We spent the 5th of July at Lincoln Park Zoo. It's a holiday for many people, since it comes right after Independence Day on the 4th of July. The Zoo was full of people from the Americas, but not necessarily from North America. It was fun to be surrounded by so many Spanish-speaking people. Again, a good reminder of how demographics in America are changing and why so many feel threatened by the "new" arrivals.
It is the last zoo in the US to be admission free. It began in the summer of 1868 with the donation of a pair of swans from New York’s Central Park. "By 1872 the collection had grown to include a wide assortment of animals from buffalo, wolves, eagles and a bear, to peacocks and prairie dogs. By 1900, Lincoln Park Zoo had one of the largest collections of animals in the nation. Since that time many of the architecturally and historically splendid buildings still stand proud on zoo grounds, but their interiors have been gutted, renovated and recreated to provide modern, naturalistic and state-of-the-art animal habitats" (quoted from the zoo's press information sheet).
We enjoyed seeing the cuddly gorillas (for a fierce looking animal they are very peaceful indeed) and the feeding time of the seal (we learned that seals, contrary to sea-lions, don't have flappy ears and don't stand on their flippers; we also learned that they need salty water to protect their eyes and skin from infection).
One of the zoo's newest and greatest features is the bird sanctuary, a special garden made to allow birds to rest in the middle of Chicago's urban jungle.
Georgie took her scooter to the zoo and this was truly a godsend. No more complaining about long walks and painful legs; Georgie scooted herself around with true gusto!
(L)
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