Penguins graduate from zoo 'school'

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO/CNN) - Wednesday was a big day for some little penguins as they waddled from their "school" at the San Francisco Zoo to join the "big kids" at the 54-member penguin colony.

They needed a bit of guidance, as you can see, but zoo keepers were there to help them on their journey.

The penguins were born earlier this year, and spent months learning to swim and feed, so they can join the other penguins in the permanent exhibit.

The San Francisco Zoo has had Magellanic penguins since 1984.

Stray Dog in Zoo Attacked by Tiger

Looks like aren't safe for dogs either. A stray dog ended up in the tiger area at the Memphis Zoo.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - If there is one place to avoid while on the lam in a zoo, it is the tiger pit. One stray dog learned that lesson the hard way and was recovering Wednesday from puncture wounds to its neck and shoulders.
"This is one lucky animal," Memphis Zoo spokesman Brian Carter said of the dog.
The 50-pound female retriever mix darted inside a service entrance to the zoo on Tuesday and led workers on a brief chase before it bolted over a 4-foot-high visitors railing and a retaining wall at the tiger exhibit.
She swam across a 12-foot-wide moat to the interior of the exhibit and was quickly attacked by a 225-pound female Sumatran tiger. The open exhibit's main walls are 18 feet high.
"The exhibit is designed to keep the animals from getting out but not for keeping animals from getting in," zoo spokesman Brian Carter said. "You can jump off a cliff but you can't jump up a cliff."
Zoo workers, who were close on the dog's trail, used fireworks and air horns to distract the two tigers in the exhibit and get them into their night enclosures behind the exhibit's viewing area.
One tiger, born in captivity, had the dog in her grasp for several minutes, Carter said.
"She didn't have the experience of live hunting, but she certainly had the instincts," he said.
After emergency treatment by zoo veterinarians, the dog was taken to the Animal Emergency Medical Center in Memphis where she was reported in good condition Wednesday.
"She's resting comfortably," said clinic manager Clarita Atkinson. "She's fairly unscathed for the amount of damage that could have been done."
The dog was wearing a collar that did not include an address, Carter said, and zoo officials were trying to find the animal's owner. The zoo is in a large park in a residential area of the city.

S.F. Zoo to Reopen After Tiger Attack

According to an AP story, nine days after a tiger mauled three visitors, the San Francisco Zoo is set to reopen amid heightened scrutiny of its security procedures and a flurry of questions over the events that led to a teenager's death.

The big cat enclosure where a 350-pound Siberian tiger escaped on Christmas Day was to remain closed indefinitely, while visitors Thursday were to find a new public alert system and more signs around the facility warning people not to pester the animals.

The improvements were made as police investigated whether the victims had taunted the tiger before it climbed or leaped out of its outdoor pen. Carlos Sousa Jr., 17, was killed, and his two friends were severely injured.

Personally, I love going to the zoo. Seeing those exotic and unique animals is fun at any age. However, there have been times when I wondered if maybe there should be some more protection between me and the animals. I'm all for having "natural" habitats for the different species, but aren't a lot of those habitats too easily accessible for people?

And of course, people don't always follow the posted rules. How many times have you been to a zoo where it asked you not to throw anything in the cage and someone did anyway? How many aquariums ask you not to tap on the glass, but yet people do so anyway?

So, the combination of not following the rules along with animals that are too easily accessible, can lead to a disaster. Although I enjoy seeing an animal in a "natural" environment, I can't help but wonder if the person standing next to me is going to do something that might create a hostile environment for an animal. Or, worse yet, happen to just accidentally trip and fall into an area they don't want to be in.

As you can tell, my feelings are mixed on this issue. What do you feel about the natural environment? I look forward to your comments.

Cape May County Zoo

Athough zoo animals aren't really pets, what animal lover doesn't enjoy a trip to the zoo? Here are some pics of a recent trip we took to the Cape May County Zoo, located on the New Jersey Shoreline, about 15 minutes from Cape May, Wildwood, and Ocean City.

Plus, there is no admission fee -- instead it's all donation based and you can pay whatever you want. The first time we went, I thought, how good could it be with no admission. But it is definately worth the time to go and visit










The third picture above is a chicken with furry feet.