(Previously: Oregon Zoo In Summer (Part 1))
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Summertime at the Oregon Zoo means outdoor concerts...
...construction... (oh who am I kidding? That goes on year-round)...
You're just not thinking fourth dimensionally! The track will exist in 1985!
...and then there's Zoo Camp, the day camp for kids. Signs of Zoo Camp include groups of kids wearing matching T-shirts, led by a perky counselor whose paycheck depends on whether or not Aidan, Jayden, Rowan D. and Rowan Q. are still alive at the end of the day (and not, say, a snack for the lions.)
Oh, and actual signs....
Do random zoogoers keep interrupting Zoo Camp? Is there anything we can do?
Art project to the rescue!
The Zoo often has special activities during different seasons. This summer they had a lion-feeding demonstration in the mornings. First, a zookeeper spread a bunch of what looked like Spam in different places around this little room. Then she went out a door, and opened another door that led to the lion's outer exhibit. In ran the lions!
I only got around to going to this demo once, but I loved it. However, on this day, I noticed that one of the lady lions was not there, so I asked one of the keepers about it. She told me that this lady lion was in heat, and so they had isolated her, as they were trying to prevent a pregnancy.
Yep! We have new lion cubs anyway! Remember back in May when I witnessed the male lion getting frisky with one of the females? Well, kids, when a daddy lion loves a mommy lion... you get more lion cubs four months later! Hasani, Mashavu, and Niara (and another sister, who didn't make it) were born in September. (I don't have any photos of them yet myself, but check those links above if you want to see the cuteness.)
But what of Lion Cubs 1.0, the ones born in 2013? They're doing just fine -- and they're huge! Not quite as big as their mom (the other lady lion, not the one who just gave birth. Confused yet?)
Cubs 1.0 love playing with their dad....
Sometimes he appears to enjoy playing with them, too. Other times not.
Elsewhere in the zoo, the animals seemed content....
Although the Cheetah Brothers often look as if they'd like nothing more than to gobble me up...
...I love 'em!
I also love spending many summer days at the zoo...
...annnnnd eating ice cream cones. (Shh, don't tell.)
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