calgary zoo- african savannah

onward and upward through the calgary zoo we go!

our next stop is one of the several buildings of the african complex of the zoo. this first one houses some of the coolest african animals around...


this is the central "lobby" as it were. you get a great view of the giraffes, from across that really big pool...

of course the question you might ask, is why put a huge water tank in the middle of the african house?


so that the hippos have somewhere to hang out of course!

this has to be one of my favourite things at the zoo (besides the prehistoric park). partially as it is altogether much like an aquarium, and i DO love my aquariums... but it also gives you a rare view of what it is to be a hippopotamus!

my only compliant, is that due to their life style, it is hard to take photos of the hippos... the water gets all murky with hippo poo...

however in a cool true to nature fashion, the calgary zoo has stocked the pond full of fish that eat this gross hippo byproduct. sadly not fast enough for my photos to true out better then this...

getting back to the giraffes, i've always loved these guys. despite their being boring mammals... they are the closest modern creature you'll come to seeing a sauropod!
if you visit during a warm time of the year, you can view the giraffes both inside and outside... but we'll talk about outside in a second...

while i was visiting this time, i was lucky enough to see a baby giraffe running around and playing amongst the adults! man baby giraffes are just too cute! they're all legs, and legs that don't know where they are going!!!

back to the outside exhibits, though i'm sure in the winter there are indoor observation options, it is easiest in spring and summer to see the lions outside.
they also keep the ever funky zebras out here... (sadly they don't pack as many of the classic african zoo animals into one spot like melbourne. i only say this as a comparison mind you. both are fine zoos in their own way)

there are also some very interesting birds outside, like this marabou stork.

this is also where they keep the ostriches... which is the first time i've gotten close to an ostrich in a while.

there is a story to tell about what they had to say to me when i came to see them (remember i've been teaching myself to speak bird!), but it can wait till i've finished my review of the zoo... which has been fun so far! unlike what the ostriches had to tell me... (to be continued after the review)