Due to various life circumstance and other business I haven't really made it to Chicago in about, uh, three years. And I miss that place. A lot. Mostly because I miss one thing...
Due to various life circumstance and other business I haven't really made it to Chicago in about, uh, three years. And I miss that place. A lot. Mostly because I miss one thing...
It's been a pretty rough start to our zoo year with the dolphins MIA. They're still on "display" but with two back pools, they're often hidden away.
Today they were out! Well one if them was anyways. Swimming around in the front tank, but still being a bit mysterious. Kitten kept running back and forth shouting, "Come back here! Come back here!"
Of course, she and every other pre-preschooler was running back and forth with uncontained excitement. It was turning into kid bumper cars,without the cars!
We are also riding the monorail today and we have the whole car to ourselves. Kitten is running back and forth, she loves riding the choo choo train and looking at all the animals from above! Everytime we go over the water she lies in the bench and pretends to swim as well. What a silly little kitten!
I have also solved my overstuffed purse/diaper bag issues. Kitten insisted on taking her backpack to the zoo today, so she is carrying her diapers, sweater and cereal in a baggie! And she's living it because she gets to act like a big girl!
All this and it isn't even noon yet!
Remember this post?
A few weeks ago, in the zoo member email, I got this message...
Minnesota Zoo Announces Dolphin Pregnancy
Show/presentation format to change starting today
The Minnesota Zoo is excited to announce that “Allie,” its 21-year-old Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, is pregnant. The calf is due in the spring of 2009.
Allie was suspected to be pregnant after marine mammal staff observed courtship and breeding activity between her and “Semo,” the adult male dolphin. Confirmation of the pregnancy was obtained by measuring hormone levels and through ultrasonographic imaging which detected a fetus and fetal heart beat. Allie will be closely monitored by marine mammal staff and veterinarians throughout her pregnancy. "This is an exciting time for the Zoo and we're thrilled that Allie is expecting,” said Marine Mammal Supervisor Diane Fusco. “We will be closely monitoring Allie throughout her pregnancy and we’re looking forward to introducing the calf to our Zoo guests in 2009.” ...
...Because of Allie’s pregnancy and the Minnesota Zoo’s decision to begin managing the dolphins as a breeding group instead of a show group, the Zoo’s dolphin shows will be canceled effective today. The dolphins will continue being visible from the Great Hall in Discovery Bay....
It obviously has nothing to do with my dolphin hunting two year old. Kitten really does love her dolphins and my first thought was how to explain to her that we would no longer be able to go to our dolphin shows. Because let's face it. That's the most exciting thing about the zoo when winter hits.
We were discussing this at dinner the other night and Kitten really didn't care. She'll care more when we're at the zoo and can't see the dolphin show. But Cub looked at me and said...
"Well of course they've canceled all the dolphin shows, that's because Kitten got her ball stuck in the tank!"
Yep, the littlest leopard has been labeled for life.
The following is from the Minnesota Zoo's Dolphin blog:
April 15, 2008
Training is really moving along with April and Allie. We have been working on many new fun and routine behaviors, and they have been rising to the occasion.
For example, we have been training April and Allie to stay with their trainer when we move a channel gate, which connects the four dolphin pools. The sights and sounds of our moving gates are new to both of them and it takes a while for new animals to get comfortable with this. April and Allie have been doing so well that we were able to close the gates to the front pools. Why is this so important? Being able to move animals between pools and separating them for various reasons is always important for animal management reasons (including veterinary procedures) but on a simply routine basis, it allows us to clean the pool. So when April and Allie “gated” successfully the other day, we took advantage of this opportunity and started to clean the pool. SCUBA diving to clean the pools is a big part of our job and something we do on an almost daily basis.
Now you may ask, "Why is this post so significant?" Well, about a week prior, Kitten and I, as we do almost every Wednesday visited the zoo. Kitten likes two things about the zoo, dolphins (which she calls dolpins) and monkeys. Mostly the dolphins. Well, Kitten was a little crabby that morning so Cub gave her this little rubber, neon orange novelty ball (about the size of a quarter). She put it in her coat pocket...now I ask you, what self-respecting two-year old uses their pockets?! We, of course, forgot about the ball and headed off to the dolphin show. We normally show up to the show quite early to get our seats, in the middle, top of the stadium. Kitten then took out the ball, I told her to put it back in her pocket and as she was putting it back in? Yep! You got it! Bounce, bounce, bounce! The ball slipped out of Kitten's hands and bounced down the stadium...now I thought all I would have to do is go to the bottom of the stadium and fetch it, of course not! It bounced and bounced and then hit a guard rail and BOUNCED! All the way into the dolphin tank. Ploink...and it sunk...all the way to the bottom of what apparently is a 20 foot tank.
Now, no one witnessed this, I could've scooped up the little leopard and left. But having attended the dolphin show numerous times, I know the trainers don't want foreign objects in the pool so I trudged on down to the zoo volunteers and told them the situation. Stressing that we did not need the ball back, it was an accident and we are so sorry! Kitten of course is sad that she has lost her ball. So we return to our seats and happily wait for the show...until. A couple of minutes later the trainers come running out, shouting to clear the stadium, get the dolphins into the back pools! Everyone out! Oh, goodness what has my little leopard done?! Now is the time to make a quick exit. Kitten is sad that she has now lost her ball and the dolphin show has been shut down. As we were exiting we saw the SCUBA diver go in.
The next post in the dolphin blog is the above. Coincidence? I wish!
Today we set off for the San Diego Zoo. That is one HILLY place! And
steep! But there are so many animals and it really gives you the
feeling that you're in the habitats once you really get into the
trails! Just be prepared for some serious walking.
The ladies and I started off today with a bus tour of the zoo, it
helped plan our day and we decided to take the Skyfari (the sky
gondolas) to see the polar bears.
After the polar bears we planned a course that would take us to the
animals we wanted to see and bring us through most of the trails. We
hit the koalas first, then checked out the elephants, kangaroos and
walked through cat canyon. The highlight in cat canyon? What other
than the leopard?!
Cat Canyon brought us to the Panda Path, but there was an hour wait to
see them! Since we were already planning on coming back, we walked
through Tiger River to see some more animals.
We left the zoo at about two completely worn out from all the walking
and steep hills! Tomorrow we are coming back to see the pandas and
walk the last two trails.
Sent from my iPhone
This is the story of a single working mom having a blast raising her two little leopards! http://leopardspots.typepad.com
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