Our second day in Washington , D.C. was mostly spent at the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park, commonly known as the National Zoo.
This 66 hectare (166 acres) zoo was established in 1889. And since it’s a part of the Smithsonian Institution, the access is free to the public. Yes, one can go there to enjoy the park and its animals, have a picnic, or just sit in one of its benches for free…. How awesome, right?! 🙂 That’s America for you.
You know, this is why I dream of bringing my nephews in Washington , D.C. someday. So they too can enjoy the place and what it has to offer.
So let me share with you the photos taken back then. And remember, you can enlarge them by clicking on the pictures.
Just follow this map so won’t get lost. 🙂
The Giant Panda Habitat:
One of the pandas is hiding on top of the tree. 🙂
Treasures of North America:
The Gray Seal and the California Sea Lions look cute. 🙂 My first time to have seen both.
The Apes.
One of them had very expressive eyes. Made me wonder what was he thinking.
And the Orangutans.
They look intelligent.
See, one of them was playing tug-of-war with me! 🙂
Priceless!
This is probably for kids only. But well, I’m a kid at heart. haha Thank you John for this picture. I loved this experience!
The Amazon.
The Cat Family, includes “Lion King” and his herd.
And this beautiful tiger! 🙂
The Birds.
The red legged seriema. It’s standing on one foot. 🙂
American Flamingo. I like the orange color. And their long necks! 🙂
The colorful Ducks. 🙂
MORE ANIMALS:
Horned Oryx.
Red River Hogs.
Colorful Monkey. 🙂
The Ant Eaters.
Lemurs.
Parade of Turtles. 🙂
Black Tailes Prairie Dogs.
The bisons were resting. 🙂 It’s okay though. I’ve seen the wild ones in their habitat at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on 2013.
Beautiful animals.
Guys, this is just a reminder. If you ever get to see them in their natural habitat, please remember to respect them. Bisons can outrun you, believe me. At 35 miles per hour, you’d be running for your life, literally if you cross these gentle animals. So beware, keep your distance at all times.
Other than the wildlife, seeing the forest park is more than enough reason to visit the Smithsonian National Zoo. Why? Because it’s food for the eyes. It is cool and relaxing, just walking under the trees. Specially when you go there during autumn where the leaves have turned to myriad of colors.
Enough to make me think, how many thousands of people, sat on this bench before me. 🙂
See, I wasn’t lying. 🙂 I have proof that it is beautiful during autumn. Orange , red and yellow colored leaves decorate the park during fall.
Remember, visiting the national zoo is free. If you’re in the U.S. And you love animals, then include in your list a visit to the zoo.
You cannot tell yourself you’ve been to a zoo, if you have not been to the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
This is the next best thing to a Safari Trip in Africa. 🙂
To learn more about this zoo, check their website here –
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/default.cfm
Thank you Lord for bringing me here. And thanks to my husband, who shares the same passion of traveling as I do, for showing me such a beautiful place.
Lea C. Walker
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