134 of 365 - killing an hour at the zoo

I had an hour to kill between errands and appointments yesterday. Fortunately that put me right outside the zoo! Madison, WI is one of the few places that has free admission to their zoo, so it is possible to just stop in for a quick peek. Henry Vilas Park Zoo  is a real treasure.

I have always loved the tortoise, and yesterday he was right up against the fence eating some of the new grass that was sprouting there. It took laying on the ground to get eye to eye with him, but it was worth it. While I was clicking away, I a little girl laid down and joined me on the ground to see what I was doing!

The otters were in rare form. They were flying through the water to the rocks then summersalting backwards into the water. Much to the joy of all the school kids watching who would scream with glee at each stunt!

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The elegant black swan seemed particularly disgruntled at being housed with the goofy flamingos. and was watching them and their antics on land as he glided through the water.

The camels are always good for a laugh. They were busy chewing their cuds, and right after this, both of them laid out flat for their afternoon naps. As a kid, I got rides on these guys on Sundays. I think the Shriners have stopped sponsoring that, but it sure was fun!

But no visit to the zoo is complete without the big cats. This "kitty" was just taking a moment to "smell the roses" and enjoying the springtime weather!