The Oakland Zoo

I'm a huge fan of the Oakland Zoo and have been for many years. When I was a stay at home Dad with my first child I got a Zoo membership which allowed me to go to the Zoo free over the course of a year. We almost lived at the Zoo...rain and shine. We'd ride the train, see the animals and hike around. It is a great way to teach kids about animals and certainly better than any book or TV.
Today we visited the Zoo with my second child (who had not been before today) and we had a wonderful time. We bought another annual pass so we can visit often. We rode the train, saw the animals and enjoyed the great weather. We're looking forward to another great year of teaching our kids about animals, conservation and being good stewards of the environment.









The Zoo has upgraded the Children's Zoo and they've done a great job.

I snapped some pictures of the flowers in the Children's Zoo.

And took these pictures of giraffes. A lovely couple.

If you've ever wondered how they drink (I guess it is obvious).

One of my favorite songs is by Simon And Garfunkel "At The Zoo"...

"Someone told me its all happening at the zoo. I do believe it, I do believe its true. Its a light and tumble journey from the East side to the park; Just a fine and fancy ramble to the Zoo. But you can take the crosstown bus if its raining or its cold, and the animals will love it if you do. Somethin tells me its all happening at the zoo. The monkeys stand for honesty, Giraffes are insincere, and the elephants are kindly but they're dumb. Orangutans are skeptical of changes in their cages, and the Zookeeper is very fond of rum. Zebras are reactionaries, Antelopes are missionaries, Pigeons plot in secrecy, and hamsters turn on frequently. What a gas! You gotta come and see at the Zoo."

Mark Harvey

(a fan of the Oakland Zoo and Zoos in general)