Born on the 4th of July

Today, we watched a Monach Butterfly emerge from its chrysalis.

Happy Independence Day.

Cheeky!

Chipmunk telling the world how it is!
NYS Zoo at Thompson Park
Watertown, NY

The Lions in Winter

This is the best time of the year to visit the New York State Zoo in Watertown. The cold seems to scare off most of the usual visitors, but it brings out the friskiest of behaviours in the animals.



The Canada Lynx perched at the tippy-top of the tree, surveying its kingdom and giving me the exact same look that my Gandalf does when .. well, I don't exactly know what it is that causes cats to look at us this way, and they'll never tell, now will they?



The powerful paw of the Canada Lynx.



The mountain lion perched in the branches of its habitat as well, making the same strange chirping noises that my cat does when observing potential prey.



In my next life, I want to be a River Otter.



When they weren't frolicking in the water, they were sliding over the snow on their bellies. By land or by sea, these dudes know how to have fun!

He Otter Be In Pictures!!!

That's my kid! My picture of William and the otter is on the cover of the latest issue of Zoo Scoop, which is the quarterly newsletter of the New York State Zoo at Thompson Park!

April showers ..

.. and May and June and July showers ..

.. still manage to bring August flowers!

Otters!!

The new otter exhibit at The NY State Zoo at Thompson Park has opened, and Louis is a delight!

Up close and personal!

Downward facing otter.

Upward facing otter.

Otter getting some oxygen.

And down he goes again!
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