A day at the zoo

[Catherine]

The big accredited zoos are not like the zoos we grew up with.  They are involved in conservation and species survival. The lions are actually white lions and they are a breeding group. Their offspring will help keep the strain of white lions going. Who knows some day they may be part of increasing the wild population. A number of species only escaped extinction because there were some of them left in zoos. The zoos organized to make sure the population increased and stayed healthy. There are herds of Prezwalskis horses in the wild now, but at one time there were just a few in zoos. Toronto has a fine herd and we have enough land to give them a good area to live.

The wolves are very good at hiding when they want to. I have been there a few times when the wolves choose to howl. It is an amazing sound. There are more than two wolves in the pack, but they are often spread out. Their enclosure is a long hill and they use both sides and all  levels of it. They have trees and dens and room to run. Where the two wolves were sleeping was sheltered from the wind. 

I know what you mean about wind chill. It can really be nasty. The zoo did a much better job of building shelters for the animals than our transit system did building bus shelters. They are one wall with a slight overhang and they don't stop any wind at all because they don't go right to the ground. The wind blows up under the wall and chills waiting bus riders. The lions look much warmer with their cozy cave.

My conclusion, the zoo values its lions more than the transit system values its riders.