Member's Night

The Zoo has a special night for members to come out and experience the zoo with smaller crowds, music, more keepers to talk to, and some normally closed off areas are opened up. We didn't make it last year, and we almost didn't make it this year. We got up to the ticket window to check in, and I only had my last year's card. Fortunately, Phil was carrying one of our new ones, but it was a frustrating moment or two. First on our list, was Siamang Island. The schedule said they would be having dinner and that sounded interesting. All they seemed to get was some bamboo, but they did fight over it a bit. Zachary was very excited to see all of the different apes. We spent time watching the siamangs, gibbons, and chimpanzees. The Gibbons even sang for us. The macaws are in the same courtyard as the apes (which I find odd, since that area is a quiet zone, and the macaws definitely aren't) and Alex enjoyed them. Alex then found a sneaky back trail that took us straight to the tiger. She was sleeping in the trees, so I don't know if either boy actually saw her. Ok, not up in the trees, hidden among the trees and bushes. The skyride is always a highlight of Alex's trip to the zoo. This was the first time that Zachary or I was eligible to ride it. Oh, yippee! I didn't think that Phil would be able to control both of them by himself, so I sucked it up and took Zachary in car #2. He loved it! He wanted to touch everything from the stantion poles to the buffalo to the tree tops.

Yes, there is a great view, and you get to see a few animals not on the foot route, not to mention getting to dangle directly over the lion enclosure, but a squirmy 1 year old and a mommy who doesn't like heights probably aren't the best combo!
One of the extra areas we were invited to explore was the tiger night house and the veterinary clinic. The boys played with some of the tiger's big balls and roamed around her bedroom.

Finally, we went to the midway and Alex rode the rides. The rides all seem to have a height requirement of 36". Alex is 36 1/2"! He is a lucky boy! Zachary had a chance to ride the carousel and was very happy, maybe next year he'll be tall enough for more.
Zachary and Alex changed into jammies before the ride home...wishful thinking it turned out. We blew bedtime out of the water for this adventure!