Thursday, December 13, 2007
Posted By:
Jennifer Anthony
Photo:
Jennifer Anthony
San Francisco Zoo
I go back and forth about my stance on zoos. Conservation or exploitation? The animals sometimes appear listless, sometimes just plain sad. But after reading this morning about two giant soft-shell turtles in China that would be extinct if it weren’t for a zoo, I am torn. Although the SF Zoo needs some sprucing up, it is taking pains to update and remodel its habitats, such as the African Savanna. Another example is the new Grizzly Gulch, where sister bears Kachina and Kiona frolic, according to the zoo’s website, “in one of the largest naturalistic environments dedicated to grizzly bears in any zoo.” Their habitat offers a “sunny meadow, 20,000-gallon pool, herb garden, mountain stream waterfall and heated rocks.” Kachina and Kiona were found orphaned in Montana and were set to be euthanized for encroaching on developed land before their rescue by a Zoo board member. Last Sunday, my friend’s kid and I stared, transfixed, at the bears as they padded around their new home and came within inches of the glass wall that separated us. Even though the Grizzly is the state’s bear, they are extinct in California. So, ironically, the zoo and the state flag are the only places you’ll see the bear here in California.
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Monday, June 25, 2007
Posted By:
Ryn
Photo:
Ryn
San Francisco Zoo
There appears to be a positive correlation between the outrageousness of something and the frequency in which it occurs in San Francisco. From the furry to the hairless San Francisco houses a lot of pets. People post Ace Ventura sized rewards for their lost fluffers and cho cho's. Vegans and vegetarians keep the factory critters off their plates and the way a person's Airdale sniffs a St. Bernard could be the best predictor of a dog park sparked romance. That's not all San Fran offers for animal lovers. Un uh, you've got to take a trip to the San Francisco Zoo. The Children's Zoo includes six acres of species from around the globe and the zoo encourages you to interact with them. Here you can get nostaligic or see something new: a heard of goats on the loose, Alpacas chilling, neighing ponies and portly pigs. The goats and toddlers can really crowd the place and it gets stinky so catch a breath of fresh air near the primates habitats. It's like a mirror.
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Thursday, July 28, 2005
Posted By:
Jody Ryan
Photo:
Courtesy of San Francisco Zoo
If you haven’t visited the San Francisco Zoo lately, you are in for a big treat! After walking through the new gates you will be transported to many different countries around the world. You can expect to see giraffes, zebras, kudus, dik-diks, and ostriches all living together in the new African Savanna. From the African Savanna, a pathway leads to Gorilla World, where you’ll see Africa's largest primate; Oscar Jonesy was born at Ohio’s Columbus Zoo in 1981, transferred to San Francisco in 1982, moved to the Buffalo Zoo five years later, and returned to SF earlier this year. Although the 23 year-old silverback male is a novice with the ladies, he is beginning to mingle with his four female companions—hopefully there will be some little Oscars running around soon. The Children’s Zoo has been remodeled, offering six acres of domestic fun. Kids can visit the petting zoo and feed the goats, or walk down the Nature Trail and pretend to be prairie dogs or meerkats popping out of the ground.
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