That's right—after talking about it for years, we finally made it to the LA Zoo, best remembered by some for this, uh, "classic" montage. Before my time, fortunately. Instead, I'll open with a still of this Rick Baker gorilla bust. The Rick Baker? Don't know; the plaque didn't say, and honestly, we didn't dwell on it. We had some actual animals to see!
We start with a frogmouth, which sort of looks like an owl but is only a loose relative, though it's also a nocturnal hunter. They come from all over Australasia, and their particular trick is sometimes smashing their prey against a rock before devouring it. Right. Don't start none, won't be none, birdie.
Nearby was a pen of gerenuks. They're much smaller than I expected—I could easily throw a saddle on one and ride away comfortably. What's the point of the neck extension if it only allows them to reach leaves four feet off the ground instead of three? Evolution, go figure.
I'm not real fond of big snakes for obvious reasons, but as long as there's a glass wall, we're cool. Gotta practice the Parseltongue with somebody, you know?
The prairie dog exhibit! There I am in the left bubble, popping up from "underground"! I only wish I were a tunneler like these guys, though; unlike Bugs Bunny, in real life I have to use a shovel like anyone else.
This being Thanksgiving weekend, the zoo had already set up its Santa photo booth and adjacent reindeer pen. Better go easy on the hay if you wanna get off the ground in four weeks, Blitzo!
You can't see the one brown flamingo in this shot, but our 4-year-old companion observed, "It must not eat its shrimp." Rob: "That must be the Orthodox one."
Meerkats: the reality-TV famewhores of the animal kingdom.
Wow. My paw versus that of a tiger, the largest and most man-eating of all the big cats. How incredible it'll be to see one of these fearsome titans of the jungle on the prowl...
...oh. Pfft.
Obligatory giraffe shot.
Here's one of Rob's favorites, the okapi. You know what the difference is between me—a civilized animal—and these zoo types? Besides my use of cutlery? I know how to pose, like the fierce professional I am. Whereas with these guys, you'll notice that if they're not eating, it's often either ass shots or dormancy.
Uff. They never make these things for the rabbit-sized.
Well, the machine kind of muffed the imprint, but it's a giraffe. Because we couldn't find one with an okapi.
Lion and lioness. After the lovin', from the looks of it.
I'd be more impressed with zebra camouflage if their stripes changed to hybrid car colors when they relocated to LA.
The "laughing" kookaburra, my scut—I told this guy my bluest material and not so much as a peep out of him! Oh well, we were leaving anyway...
I'll spare you the usual gift shop photo, but guess what—we found an okapi after all! And what better gift to bring home for Panic, who celebrates his first year with us this month? Happy Panniversary, little brother—which of Rob's test-kitchen cupcakes are you gonna try first? (Which just goes to show—zoos are all well and good, but the seven of us like our living arrangements just the way they are!)
