Memorable Moments Encounters I will never have again
I found this old photo taken at the Auckland Zoo when I was just nine years old. The zoo has changed dramatically since then. No more Chimpanzee tea parties or sad looking lions pacing around in small cages. Seeing this photo brought back memories of the encounters I have had with wildlife that I would never again have the privilege of doing.
- When I was eight I went on a school trip to the Auckland Zoo and sat on the back of an Indian Elephant. His skin was soft to the touch with lots of wrinkles and the hairs on his head tickled my nose. I felt like I was sitting on a high mountain top
- When I was nine my father took me to visit a man who looked after sick birds. The man had a baby Kiwi that had been injured in his burrow by a bulldozer clearing the bush where it lived. I was allowed to hold him. His feathers were like hair and so soft to the touch . He had nostrils and whiskers at the end of his beak. And his feet were big and strong.
- When I was 23 my brother and I went to the Massey Lion Park. Sadly it had closed down but the man who owned it was so pleased we had come to see the lions that we were allowed into the park. Just us and no-one else but the owner. We helped to feed the Lion pride and the two Siberian tigers. The best thing of all...we played with the lion cubs for three wonderful hours. And that above all I hold the most special in my heart.
GOsh the Akld Zoo has changed alot since you and I were kids. I remember the way the elephant house stunk, that was funny!
ReplyDeleteIt was awful!!! I remember the poor polar bears they had in that concrete enclosure. Animals went insane - literally. And the Elephant house did smell. I'm so glad the Zoo has been changed to something the animals are happy in and it's sucessful. No more sad animals sutck in small barred enclosures going crazy from boredom.
ReplyDeleteWhat fun memories! How cool!
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to leave comments on your other posts, but it wont let me so here it goes, here in the US we get that crap too about the rodeo's,like in NZ- but I've never seen any mistreatment of animals, its all that damn PETA group, can you tell by now I hate them?? LOL Our zoo has grown since I was little too, and for the better, the polar bears are in concrete enclosures too, and I hate that, I hate seeing wild animals in any enclosure, but on the other hand I love being able to see them when I wouldnt any other way....
Love the kitty photos!
That PETA sounds like a real problem. Didin't they claim that calves were kept in crates and raised for veal? Here they are put down at five days oold but don't live in crates. Why would anyone do that? Doubt it.Stupid google stopping the comments -again growl. I posted that Rodeo one because I wondered what you would think about it. Personally I think Auckland City stopping it means SAFE won't be popular with a lot of people. They'll never get a chance to see it now. The SPCA would soon shut it down if there really was genuine mistreatment.Those cats stole my sofa!!!And clawed me
ReplyDeleteI hope your right about Safe not being popular, I thought that about Peta - same kind of people and probably in cahoots together- but it seems that they have campained so hard that more and more people are jumping on board....there are so many celeb's that endorse PETA. I cant ignore the fact that they have done worlds of good in many areas, but there are some they have no business being in! Your right, the SPCA would put a stop to anythingthat was deemed cruel and unusual punishement on the animals....sorry you got clawed, mine steal the furniture all the time!
ReplyDeleteIt's only the PC people that play ball Rae. A lot of people still grumble under the bedcovers you might say. It certianly with the rodeo stuff been a sore point with a lot of people both for and against. I'll do an update once I see anything on it.
ReplyDeleteYes I'm quite curious on how that will turn out! I hope that the majority will shoo off the Safe crusaders! I wish my bull pics had something next to the bulls to show their size comparison...oh well I'm not getting in there with them so just have to do! LOL
ReplyDeleteBulls aren't ever small animals apart from the Irish Dexters that is and Miniature Herefords. Then again my bull Guts isn't very big -thank goodness but he's still a little stroppy at times the toad.
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