National Zoo (Washington, DC, USA) - Part II, Exploring the Park

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Slideshow | Lightbox (107) Tags: parks washington-dc zoo Posted: July 19, 2011 by Myrka

Personally, I think there is something barbaric about all zoological parks where animals are kept in captivity and shown to people for their enjoyment. Do not get me wrong - I am not implying at all that The Smithsonian National Zoological Park is somehow involved in exploiting animals to excite crowds. Quite the opposite: standards and expectations applied to zoos in 21st century are different than they were, say, 100 years ago. Accordingly, the mission of the National Zoo is to "provide leadership in animal care, science, education, sustainability, and visitor experience", and it seems that the institution has succeeded at least in some of these areas. But this very success creates some interesting dilemmas.

Clearly, the level of animal care is rather high in the Zoo. Animal facilities are not overcrowded; wherever possible attempts are made to recreated a habitat close enough to the one animal may have in the wild. Moreover, the National Zoo is involved in a number of serious efforts related to the global conservation and protection of endangered species. According to its Web site, members of the National Zoo staff work in multiple places: the exhibits and behind-the-scenes at the Zoo, at the Conservation and Research Center (CRC) in Virginia, and in field sites around the world.

The problem with all this is that no matter what the mission is and how noble the efforts are, people come to the Zoo, any zoo, to see animals. The latter is covered by the "visitor experience" part in the Zoo's mission but it seems that the higher the level of care the more it conflicts with the visitor experience. For example, animals need enough space and they should not be disturbed by crowds of people. The more space and shelter you provide to animals, the less of them visitors see. It is unusual that you have to come to the Zoo more than one time to see what you want to see. Isn't it a sign that zoological parks are outdated? Wouldn't it be better if zoological parks focus exclusively on scientific research and conservation effort - in other words be transformed in strictly regulated sanctuaries with limited access?

True or not, what we have now in Washington DC is a zoological park with all good and bad things it has to offer. So, let's try to make the most of it.

I bet one of the first questions visitors ask when coming to the National Zoo is "Where are the animals?" Indeed, chances are high that you will not see many of them. So, the park management explains that animals "are probably resting" and that you should "come back another time!"	This is a rather strange exhibit: according to signs, Black-tailed Prairie Dog(s) live here. Plus, there are Cicada Killer Wasps. Strange symbiosis? Anyway, you hear and see plenty of flying insects. As far as dogs are concerned - where are they? I guess resting in their holes.	This is the so-called "Lemur Island" - it is a home for several types of lemurs and turtles. The island is located near the Rock Creek entrance.	Zooming into lemurs and turtles living on the Lemur Island in National Zoo (DC, USA). Both, are actually visible on this photo which is a faithful reproduction of the fact that you may need a sharp eye and time to identify the location of animals in the Zoo. Click on photo to enlarge it - can you find them now?
Lemur Island in National Zoo (DC, USA) - after all, turtles are not that shy and swim freely in the pond surrounding the island.	Entrance to Great Cats area - arguably, the most interesting exhibit in National Zoological Park in Washington DC (USA). Tigers and lions live here. Fortunately, chances are high enough that you will actually see them.	The Great Cats exhibit is designed as a round area surrounded by a ditch with water - similar to a moat around the castle. The area is divided into several sectors.	Great Cats area in National Zoological Park in Washington DC (USA) - the central part of the area is covered with dirt, plants and trees with some structures made of concrete. The whole this is surrounded by a moat with water and a concrete fence with signs to stay off the guardrail.
There are several service areas in the Great Cats exhibit. They are rather ugly and do not blend with the exhibit. In such areas there are several displays about the life and anatomy of big cats. This photo shows a display explaining how easy it was to find food for Sumatran tigers before.	The photo here relates to the previous one; it explains that one of the reasons for critical endangerment of Sumatran tigers is changing environment and lack of food. According to some estimates, only about 300 Sumatran Tigers remain in the wild.	Another interesting display at Great Cats area in National Zoological Park in Washington DC (USA). It shows a ball made of very tough plastic that zoo keepers use to play with animals simulating their natural behavior. You can touch the ball covered with deep cuts from tigers claws to understand how deadly they are.	A display dedicated to Tyrannosaurus Rex, one of the most ferocious creatures of all times. Does the Zoo (DC, USA) want to make a point that tigers and lions are not that fierce? I do not know. But I can tell you that human admiration of big cats will last forever.
Finally, after all these displays, we see a real tiger. Sumatran tigers are the smallest ones (even if they average 8 - 7 feet). But it would be difficult to spot this regal and graceful cat even if it were the biggest while it is resting in the shade of its concrete cave.	Great Cats exhibit in National Zoological Park in Washington DC (USA) - we are moving now to the lion section. This is unmistakably a lioness, the mother of several grown up cubs running around the exhibit grounds.	Great Cats exhibit in National Zoological Park in Washington DC (USA) - and here is one of the lion cubs drinking water after having played with his (or her) brothers and sisters.	Great Cats exhibit in National Zoological Park in Washington DC (USA) - the passage is called Tiger Tracks. It is a quiet area where you stroll while learning more about big cats and their life.
Great Cats exhibit in the Zoo - this display in Tiger Tracks area tells us nearly half of all cubs die in their natural habitat before their first birthday. This makes me think that perhaps the life in captivity has its pluses since in zoos like National Zoological Park in Washington DC (USA) life expectancy is almost two times more than in nature.	Great Cats exhibit in the Zoo - cats' claws are different in that usually they are retracted. This bronze reproduction of life-size adult tiger paw shows the difference when claws are out.	Does size matter? Well, it does even if we are talking only about brains. In fact, the size matters a lot as you can discover going through the exhibits in the Think Tank building (National Zoo, DC, USA)	The Think Tank (National Zoo, DC, USA) building is surrounded by several structures - mostly fences areas and big gages. This one looks like high voltage transmission tower. In reality it has nothing to do with electricity; it is called "O-line" - all these overhead conductors do is providing a passage for several orangutans living in the zoo from one building to another.
A huge cage adjacent to the Think Tank building in the Zoo. It is filled with what looks mostly like trash, but actually, there is an animal on this photo.	This arrangement of sculptures of chimps is near the Think Tank building. The group illustrates the social nature of these animals where each community member brings a unique social role to the group. The posture and facial expression reproduced in sculptures are supposed to match the roles to specific figures.	Think Tank (National Zoo, Washington DC, USA) - entrance to the building.	Inside Think Tank (National Zoo, Washington DC, USA) - exhibits here try to explain the phenomenon of thinking by looking at the three cognition areas: tools, language, and society.
Inside Think Tank (National Zoo, Washington DC, USA) - brains of various species are on display. The human brain is in the middle which means that even if the size matters, there are other things that matter as well.	Inside Think Tank (National Zoo, Washington DC, USA) - behind those clear walls on the left is one of six orangutans living currently in the Zoo. The crowd of kids and adults on the right is happy to see a real thing (and not a display about animals).	Inside Think Tank (National Zoo, Washington DC, USA) - oh, this orangutan is real ugly. But I am sure many will say it is a beauty.	Inside Think Tank (National Zoo, Washington DC, USA) - this display elaborates on the concept of a tool showing a technique used by chimpanzees to fish termites.
The "O-line" I mentioned previously connects Think Tank building (National Zoo, DC, USA) with the Great Apes exhibit and building located further up the Olmsted Walk.	Out next stop on Olmsted Walk is the Reptile Discovery Center, a.k.a. Reptile House (National Zoological Park in Washington DC, USA)	Reptile Discovery Center (National Zoological Park in Washington DC, USA) - entrance to the building,	Reptile Discovery Center (National Zoological Park in Washington DC, USA) - inside the building. Most displays with reptiles remind displays in an aquarium.
Reptile Discovery Center (National Zoo, DC, USA) - Caribbean (San Salvador) Iguana. These species are threatened by changing environment, and National Zoo participates in a project to relocate iguanas to a "safe" island.	Reptile Discovery Center (National Zoo, DC, USA) - Indian Flapshell Turtle.	Reptile Discovery Center (National Zoo, DC, USA) - this is just a chameleon. Chameleons vary greatly in size and body structure and color.	According to this display, on the inside, humans and reptiles are very much alike. What a relief!
Giant (Aldabra) Tortoise in the yard of the Reptile Discovery Center (National Zoo, DC, USA). Another sad story of human activity - goats released long ago on the remote islands, the home of giant tortoises, over-grazed the vegetation living tortoise little to eat.	The Great Apes building, the second building at National Zoo (DC, USA) with ape exhibits is next to the Reptile Discovery Center. Behind the Great Apes building is the area called Gorilla Grove. In the Grove you can watch gorillas (Western Lowland Gorilla). The area is surrounded by an electric fence with clear glass walls.	Gorilla Grove (National Zoo, DC, USA) - well, this is a gorilla in this picture.	Great Apes building (National Zoo, DC, USA) - entrance.
Inside Great Apes building (National Zoo, DC, USA). This rather large building with big rooms for apes behind glass walls is a bit disappointing - no animals in sight.	Great Apes building (National Zoo, DC, USA) - this sign tells visitors that apes are shy and explains ape etiquette. Hmm... - but there are no apes to try to make friends.	A hammock made of fire hoses for the ape, the tenant of this cage in Great Apes building at National Zoo in Washington DC (USA). The tenant itself is not in sight.	In about 10 cages in Great Apes building (National Zoo, Washington DC, USA), there were only two animals we could see. This orangutan is one of them (chewing what seems to be a piece of paper).
Next to the Great Apes building in the Small Mammals House. Most, but not all of the Zoo's small mammals, live here.	Inside the Small Mammals House at National Zoo in Washington DC, USA	A typical cage inside the Small Mammals House (National Zoo, DC, USA).	This Golden Lion Tamarin (a small monkey native to the Atlantic coastal forests of Brazil) was one of few animals at the Zoo (DC, USA) that seemed did not mind to a closer encounter with visitors. The Golden Lion tamarins are endangered species with an estimated total population of about 1500 animals.
Two Slender-tailed meerkats at the National Zoo in Washington D.C. It seems like there are no concerns with the conservation status of these species.	Pale-headed saki (female) at the National Zoo in Washington D.C. Saki monkey are found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.	Moving along the Olmsted Walk from Small Mammal House towards the Connecticut Ave entrance, you will not see anything interesting (a lot of areas are under construction) until you come across this loop. It does not have a name, but as this display shows there should be several interesting species to find.	The first in the Loop, visible from the Olmsted Walk are Grevy's (Imperial) zebras. At National Zoo (DC, USA), they do not mind to show themselves to visitors. The Grevy's zebra is considered endangered with wild population less than 2,500.
The Loop (near Olmsted Walk at National Zoo in DC, USA) has vast areas reserved for cheetahs. This photo shows one of such areas.	We really wanted to take a look at cheetahs and found them resting in the shade of a big tree (National Zoo in Washington DC, USA)	For the record - that how the Loop I am talking about looks like (Olmsted Walk, National Zoo in Washington DC, USA)	Another animal kept in the Loop (Olmsted Walk, National Zoo in Washington DC, USA) - Dama gazelle. It used to live in Africa in the Sahara desert. These species of gazelle is considered to be extinct in the wild. Most Dama gazelles are now managed in zoos and other Association of Zoos and Aquariums institutions in the United States.
There is an area called "Asia Trail" very close to the Connecticut Ave entrance (National Zoo, DC, USA). The Sloth bear exhibit is a part of it.	The design of the sloth bear exhibit (National Zoo, DC, USA) is nice - fenced area separated from visitors by clear glass and even an amphitheater (on the right site of the photo) for the public to enjoy the spectacle. The usual problem is that there is no bear.	Wait a minute - isn't that dark spot behind the glass is a sloth bear? (National Zoo, DC, USA)	Even looking closely, it is very difficult to recognize a sloth bear in that fluffy flab on the ground. (National Zoo, DC, USA)