June 8, 2022 – A Snowbird's Life Through the Lens

It was HOT. Not the day for a later start for the zoo than usual. We found the animals to be lazing around, keeping cool. The feature photo is Randee and Riplee, I think, who tucked themselves into the small cave just at the edge of the little waterfall in their enclosure. I couldn’t fault mama for that, even if the droplets were showing in my photos.

The pink netting was a popular item among the orangs. Here the big male has draped himself with it, and then sat and tenderly, it seemed, groomed this female. I used to think he kept to himself all the time, but I the last few times I’ve been there he has played with young ones and now this nice interaction.

Here are Randee and Riplee again, and a few more droplets.

A ‘wild’ butterfly, who calls the zoo home by choice.

I loved the look of this shack, which is actually part of the manatee treatment facility.

I have given up on taking a non-closeup of a giraffe. There is just too much of them. Plus I love their eyes.

It was about at this point that I was thinking about suggesting we call it a day, but my friend asked if I wanted to see the elephants and giraffes before we go. Obviously we did, and I was quite happy that I hadn’t shot that idea down. On one visit to the zoo the elephants were in their pool area, and a quite small baby had fallen over into the water and provided quite a hilarious photo op for all of us there as he flopped around. Ever after that day I have wished for them to be in the water, and I said that out loud yesterday, and I got my wish. The smallest elephant of the group, the same one I wonder, headed to the water.

He stayed on his feet, and squirted himself thoroughly while backing further and further under the waterfall.

The adult elephants didn’t join him, or even come close to keep an eye on him. He knew how to keep cool.

I sort of wished that little elephant would squirt us, or maybe not, but it did cross my mind. While I was watching him I forgot about the heat for a little while, but after this stop we headed home. ZooTampa is small enough, and shady enough, and close enough to home, that an early morning trip for a couple of hours is enough to make this photographer happy.