Albuquerque Zoo Trip

I spent about four hours at the Albuquerque Zoo last Saturday. I had never been there and I was impressed with the experience. It probably isn't a "world class" zoo but it is one part of the city's BioPark which also includes an arboretum, an aquarium and a natural beach area on the Rio Grand river. Taken together, the BioPark is something that many cities would like to have.

I'm just going to post a few pictures. I like the laid back atmosphere of the zoo. Visitors can bring in picnic baskets and coolers and have family picnics in the shade of the huge cottonwood trees near the zoo entrance. For a Saturday, it was busy but not crowded.

flamingo

cockatoo

 

Australian lorikeet(?)

The zoo seems to specialize in dry climate animals from Australia and Africa although they have a few of the other jungle or polar animals and some sea lions and seals.



Koala

Tree Kangaroo

 klipspringer 

White Rhinos

You talkin' to me?

New baby giraffe

Asian elephants

Prairie Dog pup

rude Polar Bear

Red Kangaroo

Ass end of an Ocelot

a hot Tiger

Who???

zoo view

Picnic Area

Missouri River in flood - June 1, 2013

The river is acting up. So far, only some of the state office parking lots are flooded and that area across the river under the bridge is the river access and boat launching area. Usually there is a huge sand bar upstream from the access area.

I'm heading out of town on Amtrak tomorrow and I'm glad to see those tracks are still dry.

In 1993, the river flooded the north approaches to the bridge and was way up inside the city.  We are nowhere close to that, yet.  

The river was at record low levels about six months ago.