A Day at the Zoo

The sun was shining brightly as our car entered the zoo parking lot. My little brother John and I jumped out excitedly, ready for our day of adventure. It had been months since our last visit, and we could hardly wait to see all the animals again.

We made our way through the entrance, waving at the kindly old man who took tickets. The sounds and smells of the zoo instantly filled our senses. Children's laughter, the squawking of birds, and the scent of exotic plants greeted us. John grabbed my hand excitedly and pulled me toward the ape exhibit.

We spent some time watching the orangutans swing from branch to branch. One of the big males noticed us watching and came over, staring at us curiously. John laughed and waved at him. The orangutan waved back, which made John shriek with delight.

Next we went to the tiger enclosure. We watched in awe as a huge Siberian tiger prowled around, stopping occasionally to sniff the air or mark its territory. Its powerful body rippled with muscles as it stalked back and forth. John guessed loudly how much it could lift in a deadlift. I shushed him, entranced by the tiger's grace and power.

The penguin house was cool and dim after being in the hot sun. We watched the penguins swim, dive and squabble over fish. One penguin marched right past us, paying us no mind at all. John tried to imitate its wobbly walk, making me laugh. We spent quite a bit of time in the penguin house, entertained by their antics.

As we made our way to the reptile house, we stopped to watch the sea lions perform tricks for their trainers. They jumped through hoops, balanced balls on their noses and clapped for fish rewards. Afterwards, John pretended to be a sea lion, waddling around and barking at imaginary fish.

Inside the reptile house it was dark and humid. Glass cages held everything from iguanas to crocodiles. We oohed and aahed over the colorful poison dart frogs, and shivered when a massive Burmese python flicked its tongue at us from behind the glass. John pretended the python was going to escape and come get him, making us both laugh.

We stopped for lunch, eating greasy slices of pizza on a picnic table. After we ate, John wanted to visit the birds of prey show, so we made our way over. We watched with bated breath as a handler brought out a massive wedge-tailed eagle. The handler fed it large pieces of meat as he explained interesting facts about the species. The eagle's piercing yellow eyes seemed to stare right into our souls.

As the sun began to lower in the sky, we visited the elephant enclosure one last time. We watched the gentle giants bathe in their pool, splash water over their backs with their trunks, and pick up bundles of hay to munch on. Their massive size and kind eyes left me feeling contemplative. I was reminded of how small and fleeting my own life was in the span of time, yet how meaningful each moment truly is.

John took my hand and gave it a squeeze. "Ready to go home?" he asked. I nodded, and we made our way out of the zoo, our hearts full of wonder at all the animals we had seen that day. Someday we'll be back, I thought to myself, to make more memories and watch the cycle of life continue at the zoo.

You should also visit to zoo and your family and you should enjoy the moments.