Radovan on the Road Part 2--Doha!

Radovan was so taken by India's warm weather that he just had to have more before heading back to cold Belgrade and Serbia. In this photo you can see him posing in Serbian snow with a stray camel from the Belgrade Zoo.

Sooo....now Radovan is off for three days to Doha, Qatar, where he and Bibi will be staying with friends of hers who used to teach in Belgrade. Bibi and Radovan will be taking a "Day in the Dunes," which will be undoubtedly warmer than the Days in the Drifts they spent in Belgrade....

Weekend Reflections...

This polar bear is so far from the North Pole that he has begun to take on the shades of the leaves in his pool...is he dreaming of a White Christmas?

This post is for James' Weekend Reflections, so pop on over and see who else has posted reflections.

Chimp Sami's Monument

Sami the Chimp, who passed away in 1992, is a Belgrade legend. Sami escaped from the zoo twice, and like many chimps, he didn't feel he was a chimp, but rather a human.
He made his first escape in 1988. Radio stations updated live on attempts to capture him, while hundreds of citizens rallied to support Sami in his fight for freedom. You can read more about him here at Belgraded.

In this photo you can see that Sami still manages to entertain visitors to the zoo.

The Cassowary

Last Sunday I went to the Belgrade Zoo, hoping to get a peek at the new white tiger, but he (I think it is a 'he') decided he didn't want a peek at me or anyone else, and had retreated into his den.

This is one of several cassowaries that live in the zoo. It is indeed a strange -looking bird. Cassowaries are large flightless birds native to the tropical forests of New Guinea, and northeastern Australia. The Southern Cassowary is the third tallest and second heaviest living bird, smaller only than the ostrich and emu. Theories about the purpose of the strange 'casque' on their beaks include sexual attraction, a tool for battering through brush, and to enhance their deep communication calls.

"Cassowaries are very shy," says Wikipedia, "but when disturbed, they are capable of inflicting serious injuries to dogs and children."

And to curious adults, I do not know. This one was safely behind thick glass.

ABC Wednesday "F" is for "Feed Sticks"

Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo offers an up-close-and-personal aviary, where kids (and I am a large child) can buy Feed Sticks for a dollar and feed their feathered friends. The little parakeets and cockatiels in the enclosure seem to be endlessly hungry, and they are constantly eyeing new visitors to see if there's a feed stick in his or her hand.

Who ever came up with the expression 'eat like a bird'? These guys were famished!

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How far will you go?

I love orangutans. I love their faces, their hair color, their gentleness toward one another (most of the time anyway; I know they can be aggressive.)



Here a female in Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo is grooming her male. Would you pick cooties off your mate? I imagine we all would!