Zoo cont.

This is a blue tongued skink (basically a cross between a lizard and a snake) He was outside in the reptile playyard. It's tongue is a cool shade of bright blue. Wards off predators who assume it is poisonous. Evolution my rear! Later in the day we passed and there was a corn snake named Cornelius in the reptile yard...followed by a lady freaking out, I am serous, Freak-ing-out because the snake was OUTSIDE. Of course her husband was having a field day with her response. The snake was literally sleeping on a fake branch next to the keeper.

This pretty little red head is a tamarin monkey. They were OUTSIDE as well. Amazed me. We chatted with the keepers that are assigned to keep watch on them throughout the day. These little monkeys are so territorial, the keepers have established their large cage is "home" and "safe" - so these monkey won't venture much farther than the trees outside...so they are allowed to roam the trees all day long. The keepers are there more to protect the monkeys from us than vice versa. The kids were fascinated.


The tortoises are always a fav and very active today.
And here is a gratuitous bear shot for my friend......

this is a sloth bear. Will hang upside down in trees for hours just like a sloth. They used to be called bear sloths when they were first discovered but was corrected when their proper genus was discovered. These two pace and beg for food all day long!
The best feeding we got to see was these little guys...the penguins...so cute...and man fast in the water! We also chatted with the keeper, talked about the two that parked themselves at her feet, and begged...this is one of them....as well as their preference for the small smelt over the larger fish, and she had to be sure that she gave out the big fish before the little ones or they "snub" the bigger ones....she said the same two come to her feet,t he same one perches on a rock and catches...so interesting how habitual the animals can be.