"Fall" in Love at the Zoo

I've been a little lax about posting lately, as is often the case this time of year.  The fall is the time of year that I spend a lot of time traveling, and travel for me is often zoo-focused in nature.  Part of this is because the fall and spring are the better times of year for transporting animals, with more moderate temperatures.  Part of it is that the fall is just my favorite time to visit zoos.  Cooler temperatures, thinner crowds, and more active animals make more memorable experiences.  Perhaps it's also because I have fond memories of fall field trips to the zoo as a kid.

It's on visits like these that I've had some of my most memorable encounters, both as a visitor and as a keeper.  I've watched a snow leopard stalk a squirrel, bison calves chasing each other, and bears paw at me through the windows.  When there are few people around, the animals are more likely to respond to the visitors present.

On this blog, I talk a lot about conservation issues and animal welfare and animal rights and other weighty topics.  All of that is important.  Still, sometimes the most import thing to share is the memories of people and animals coming together and forming a special bond.