Zoo: 2010 Spring Break

Are you heading to the Houston Zoo during SPRING BREAK? (March 12-March 21)

Each year, the Houston Zoo experiences high attendance, averaging 8,000 or more guests each day. As you can imagine, that level of attendance brings with it increased traffic and increased demand for parking in Hermann Park. There’s obviously not 8,000 parking spaces in the area. So, we have a suggestion to help the flow of traffic.

TAKE AN ALTERNATE MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION:

* Carpool: Meet at one house and pack your car full of friends.

* Consider being dropped off and picked up.

* Ride METRO’s bus system or METRORail to Hermann Park.

Find More information: www.houstonzoo.org.  Information will also be posted on the Houston Parks and Recreation Department Web site at http://www.houstontx.gov/parks/index.html.

Up ... close.

Once you get past the parking/transportation situation – it’s ALL fun! Just check out how close I was to the 15 foot giraffes. They are incredibly friendly and docile.

Giraffe kiss! (Only under zoo keeper supervision.)

I didn’t think twice about getting even closer! If you are interested, take a look at the Houston Zoo’s website or Michael’s blog which gives more information on how to go behind the scenes with the tallest mammals on Earth. http://houstonzooblogs.org/zoo/2010/02/cross-zoo-traffic/

Michael Reina helped the Channel 2 crew get around the Houston Zoo.

Michael’s blog has a more detailed version of the day…his view point and other pictures from the day as well: http://houstonzooblogs.org/zoo/2010/02/cross-zoo-traffic/

After feeding the giraffes, it was time for work.

I couldn’t play forever though. I had a story to turn. After taking pictures with our tour guide, zoo keepers, photographers and the giraffes…it was time to interview, Kim Siegl, a Hoofstock Keeper. She said working at the zoo was a dream job. The toughest element was having to deal with the weather changes-as Houston can go from sweltering hot to bitterly cold. And a lot of the time they have to be out with the giraffes.

Questions, questions and more questions.

My visit wouldn’t have been complete without dropping by the newly renovated jaguar exhibit. Angie Pyle, the senior carnivore keeper says that one of the most popular questions she gets asked is about Kam Balam, one of the cats. He hops along because of an old injury. In another facility, Kam Balam put his paw in another jaguar’s cage and it was taken off. This was years ago and they say he’s adapted just fine.

Inside the re-designed Jaguar Exhibit.