Teresa, Kirk, and I went to the Norfolk zoo Friday morning, taking the new Honda Element for a ride. The first thing I want to say is that the zoo has come a long way over the years. It used to be a dreary affair consisting mostly of fenced in enclosures. Now it more closely resembles a modern zoo with natural, open enclosures for most of the animals. It also seems to have more than just one of every animal as it had in the past. The weather cooperated, with overcast skies keeping the sun from beating down on us.
The zoo is in the process of building a modern enclosure for its tigers. The enclosure is very impressive and I can’t wait for it to open. The biggest new feature of the zoo is the African savanna section of the zoo. Enclosed in a very natural looking area are elephants, a rhino, giraffes, bongos, lions, antelopes, zebras, and other African animals. There is also an enclosure for a large group of kangaroos which is located next to a beautiful garden. There are also enclosures for American bison, eagles, prairie dogs, red river hogs, meerkats, and a fennec fox. Completing the zoo are a large building for the invertebrates and a barn/farm which houses your typical domestic farm animals such as cows, chickens, goats, and pigs.
I know I left out a few things, like the beautiful fountain area as you enter where children can cool off by running and playing in the multiple fountains. All in all, it was a very enjoyable day and I will be back soon to see some of the things I missed or did not spend enough time looking at. I took a lot of photos and some video which I will link to below. If you live in this area I highly recommend a day at the zoo. Next stop for us will be the Mariner’s Museum.
What the Hell Is Going On 