Close-ups at the Zoo

We finally did it!  I think we have been to the Zoo twice since I got the new Canon Rebel Camera and I have never had the opportunity to take the telephoto lens with me when we went.  I wanted some cool up-close pictures of the animals-especially the ones that you can only see from far away.  We were on our way to a Cardinal's game (Moriah's first one- blog post about that to come soon) and since it wasn't until that evening, we decided to make a really quick stop at the zoo.  Justus is now definitely going to think that going to St. Louis always means going to see the "zebras, giraffes, and elephants, and lions- roar, roar." :)  It made him excited this time.  I think it was the fastest trip I have ever made through a zoo.  We had a little less than an hour before the zoo was going to close and so we plotted our course through the animals we figured Justus would really want to see.  We started off to the trail which leads to the rhinos, hippos, and elephants and the rhinoceros was the closest he has been yet in all these recent trips we have made.  I pulled out my camera and started framing my shot.  I was so excited!  He stood there like a good boy and posed for the camera.  Click! Click! Click! Captured!

On we went around the corner to the home of the hippos.  They were all three basking in the water, but their heads were all above- making for a perfect picture!  Again I was having so much fun "playing."

We walked a little further and the hyena was asleep.  He looked up at Justus and me, but I only had a chance to take one picture and the camera focused on the leaves that were in front of him.  The cheetah was too far back and in the dark for me to get a good picture.  Oh well, we had gotten some good ones so far.  The elephants were next- they were kind of in a corner which made getting good photos kind of hard, but I was still amazed with how close I could get.

We didn't have much time left before the zoo closed so we made a bee-line for the zebras and giraffes.  On the way though I saw a raccoon (wild mind you) sitting off to the side of the trail. I was so excited that I still had my telephoto lens on and I was able to snap a few great pictures.  I have to say as odd as it seems that these photos were some of my favorite of the whole zoo trip and he didn't even belong there in the zoo! :)

I was so excited taking pictures of the 'coon that I got quite far behind, but with the telephoto lens I was able to capture a beautiful picture of my lovely family- Ryan is such a good Daddy!  I had to run (uphill) to catch up to them, but it was worth it!

We made a quick swing by the zebras, waved at them and took a few pictures.  

 The camels were being persnickety and wouldn't face me, so we moved on the the building that has the giraffes inside.

We had one last place to go- the penguin house.  We didn't have a map on us, but we wanted to get there as fast as we could since we only had about 10 minutes before the gates closed.  We made it almost there and then we came to a blockade- there was construction work (making new exhibits) blocking the way.  We had to backtrack and go the long way around, but we decided to go ahead and walk over there and see if it was still open.  Exhausted from the long walk and carrying Justus on my back since we were going so fast, we finally made it to the penguin house only to find a sign that said they were gone until 2015! :)  They are building a new polar bear exhibit and so the penguins which are right beside that are closed for now too. Hee! Hee!  We could only laugh at the hilarity of the moment. 

We said our goodbyes to the animals we passed by on our way out and ended our quick trip to the zoo!  It was very fun and a good exercise as well! 

Can you tell I love my family and my camera? :)