Tuesday 6 July 2010

VCB 27: Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

Yesterday I talked a bit about nature so it only seems fair that today's blog be about animals. If you weren't aware already I am a big animal lover (goats excluded - they are undoubtedly evil) and enjoy seeing animals at zoos and farms and of course in the wild and at home.



My favourite domestic animal are cats. They are graceful, charming, have bags of personality, are loyal and yet still maintain independence. Despite what dog lovers say, cats can also be a 'man's best friend'. However I don't want this blog to turn into a dog versus cat kind of debate for two reasons: 1) it is old and will be boring and 2) I would win so it wouldn't be fair.

Today was my first excursion to a safari park! We went there upon the special request of Marry (James' mum) whose birthday it is today. If you have never been to a safari park then basically it is a zoo that you drive through. The animals are (for the most part) walking around across the roads and you get a really good look. The more dangerous animals such as lions and tigers and bears are in large pens.

As I said, I love animals but while I love zoos I find it a bittersweet day out. I hate seeing wild animals in small cages without space to roam. Luckily a safari park has noted this and gives the animals large areas to move about with different sections for the different continents.

There were too many animals to name but some of the ones I had never seen before include a possum, a something beginning with c which was the world's largest rodent and the black bear... or was it the brown bear? I saw both. I am sure there were more but my memory is terrible.

They also had a hedgehog enclosure in the walk-in part which I have actaully seen lots of (inlcuding multiple squished ones)! It is funny how you never think that common animals in one country or area are a marvel in another. To me looking at a hedgehog was pretty ordinary, but still cute of course. I guess it is the same kind of thing when I marvel at raccoons.

My favourite animal ever is the giraffe of which I saw several today. They are the most fascinating creatures! So elegant and graceful but yet at the same time completely... odd. At the park there was a special feeding truck ahead so they were walking into the road as we approaches them. It was great to see them so close. Ah! I just find them so beautiful!



We spent quite a few hours exploring the park - the drive itself being about an hour at least. We went in Ted's (James' dad) Land Cruiser which was very fitting for a safari park. I felt like we could have gone off-road to the service areas and breeding parks and nobody would have batted an eyelid. We just needed some safari hats and mosquito nets to complete the look!



QUESTION OF THE DAY: WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE DOMESTIC AND/OR WILD ANIMAL?
My answer: I have told you about cats and giraffes but I am also a big fan of birds of prey. I love the way they look so elegant and magestic as the glide; very powerful and grand. Owls are my favourite kind of bird in particular. I want one as a pet - if only I attended Hogwarts eh?!

2 comments:

Katherine said...

My answers are cats. And cats. I love all cats, domestic and wild. I particularly enjoy the similarities in the behaviour of domestic and 'big' cats. I've been told before that if my pet cats (who are the most loving, affectionate cats in the world) were the size of lions they would kill me, but I think I quite like that actually! (I mean I like the thought, I don't actually like being killed!)

Helen Brooks said...

@Katherine - Cats are so cute. I know what you mean about the similarities between wild/big and domestic cats. I just want to have tiger cubs and give them lots of love! (Before they eat me).