Today, Lindsey, Zach, Andy and Haley decided to take a trip to the National Zoo, even in the high temperatures. It was one of the most anticipated landmarks that these four Fellows wished to see while in D.C. Andy and Zach were invited to be the photographers. The Zoo has been a part of Washington, D.C. since 1889 and is a free and popular destination for tourists and locals. The Zoo was created by an Act of Congress and has been part of the Smithsonian Institutes since 1890. We found it really interesting how concerned the Zoo is with sustainability, animal care, and the conservation of endangered species. We also took advantage of the cool sprinklers that were provided along the pathways.
The Smithsonian National Zoo had a wider variety of animals than we expected in a downtown zoo. Gorillas, zebras, elephants, golden lion tamarins were some of the animals that we saw. Andy requested we skip the Reptile House. However, our favorite and most anticipated animal to see was the giant panda. The Zoo has been home to giant pandas for almost 40 years. In 2005, the Zoo was home to the birth of an endangered giant panda, Taishan. We went on a hot day so the pandas were relaxing inside in the cool air. The giant pandas are on loan from the China Wildlife Conservation Association and are in the Zoo for 10 years at a time. They were not available for hugging, but we were told that they have very soft fur.
- Haley, Lindsey, Andy S., Zach
No comments:
Post a Comment