the 42-acre Victorian Gardens in an 85 degree heat that assured anyone who had been in doubt, that summer had finally arrived to Philadelphia after a chilly and wet May.

The Zoo is home to 1300 rare animals and I spent my afternoon there capturing some of them with my new Canon Rebel Xsi DSLR. While many of them were doing their best to keep out of the hot sun or cat napping, others like the African elephants, flamingo and giraffe were out soaking it up. I'll have more pictures up this weekend, but here a few to start with. Click on any picture below to view a larger version.

Amur Leopard

Snow Leopard

Giraffe

Cheetah

Penguins

Giraffe

Peacock

Asiatic Black Bear