Category: Pretty Critters

While the Canada Geese are already taking their offspring for a walk,

the Great Blue Herons are still busy getting the nest ready.

Of course they are not the only ones – in the trees left and right other couples are preparing to start a family.

Why this guy is still up and about, nobody knows. It’s a Night Heron – he should be hanging out in a tree, waiting for nightfall.

You want to know in which secret corner of California one can discover all these birds and many, many more?

Two miles from Downtown Los Angeles, at Echo Park Lake.

Give it a try any morning at around 8 AM – you will be amazed.

A few times each year the local zoo opens very early in the morning for its members to come in and watch the animals having breakfast and such.

Even at this early hour the meerkats had already put out sentries… just in case…

The tapir gave us a friendly smile, even though we disturbed him during breakfast.

In the next enclosure the tortoises were plotting again how to take over world power. They agreed on acting very, very, very slowly.

Those giraffes… Guys, just having a long neck does not make you automatically a superior being. Stop looking so smug!

This is not a Black Bear, this is a lazy bear. So lazy that he can sleep even while sitting.

And this is a totally exhausted sentry. It’s not easy being a meerkat!

This is the definition: “A prehensile tail is the tail of an animal that has adapted to be able to grasp and/or hold objects.” (Wikipedia)

Inquiring minds need to know…

When the resident squirrel turns up on your doorstep demanding a new corn cob,

one can understand Mr. Dangerfield’s cry of: “I get no respect, I tell ya!”

What’s next? Will the squirrel bring its big brother? Will it be armed? Will it start a protest on our front lawn?

Who knows… I better go and hang up another cob for the greedy animal.

This is Billy.

He lives with Tina

and Jewel

in the new Elephant enclosure at the Los Angeles Zoo.

While the ladies are still under quarantine, Billy is free to roam and test some of the amenities of his and the “girls” new home – like the built-in shower.

Now I know what a thoroughly happy elephant looks like.

“Hey, you people – can’t you read?”

In August the Los Angeles Zoo proudly announced the hatching of 22 Komodo dragons. While adult animals can measure up to a length of 2 to 3 metres (6.6 to 9.8 ft) and weigh in at around 70 kilograms (150 lb), the youngsters are naturally much smaller and just out of this world cute.

While most of them just hang out in little groups in their enclosure, one was much more enterprising and definitely interested in some close up shots.

Was he posing for the lead in the next dragon movie? After all, this is Los Angeles, where film stars are being discovered in the most unlikely places…