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KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2021 9:43 pm
by Roanoker
We visited the Kansas City Zoo on 11/6/20. It was a beautiful day. Decorations anticipated Fall holidays.

We enter.
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The mask thing prevails.
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I love the name of this eatery.
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Taking pictures of the seals turned out to be rather difficult.
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Heads or tails?
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Must be polar bears in there. We’ll check it out later.
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This tree left me spellbound.
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Wonderful leaves.
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The stone elephant has his own dinner.
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As some folks may know, I dearly love grass, especially with these colors.
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Another place we’ll have to visit later.
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Just a reminder of the season.
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Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 10:43 am
by Major KC Fan
Those are native North American otters, not seals. The zoo just introduced a new male to the two females, so maybe baby otters in the future? Like most attractions, the zoo has had a rough year for revenue, having been closed for an extended time and now limiting visitors. Good for you for going and supporting them. Colder weather doesn’t allow for viewing everything available to see in better weather but it is surprising how many animals you can see in colder weather.

Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 3:11 pm
by Roanoker
Thank you, Major. I certainly displayed my ignorance with the otter/seal thing. I appreciate your kind and gentle correction. All I do on these trips is take pictures. Occasionally I'll catch a sign. I should have paid better attention to one of those signs that must have been there. Now that you mentioned the otters, I recall having seen river otters on the lake ice behind my backyard. I may have taken pictures. If so, I'll post one. Even if we had not seen any animals on the zoo visit, the scenery was amazing. I do have pictures, and I will post them in due (my slow) time.

Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Tue Feb 02, 2021 5:16 pm
by Major KC Fan
Great! I always enjoy your photos.

Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 8:25 pm
by Roanoker
About that river otter. I did take a few pictures, via my cell phone through my son's telescope, but they weren't very good. Then he took a video with his cell phone, using the same setup, with greater success. It's still nothing ready for Hollywood, but it's better than nothing. The video was taken on 1/23/2014. I hope you can see it okay.

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Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 10:20 pm
by Major KC Fan
That’s great! Where was it? At one time otters were almost trapped to extinction. They’ve made an amazing comeback. The new aquarium at the KC Zoo is supposed to include sea otters (I think from the West Coast). That’s according to comments by the zoo director when speaking about the aquarium.

Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Thu Feb 04, 2021 8:05 am
by Roanoker
The video was taken next to a man-made lake behind my house in Kansas City, north of the river. I believe the lake is fed by streams. Perhaps Shoal Creek is involved. That same day, a bald eagle showed up, and we got a video of him, too. But it is rather long and requires editing.

Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2021 8:32 pm
by Roanoker
Well, I thought it was a nice scene.
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There must be a choo choo somewhere.
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I spent time trying to get this picture to cooperate with itself.
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Some grasses are as beautiful as flowers, like these.
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What do leaves do in early November?
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Sometimes they take over.
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We are apparently entering Elephant Country.
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This is as close as we could get.
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I took pieces of the original picture and arranged them to my liking, brightening the sign a bit.
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Same deal here. I guess I got carried away.
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This was a very dark picture. You couldn’t read the sign until I brightened it with Photoshop Levels.
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At some point, I must have stopped taking pictures of signs. But not yet.
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Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Mon Feb 22, 2021 9:30 pm
by Roanoker
Ooh! Big kitty!
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I do like grass, trees and sky.
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Same sentiment. Different presentation.
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What is better than gold grass?
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This is more like bronze grass. I like it.
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Now we have my son and grass!
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This is the best “grass” picture. I caught this little boy running through it. Isn’t he the cutest?
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Wire fences and such were a pain, but you can still see what I suppose is a predator.
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Couldn’t get too close to these guys. Notice the overhead ride thing.
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Minding his own business. “Go away, camera lady!”
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Can you turn your head 180º?
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The sign says this is a Southern Ground Hornbill that lives in sub Saharan Africa. He can weigh 13 pounds.
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Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:34 pm
by normalthings
I am excited to see your photos of the new aquarium once it opens!

Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 8:28 am
by Roanoker
I didn't even know about those plans, NormalThings. I just checked and observed that construction begins in 2021. The grand opening will be in 2023. I may not even be alive then! But if I am, I will make a point to visit the aquarium and take pictures, just for you. <smiley face>

Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 4:51 pm
by Highlander
Roanoker wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 8:28 am I didn't even know about those plans, NormalThings. I just checked and observed that construction begins in 2021. The grand opening will be in 2023. I may not even be alive then! But if I am, I will make a point to visit the aquarium and take pictures, just for you. <smiley face>
Wow. I knew it was coming but didn't expect it so quickly. Thanks for that info.

It will be a nice addition. I would have preferred a North America animal exhibition in that locale but an aquarium will be nice too.

I still think the Zoo needs more animal species - concentrating on the Americas.

Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Wed Feb 24, 2021 10:15 pm
by normalthings
Roanoker wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 8:28 am I didn't even know about those plans, NormalThings. I just checked and observed that construction begins in 2021. The grand opening will be in 2023. I may not even be alive then! But if I am, I will make a point to visit the aquarium and take pictures, just for you. <smiley face>
I believe you'll be around for the opening. :D

Have you taken a drive past the new Terminal at KCI? I was wondering what you think of progress so far and of the new terminal in general vs the existing one and downtown airport.

Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Thu Feb 25, 2021 8:16 am
by Roanoker
normalthings wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 10:15 pm Have you taken a drive past the new Terminal at KCI? I was wondering what you think of progress so far and of the new terminal in general vs the existing one and downtown airport.
Gosh, no. I pretty much stay in the house. I haven't even gone to the grocery store since last March. My son does that. Well, I guess we DID go to the zoo last November. Maybe I'll see if we can take a little jaunt to the new terminal. I'll have to see if I can remember how to operate my camera. :shock:

Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2021 9:08 pm
by Roanoker
We are in lion country.
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This looks like an ordinary house cat, but it’s not.
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My husband and son enter a kind-of-covered bridge.
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Same bridge. Looks like a bigger deal in this shot.
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The sky ride seems to go everywhere.
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Couple of nice zebras.
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Close-up of the overhead ride. No passengers on these seats, however.
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More zebras, doing their thing.
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The fall colors were lovely. The geese add a nice touch.
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All dressed up in formal wear. (I got rid of the busy background and replaced it.)
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More of the sky ride, in a different location.
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What a cutie. I have no idea who he is.
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Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2021 9:44 pm
by Roanoker
You can go to this zoo and see beautiful scenery, even if you don’t see one animal.
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The berries have it.
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Not the Ozarks. It is the Kansas City Zoo!
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A bright blue sky doesn’t hurt.
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Well, we do have one animal. He’s not so sure about me.
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Really? Did you know this? Do you snuggle up in a cage?
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Bridges and trees are special.
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What a pretty lake.
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Lake through trees.
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Notice the sky ride above the lake. My real focus was the line of posts in the foreground with the spindly plants.
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This lake has many moods.
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Not exactly a zoo animal, but he will have to do.
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Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:47 pm
by normalthings
I have always loved the Africa section. Spread out with lots to explore. Feels a little less like a Zoo or more like nature than Omaha or especially STL.

Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 5:23 pm
by Roanoker
These are the last pictures from that day at the zoo, on 11/6/20.

Who’da thought the KC Zoo could have such a beautiful lake?
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Even artists plied their trade at the zoo.
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Totem art.
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More graphics.
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Natural, but still artistic.
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Oh, hey! We are in a zoo!
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More birds. Not so real, but still artistic.
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No polar bears in the exhibit for them, but doesn’t that real water look fake?
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Golden grass and wood. Love it.
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I wonder if we will actually see a polar bear.
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This one hopes to see Kansas City win the Super Bowl. Mahomes didn’t throw even one touchdown. Big letdown.
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Really? This is all we get?
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Re: KC Zoo 2020

Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 9:32 am
by Roanoker
normalthings wrote: Tue Mar 16, 2021 12:47 pm I have always loved the Africa section. Spread out with lots to explore. Feels a little less like a Zoo or more like nature than Omaha or especially STL.
I meant to comment earlier on your post. Yes, indeed. I was taken aback by all the gorgeous scenery at this zoo. For me, the animals were not the big attraction.