Something New, #167

I went with the middle school photography club for a field trip to the zoo.

While we were looking at the kangaroos, I asked the docent some questions. Learned a lot about kangaroos and zoos.

For instance, a kangaroo can have 3 generations going at one time. An infant, a fetus and an embryo. I asked how many baby kangaroos were born at this zoo, and the docent told me that all the animals in the zoo were on some kind of birth control. This is because of space and money issues, but also because they want to discourage too much inbreeding.

Never knew that.

Also, the kangaroos at the KC Zoo aren't contained. They pretty much just stay in their field and hop around. I asked if any animals ever escaped and he said just once, when a tree fell on the chimp hut and they got out. He said they had a problem keeping wild animals out, such as geese and blacksnakes.

Speaking of snakes, this is a lovely shot of Louise. She's a constrictor of some kind and weighs 75 pounds. She was very friendly and gentle, but her handler said she had bitten him once.