No Touch Tuesday - "D'ArTERNan"
This week’s unfiltered, unedited No-Touch Tuesday feature choice was easy…I was fortunate to take a road trip recently with a stop at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. It was my first visit to the zoo, and it blew me away! With its official opening in 1875, it is the second oldest zoo in the United States. (The Philadelphia Zoo is the oldest, and it is definitely on my bucket list.)
The Cincinnati Zoo itself is beautiful, and the experience of being there among many different families and many different cultures was moving and inspirational. There is an atmosphere of shared joy, excitement, camaraderie and enthusiasm throughout the grounds, making even a rainy day a very enchanting adventure. A place like this is a photographer’s dream…and I had to remind myself many times to put my camera down and simply observe the animals. (That’s not to say I didn’t take a whole lot of pictures, because I definitely did.)
Sweet hippo baby Fiona is the star of the show, which made it a little more difficult to see her, let alone take a photo, behind the groups crowding the windows to her enclosure. I was happy I did get close enough to watch her for a couple minutes though, just as she woke up from a nap. The Primates exhibit had a very humbling impact on me. We happened to arrive just after feeding time, and it was fascinating to watch the dynamics of the Western Lowland Gorillas as they gathered the carrots and celery.
The Bonobo exhibit had more of a bittersweet feeling to it. While I was thrilled to see this sweet face and snap a few photos, I still felt sad to watch the expressions change the way a human’s face would. According to the information provided, “Also called the pygmy chimp, the Bonobo is slightly smaller than the common chimpanzee. Sharing more than 98% of its DNA with humans, the bonobo is our closest living relative.” I know this little guy is well cared for in the zoo, but I couldn’t help the “Mama” feelings that rose up and made me want to hug him…I mean, look at that face!
As much as I loved ALL the animal exhibits, I’d have to say the one that made me feel the happiest, most peaceful was the open air aviary in Wings of the World. To stroll among these gorgeous feathered friends was a delight I was not expecting! From the friendly Ruddy Shelducks walking about to the Magpie Goose that followed my husband around, it was an awe-inspiring moment that made me feel like a kid again! I tried to snap a few photos of each of the birds (which I will be posting over the next few weeks), but it was this one of an Inca Tern that jumped out at me when I scrolled through my shots.
I framed this shot intentionally to create a naturally beautiful bokeh background with the vines surrounding the Tern (with the help of an overcast sky to provide the perfect lighting). I am beyond pleased with how it came out!
Looking forward to revisiting to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens again as soon as I can!