The Memphis Zoo
I went to the Memphis Zoo back in November of 2008 to practice my photography skills hoping to be able to get a few good shots of wild animals. Boy was I surprised at the amazing setup of this place. You won’t find animals in small cages surrounded by bars. What you will see is a zoo that has been developed to put these endangered species in a healthy, stress free environment. They have plenty of room to run and bask in the sun. Most exhibits include pools, waterfalls, and toys for exercise, enjoyment, and development. The Memphis Zoo, located in Memphis, Tennessee, is home to more than 3,500 animals representing over 500 different species. Created in April 1906, the zoo has been a major tenant of Overton Park for more than 100 years. In 2008, the Memphis Zoo was ranked "#1 Zoo in the U.S." The zoo is set on 76 acres of Overton Park, of which pproximately 55 acres are developed. According to their web page since the early 1990s, the Memphis Zoo has invested over $80 million for renovation and expansion, making it one of the finest zoological parks in the nation. The zoo's animal inhabitants reside in 19 exhibits in three zones, such as Northwest Passage and China, home to Giant Pandas Ya Ya and Le Le. Since my first visit I have made three additional trips to spend the day in this clean and serine place. They just opened their Teton Exhibit featuring wolves, elk, and grizzlies. Check out their web site at http://www.memphiszoo.org/home for a complete listing of animals, and exhibits. In the meantime I want to dedicate this gallery to the Memphis Zoo. I hope you enjoy these photos but more importantly I encourage you to visit this work of art. THESE PRINTS ARE NOT FOR SALE
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Orangutan: They now face extinction. At the turn of the last century around 315,000 orangutans existed in the wild. Orangutan numbers are now down by 92% compared with a century ago and have been reduced by half in Northern Sumatra between 1993 and 2000. The orangutans ancient origin is not agreed upon. In a recent discovery (reported in 2002), a team of scientists unearthed a fossil ape in Thailand dating back 10 to 13.5 million years ago. It consists of both an upper and lower jaw with similar dental structure as today's orangutan and they consider it to be an ancestor of the new form. This discovery would place the development of the earlier orangutan in a similar habitat as today's tropical forest home on Sumatra and Borneo.
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