A day out at the zoo

I’m running way behind with my blips again - I just can’t seem to stay caught up!
Wednesday 9 November
Just two more days of this gorgeous Fall weather, then we drop suddenly to more seasonal temperatures, so we thought we would make the most of it with a trip to the zoo, and see all the animals while they were still outside. I took quite a number of shots, so it had to be a collage. The one I particularly wanted to see was Fritz, top left, the latest addition to the hippo family. Cincinnati’s Hippo Cove became famous with the birth of Fiona who was born six weeks premature in January 2017, and quickly became an internet star. She was too small to stand and nurse from her Mum Bibi, so had to be raised by the zoo’s care team who had to step in and work out how to feed her, how to keep her warm and other critical care 24/7. Against all odds, and after many worrying months, she survived and became quite a ham. Fritz wasn’t planned by the zoo - Bibi was on a form of birth control - but Mother Nature thought otherwise! Fritz made it to full term and was born in early August, a healthy weight with no problems. They’re such fun to watch - you can see them above and below the water, but unfortunately when we saw them late in the afternoon, the water was really murky and you couldn’t get a decent picture unless they were right up against the window, whereas I heard several people say in the morning the water was really clear - before they had stirred it up by swimming and not to mention pooping in it all day! Cincinnati Zoo is regarded as one of the top ten zoos in the country, and is very proactive in Green initiatives, and reducing its impact on the environment through green building, solid waste management, renewable energy, water conservation and storm water management. The parking area for example is covered by solar panels, not only providing electricity but also shade for the cars during the hot days of summer. Another great and fun area to see is Manatee Springs. Since 1999 the zoo has been partnering with the US Fish and Wildlife service, Sea World and othe groups in Florida to bring injured, starving and orphaned Manatees to the zoo to nurse them back to health and give them a second chance. To date, the zoo has rehabilitated 19 manatees. I wasn’t sure we would see them today, as I had read online that they had just welcomed three new orphans, and they would be giving them a few days to settle, before opening them to the public - apparently today was the first day to see them. After our great day at the zoo, we stopped off at the Little Miami Brewing Company in Milford, and enjoyed a late lunch/early dinner outside in the sunshine, overlooking the Little Miami River (see extra), before going on to handbell practice at church.