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The Flickr photosets for EF
The Frankfurt Zoo Photoset on Flickr
The Zoo! With little knowledge of Frankfurt, I found a hotel near the zoo, which is one type of attraction that I -know- any of the people I travel with will want to see. We were just lucky that the Alexander Am Zoo was also a perfect walk to the shopping district! I'm used to walking a brisk 2-3 miles every day and my body really misses those walks when I go without them. The perimeter of the Zoo also made for a perfect late-night walk.
As Steve would say, the Franfurt Zoo is not large (certainly not on the scale of the San Diego or St. Louis Zoo), but their displays are first rate. This is a zoo in transition: some of the exhibits are of the "animals in a cage" old-school display-- but they are well on their way to being a fully modern zoo with high-enrichment, visitor-friendly displays. I'm guessing that their newest feature is their Great Ape exhibit-- Jimps, gorillas and orangutans in a multi-level, large glass exhibit.
This zoo is one of those wonderful places to just wander around...if you see an exhibit twice, no biggie. I fell in love with the two African wild dogs (painted wolves): there was a young female and an older male. They were very furry for wild dogs-- I've only seen them with that thick a coat at zoos in the 'States in the middle of winter. The female was very active-- almost antsy: she would lay down for a few moments...then get up and trot over to where the keepers enter to see if it was lunch time. Any time there was -any- noise from that area, she would trot very prettily over to the door and peek in. The male spent most of the time sunning himself, although if the female dallied too long he'd go to investigate (just in case it -was- lunchtime!).
If I was a kid at this zoo, this would give me nightmares...now I just love it! I hate zoos and other "kid-friendly" places who have to cute-up EVERYTHING! Especially dinosaurs-- what makes them -cool- is exactly that they can and WOULD bite your head off!
Lessee...back to Frankfurt...they have a wonderful reptile and insect exhibit: very airy and light with a good cross-section of both. There was also a few birds of prey on exhibit, including a Verreaux eagle that was eating a snack right in front of his enclosure. Several of us snapped away and he (or she?) totally ignored us! Great reference pics of one of my favorite birds of prey!
Let me close with The Happiest Frog in the Whole, Wide World!
The Frankfurt Zoo Photoset on Flickr
The Zoo! With little knowledge of Frankfurt, I found a hotel near the zoo, which is one type of attraction that I -know- any of the people I travel with will want to see. We were just lucky that the Alexander Am Zoo was also a perfect walk to the shopping district! I'm used to walking a brisk 2-3 miles every day and my body really misses those walks when I go without them. The perimeter of the Zoo also made for a perfect late-night walk.
As Steve would say, the Franfurt Zoo is not large (certainly not on the scale of the San Diego or St. Louis Zoo), but their displays are first rate. This is a zoo in transition: some of the exhibits are of the "animals in a cage" old-school display-- but they are well on their way to being a fully modern zoo with high-enrichment, visitor-friendly displays. I'm guessing that their newest feature is their Great Ape exhibit-- Jimps, gorillas and orangutans in a multi-level, large glass exhibit.
This zoo is one of those wonderful places to just wander around...if you see an exhibit twice, no biggie. I fell in love with the two African wild dogs (painted wolves): there was a young female and an older male. They were very furry for wild dogs-- I've only seen them with that thick a coat at zoos in the 'States in the middle of winter. The female was very active-- almost antsy: she would lay down for a few moments...then get up and trot over to where the keepers enter to see if it was lunch time. Any time there was -any- noise from that area, she would trot very prettily over to the door and peek in. The male spent most of the time sunning himself, although if the female dallied too long he'd go to investigate (just in case it -was- lunchtime!).
If I was a kid at this zoo, this would give me nightmares...now I just love it! I hate zoos and other "kid-friendly" places who have to cute-up EVERYTHING! Especially dinosaurs-- what makes them -cool- is exactly that they can and WOULD bite your head off!
Lessee...back to Frankfurt...they have a wonderful reptile and insect exhibit: very airy and light with a good cross-section of both. There was also a few birds of prey on exhibit, including a Verreaux eagle that was eating a snack right in front of his enclosure. Several of us snapped away and he (or she?) totally ignored us! Great reference pics of one of my favorite birds of prey!
Let me close with The Happiest Frog in the Whole, Wide World!
