A Detailed Account of the Five Animals Who Braved the DC Winter for our Viewing Pleasure at the National Zoo

Let's face it, winter is not the best season for going to the zoo.  Nevertheless, Kris and I ventured to the National Zoo last Saturday on a brisk, cloudy winter day in DC.  Luckily the rain was not forecasted to settle in until 6:00, an hour and a half after the closing of the zoo.  And naturally, the rain came about halfway through our visit.

Our tour began with a few closed exhibits, but we eventually came across this tree leopard:

I do have to say, coming from a city with one of the nation's top ranked zoos, I had very high expectations.  For a non-profit, the National Zoo does an excellent job.  However, the quality of animal habitats and range of species is far below the Columbus Zoo.  Not to mention that the zoo did not have my favorite animal - the manatee.  Nevertheless, the animals we did see were very exciting and I especially liked the panda bear exhibit.  Kris enjoyed pretending that he was an animal, as can be seen by the picture below where he has his river otter paws out:

One thing that is unique (as far as I know) to the National Zoo is the O Line.  It basically looks like a group of telephone polls with the wires hanging over the walkways.  However, the wires aren't there for communication, they're there for transportation.  It's the Orangutan Transport System.  On warmer days, you can walk down a certain part of the path and look up to see orangutans swinging overhead.  It's a very innovative idea for giving the animals space to exercise and I'm sure is very memorable for zoo patrons.  If I return to Washington during another season, I will definitely come to the zoo for the orangutans.  We were, however, able to see the indoor primate exhibits, which include our hairy friend pictured below:

While the National Zoo lacks the brilliance of Jack Hanna and an exhibit for my beloved sea cows, it is a great place for an afternoon stroll and a little education into animal research (including the artificial insemination of pandas!).  A tourist isn't missing much by bypassing the zoo, but for a Washingtonian it is a place worth visiting for a pleasant afternoon.   Just be warned: even if it's not supposed to rain for hours, take the umbrella.

JS