Merry Christmas at the Zoo

I got the opportunity to go to a "local" (in a nearby city) zoo where they have a program called "Christmas at the zoo", where you get a better chance to see some animals that like the cold, for half price. I finally got the opportunity to go this past Monday. After four years of visiting the zoo every summer, I finally got to see my favorite big cat, the snow leopard (one of the kittens they had this past may), as well as see some of the better animals being more active, including the red pandas, sloth bear (not pictured), servals (not pictured), and the lion and tiger, animals that are sluggish or don't even come out of their homes in the hot summer. My sister took the pictures, and they had these ugly fences that were hard to get the camera's focus past, but these are the best of the pics. I guess this is my Christmas present to you STS-ers, enjoy!
The tiger was just pacing his cage, he was very interested in the zebra paddock across the way from him...
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This lion's wife thought it was much too cold to be out, but in his fur coat he roared and yawned, and also paced the zebras in the pen right across from his cage.
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The red pandas I have never seen before because its much too hot in the summer. I think the male was up on his walk and the female was eating.
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These are the tasty neighbors. Its a foal born this spring and his mother, he groomed her a little, then decided he wanted the attention.
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And the best part, the snow leopard cub. He was pacing and following visitors, then a squirrel walked across his mesh covering his pen, and he followed it then ran across his pen and jumped up onto the fence! but we didn't see all of it because of one of his pine trees. Gorgeous animal nonetheless.
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The squirrel scenario.
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Wow that photo of the leopard with his breath in the air like that is stunning! Gorgeous photos, and I love those zebras!

Thanks. Some of them are a little blurry, but I like I said this zoo has some of the worst fencing for taking pictures, so my sister had some difficulty taking pictures without getting the fence in it, or getting it completely focused. However, its better she took them (she hopes to be a photographer and is quite good) because my camera hates me and does not cooperate whatsoever.

Thankyou very much for this beautyful christmas gift

Many of those photos are world class, - I can't stop looking

Ther all seem so at ease, and relaxed. It is easy to see that they love the cold, and feel good, - such a joy

LeeAnn wrote:

Wow that photo of the leopard with his breath in the air like that is stunning! Gorgeous photos, and I love those zebras!

My same thought also! About the Snow Leopard, it looks amazing!!!

Great adventure in the zoo, many nice animals to look at

Good photos but I can't help that I feel sad for them. That first lion photo really stopped and touched me. It can be seen there's an animal with soul. He's not happy there

Hes an old lion. He has been there as long as I can remember, and yes I feel bad for them all too. They should all be in wild.

Nice photos of all these magnificent animals. I also join the crowd with "awww" for the snow leopard picture breath caught and also the photo of him/her drinking water - fantastic! :)

And, yes, zoo animals well-being has been a topic for a while. Of course, it's better to let the animals live in their natural habitat, but how safe is it now? If a particular zoo is working on a rehabilitation and conservation program for one or several species, I can only agree with the necessity of such establishment(s)