Sunset Zoo

My dad and half-brother Max came to Manhattan this last weekend to visit, and one of the activities I had planned was a trip to the Sunset Zoo.

The day was absolutely perfect for anything involving the outdoors. And while it's not the fantastic (and free) St. Louis Zoo, it definitely exceeded my expectations. Here are a few pictures from the day:



A Colobus monkey, being all pouty for the camera.



Look at that smile! These little guys were pretty much let loose in one of the pens and visitors were allowed inside. It was weird to be so close to them without a wire fence in between.



While we were looking at the prairie dogs, Dad told me "not to move," which loosely translates to "something evil is three inches from you and is about to attack." I looked down, expecting to see a tarantula, but instead was met by this fuzzy little face.



How awesome is this photograph? This guy was perched on top of a rock in the petting pen, king of the whole place. Bit of an under-bite, but still happy.

The rest of the photos are in my gallery, so check them out. Stacey, you'll be getting my zoo review shortly. Everyone else, please check out Stacey's blog, Designing Zoos. It's an in-depth look at zoo and aquarium design, with a focus on the future of design for animals. As a (semi) architecture student, I am consistently impressed at the insight that designers have into their clients needs. And zoo designers have it doubly difficult because they can't communicate first-hand with their clients.

And speaking of creature habitats, my rat buddies just got a major upgrade to their living situation. They've gone from a 2-cubic foot cage to a 9-cubic foot mansion, also known as the Deluxe Super Pet My First Home Pet Cage. I don't have a good shot of it yet, but here's a good stock shot:



Yep. That's four levels. And they are loving it! At first they were a bit timid, but Oggie soon started exploring, taking only a few minutes to get a hang of the giant wheel. I've put in a few cardboard boxes, and Oden has taken to moving them about as he sees fit. The hammock is a bit of a wild card. It's obviously meant for ferrets, but every now and then, I see one of the boys hesitantly swinging on it, eyes bugging out as they cling for dear life.