Zoo Day!!
If you follow my blog, then you already know that Yarbrough House Publishing, Inc. was headed for the Birmingham Zoo on July 31st for a behind the scenes encounter.
Let me start from the beginning. The weather was so perfect for walking around the zoo. We had so much fun that we stayed practically all day. We got there when they opened, and we left twenty minutes before actual closing only because there was bad weather on the way.
My sister (illustrator/graphic designer), her daughter, and our dad fed the lorikeets. That was a lot of fun to watch the lorikeets landing on their arms to eat, landing on their shoulders, landing on their heads. For only two dollars, that was worth it. They were smiling the whole time!
I was a little smarter this time; I slipped a small notebook in my purse to take notes. So, expect plenty more Doofy Goes To School books! There was so much I learned and jotted down or just the names of various animals that fascinated me. I'm sure they'd be fascinating in new books too!
Spending all day there allowed us to get around and see everything. As many times as I have been to the Birmingham Zoo, it never ceases to catch my attention and amaze me.
Every time I go, I learn a little more about the renovations they are doing and future renovations in the works, and every time I am more and more excited. As amazing as the zoo is now, it is going to be even more remarkable. Don't let the construction fool you though, they are wonderful to keep the zoo up and running safely all around the construction. You won't miss a thing due to construction!
Alright, I saved the best for last, the behind the scenes entounter. We went behind the scenes with the cassowary bird and the sea lions. Wow pretty much sums it up. We got to feed Emil, the cassowary bird, and pet him. His feathers look so much like hair, which surprised me. We got to meet Farley, the sea lion, and get a kiss from him.
Sound terrifying? I thought so too, but I can honestly tell you I felt perfectly safe the entire time. That's saying a lot too. My niece and I are probably the two biggest chickens in our family, and neither one of us ever freaked out. We were close to the animals too. The zoo always had our safety in mind, but when they said up close and personal, they meant it.
The trainers impressed me so much too. Of course, they know all the information that they would normally portray during one of their shows, but they told us so much more. They were very knowledgeable about their animals and their field, experienced too. My niece is always full of questions, but there was not one that the trainers were unable to answer. They were so knowledgeable that they answered every single question! If you've ever met my dad, you know he's a talker. Needless to say, he struck up conversations with the trainers where other birds and other sea creatures came up, and the trainers not only kept up, they offered so much more information because of their training and experiences.
When my dad mentioned that we have a blue and gold McCaw (bird) at home, the trainers started comparing and contrasting different traits of Emil with our bird. That was perfect to make it more relatable, and they couldn't have done that without an expansive amount of knowledge. I can't even remember how my dad brought up dolphins when we were with the sea lion trainers, but they had experience with dolphins too! We learned so much about cassowary birds, sea lions, and so much more!
The behind the scenes encounters do cost extra, but it is worth every penny. You've got to try it at least once. I guarantee you'll have a blast while you learn, and adults, you are going to learn just as much as the kids!
