Animal Kingdom Walt Disney World

Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida is our favorite park. I appreciate the creation of a massive garden with a creative blend of natural and artificial plants.

We were with grandchildren so our day wasn't just about the animals. We all enjoyed the Avatar ride in the Pandora section, which we headed for as soon as the park opened (called "rope drop").

Photo provided by Disney

We were wowed by the wood carvings in the baobab tree sculpture known as the Tree of Life. There are more than 300 animal sculptures. Our grandchildren delighted in finding them.

The animal safari ride is a must do attraction. This is the only time in our 5-day visit that I carried a small camera with a zoom lens instead of relying on my mobile phone.

Suggestion- walk past the falls to see the gorilla.

There's a petting zoo too.

If you need a break, there are shows throughout the park. My wife particularly liked the show from the lakeside arena.

Photo by Sandy*

And keep an eye out for character parades.*

After our grandchildren left, my wife and I walked the Tiger Trail.

 And we sat down for a sesamee chicken dinner before taking the park bus to back to our unit in the Caribbean Resort. The best part of this meal getting quick service without having to plan ahead using a mobile app.

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Related Post

Magic Kingdom Walt Disney World

Park Notes based on our visit in 2022

Animal Kingdom is the first of the parks to open. Hours vary. For us, the hours were 8 to 8. By staying on property, you get in a half-hour early.

We did not use  Genie+  at Animal Kingdom and still got Avatar Flight of Passage and the Kilimanjaro Safari without excessive wait times.

I set my Lumix camera on the recommended sports scene setting to capture quick shots of animals during the safari ride. It's the only time I carried a camera so I could have a decent optical zoom lens but I wouldn't carry a heavier camera.

* Photos by Sandy Sutton using a Google Pixel 4 phone camera

We stayed at the Caribbean Beach Resort. It was a short ride to Animal Kingdom.

Big Cats at St Louis Zoo Missouri USA

 

Cheetah/ Photo by Geoff Sutton 2012
Nikon Coolpix

We have been visiting the St Louis Zoo for about 50 years. It's a fabulous zoo located in beautiful  Forest Park St. Louis, Missouri. I decided to make this page about the Big Cats because they are the favorites of my grandchildren.

Lions are social animals living in groups called prides. They live in the grasslands and savannas of Africa. The male is larger than the female and has a large mane about its head.*

Lion by Geoff Sutton, 2021/Cannon EOS 70D

I took this photo of a cheetah 22 October 2021-- the cropped version is at the top of this post. The cheetah is the fastest land animal with speeds of 80 to 128 kmh (50 to 80 mph). They range in length between 3.6 to 4.9 feet and the adults weight between 20 to 65 kg (44 to 143 pounds). ***

The coluring of the tigers is amazing. And this one is a fitting specimen to represent the Missouri Tigers though I would hope the athletes are more energetic.

Tigers can be found in India, Nepal, Russia and China. They weigh between 220 and 660 pounds and measure 6 to 10 feet in length. They may live as long as 20 years in the wild.

Tiger 10 March 2021/Geoff Sutton

Jaguars are the largest cats in South America. Leopards look similar to Jaguars but one key difference can be found in the "spots." The rosettes on the Jaguar have inner spots but those on Leopards do not. There is a size difference, which may not be obvious in a zoo. Jaguars weigh 36 to 158 kg compared to Leopards, which range from 17 to 90. Here's a useful link panthera.org.

I took all of the photos on this page at the St Louis Zoo using either my Nikon Coolpix camera or my Canon SLR EOS 70D.

As of the date of this post, admission to the St Louis Zoo is free but there is a charge for parking. Free parking can sometimes be found along the side of the roads around Forest Park. 

See more Big Cats

A female lion eyeing a giraffe in Kenya

My YouTube video of a female lion rejecting a male lion Kruger Park South Africa

My YouTube video including a lion in Kenya at Kenya Wildlife

My Tiger video in Ranthambore wildlife park, India 

My lion video from the Smithsonian Zoo

My tiger video from the Smithsonian Zoo

Notes

* Read more about lions at wikipedia.

** Read more about tigers at world wildlife

*** Read more about cheetahs at wikipedia

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ABQ BioPark Zoo Albuquerque New Mexico

 The ABQ BioPark Zoo is part of the Albuquerque Biological Park complex that includes the Zoo, Botanic Garden, Aquarium, and Tingley Beach.

The 64 acre Zoo opened in 1927 and recently reported 900 animals.

Here's a sample of the zoo from a family visit.

On this visit, 23 June 1991, two polar bears played in their pool, which drew quite a crowd.

Links to Connections

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Articles: Academia   Geoff W Sutton   ResearchGate   Geoffrey W Sutton 

Smithsonian's National Zoo

Panda National Zoo / Geoff W. Sutton 2017

The Smithsonian's National Zoo is famous for its Pandas. The zoo is worth a day's visit to enjoy a walk around a beautiful wooded park. People of all ages will find something of interest.































Fees- there is no charge to enter the zoo. There is a fee for some attractions

Food service- there are several places to purchase food and drink. It is expensive compared to nearby restaurants. You can bring in food and drink.

Photography is permitted but the lighting and glass enclosures make some shots difficult.


Parking- limited but available at the park for a fee

Metro- we got off at the Woodley Park metro stop and walked the short distance to the zoo.

Website- you will find helpful information on the web nationalzoo.si.edu


My website Geoffrey W. Sutton

PLACES TO VISIT IN WASHINGTON DC

Here’s a few places to see along with some photos and links to information.

United States Capitol

White House

National Archives

Library of Congress

Supreme Court

National Zoo

U S Botanic Garden

Union Station

Monuments and Memorials

Washington Monument

Lincoln Memorial

WW II Memorial

Vietnam War Memorial

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Museums

American History

Air and Space Museum

Natural History Museum

Postal Museum

National Art Gallery

National Postal Museum

Holocaust Museum

National Museum of the American Indian

National Museum of African American History and Culture

And here’s my webpage  www.suttong.com

And some books I have published

My Travel Blog

My YouTube Travel Site