Bronx Zoo: Please, Just Go!

I’m so glad I renewed our membership to the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Thank goodness, my teenagers are still fascinated by animals. We vow to find time, in spite of school and extra-curriculars, to go more often during the year.

We started the trip off right by, for the first time, actually going online and getting driving directions. Usually we just get in the car and head north, following any sign that says “Bronx”. We almost always end up in Orchard Beach, City Island and Yonkers, but with vocal, critical teenagers in the car (worse than impatient toddlers?), we had to set the tone right at the beginning.

In the Congo exhibit, there is a gorilla that purposefully regurgitates her food to get a rise out of the humans. How can you tell? She sits right next to the glass and watches for reactions from the crowd.

The Wild Dogs are both beautiful and scary as all get–out. Huge! Ditto the tigers, of course. The tiger feeding demonstrations are informative, but frightening when the big cat stands on his hind legs. I’m a practical Brooklynite; it’s like “fuggedaboutit” when I see something as powerful and potentially dangerous like that.

For PBS watchers, the Madagascar exhibit houses lemurs like the one in “Zoboomafoo”. They are fascinating.

Of course, my teens split along gender lines. Typical observations from the girl: “The baby sea lion is so cute”; the boy: “The polar bear’s paw is bigger than my face. Awesome.” 

Teens are actually at a better age to appreciate a zoo visit. They’ve taken science classes, taken care of their own pets, watched nature shows and developed a conscience regarding the environment. They can interpret animal emotions and behavior — or at least imagine so.

There is snarky debate about whether it’s cruel to house animals in zoos. Hopefully it’s not from people who own house cats, fish or gerbils. Either born into captivity or injured, these animals would not survive if released in the wild — if their natural environments still exist. Life in an artificial habitat is likely monotonous with occasional, unexpected jarring changes caused by zookeepers and nutty patrons; or, on the other hand, free medical care and grooming, regular high–quality meals and comfortable, nightly shelter could be seen as living high on the hog (no pun really intended).

Anyway, I’m not about to vaccinate and fly my family around the world to see these creatures in their natural habitat, risking our lives by encountering warring ethnic groups, drug dealers, bad roads, overworked airplane pilots, poisonous snakes and infected mosquitoes. It would total in the hundreds of thousands and there’d still be a chance that, after a gourmet meal under the stars at the campsite, one of us could be pulled out of our tents in the middle of the night and beaten/raped/robbed/devoured.

Not to mention the traveler’s diarrhea; I’d rather have the grilled chicken sandwich at the Dancing Crane.

Anyway, back to the Bronx Zoo’s situation. The WCS has received a cut in government funding, relying more on donations from people and foundations. I may remember incorrectly, but when the kids were young, Wednesdays were free admission; now it’s pay–as–you wish. The World of Darkness is closed!

Go to the zoos and aquariums with–or–without your kids. It’s interesting. It’s fun. It’s thought–provoking. Become a member, make a donation. Our donations not only fund the wildlife centers but also the conservation and research projects run by WCS employees all over the world — helping preserve the natural habitats to which the zoo-questioners want the zoo animals to return.

Don't dismiss the zoos in Queens and Prospect Park; the Queens Zoo can be especially soothing on a quiet day when the schools and camps aren't around. The wacky penguins in Central Park Zoo make that park great. We could sit in front of the walruses at the Aquarium all day. And has anyone been to the charming Staten Island Zoo, not under the WCS umbrella?

What do you like/hate about the zoos and aquariums?