Zoo Trip #23: Bristol Zoo

Back to Bristol Zoo for this 23rd zoo trip since I began my monthly project in May 2010 (this corrects a numbering error whereby there were two 19th visits), the highlight of which was a trip through the Lemur Walkthrough. There were only three lemurs that had come out of the enclosure when I first entered, and none were initially in evidence, though Roxy the ring-tailed lemur soon put in an appearance.

The other two were both mongoose lemurs, neither of which had I seen before, so called because their protruding teeth give them a mongoose-like appearance. After awhile they emerged from the shrubbery enough to be photographed among the leaves. Orchis, a female, stayed more in the background while Rufus, her son, eventually came on to the wooden rail beside the path just a few inches away. Apparently they have another mongoose lemur called Benson, so perhaps he is the father?

Only two of the four lions were on show, the others presumably in their den. Kamal, the king of Bristol Zoo, was asleep on the ground in the middle of his enclosure, while Jay, his son, was on a ledge even further away and in shade, so could not be successfully photographed on this occasion. He is now a fully grown Asiatic lion and will be moving to a European zoo as part of their European breeding programme towards the end of the summer.

Among the other animals I was able to photograph were a red panda and one of the lowland gorillas.


L.
4.3.2012

Blip #728
Consecutive Blip #043
Day #797

Zoo Trip series

Alternatives:
Ring-tailed Lemur (Roxy)
Mongoose Lemur (Orchis)
Red Panda
Lowland Gorilla
Asiatic Lion (Kamal)

Bristol Zoo, 29 May 2012 (Flickr set)

Lenses: Pentax 17-70mm, Sigma 70-300mm


One year ago: Rose