Some Free Time: The Riverbank Zoo

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Columbia, SC
I have been busy this last year with a full time job and finishing my masters. This has not allowed for time to travel. I have finished my Masters in Secondary education and I hope to find I teaching position starting next semester. Until I start a teaching job in August I have time to travel (on a tight budget), take pictures ,and write.

Columbia, SC
I have been lived in Columbia for six years. There are really a lot of interesting things to see and do in Columbia. The first and most obvious one is Riverbank Zoo. I did not appreciate the Zoo when I was little but now that I am older I actually enjoy it.
I went to the Zoo on the first warm weekend of spring with my new boyfriend and we spent at least three hours walking around. The animals were out of hibernating and enjoying the warm weather as much as their two legged counterparts.
The zoo has revamped its giraffe exhibit so you can feed the giraffes, which is awesome. There is a gorilla that bangs on the glass. There are monkeys that swing around and make unacceptable faces at you. The flamingoes with their beautiful pink feathers are my favorite. If you take the time to read about the animals you will even find some interesting animals that are not as flashy but just as fun. The Meer cats are a small exhibit but fun to watch come in and out of their holes.
I was very sad that they closed the seal exhibit due to chlorine in the water causing the sea lions to go blind. They have replaced it with a kangaroos. They marketed it as a walkabout. You get to walk through the exhibit. There are no fences between you and the Kangaroos. However, I did not really enjoy it. It was not like you got to pet the Kangaroos. And, Kangaroos are ugly.
When I worked for the Gamecock we always had to do the top ten in Columbia ex: top ten restaurants, top ten, top ten things to do on a Saturday night, Top Ten music venues you get the idea. I worked on Top Ten Places To Go on a Date and Riverbank Zoo was on the list. I thought it was a stupid and cheesy idea but then again I was not dating anyone at the time. So if you have not been to the Zoo in a while or you have not been at all give try. Go in the spring when love is in the air the animals are out and the flowers are blooming.
PS: If you go and see the koala bear move let me know. I believe this exhibit is fake and that it is a stuffed bear. I have yet to see the koala bear move. And the very large snake, I have never seen its head only its body pushed against the glass. I have never seen that snake move either. But ever since I saw Harry Potter I have trouble going in that exhibit.

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Photos

Elephants
If you recently watched the movie Water for Elephants you will know that Elephants are very smart and gentle creatures. They can be taught all kinds of tricks. I really want one but I am afraid of the poo.

Monkey
Did you know their have been at least eight Apes to go into space. They are called Ape-O-Nauts.

Goat
Did you know that a goats pupil is a rectangle.

Meerkat
Meerkats are in the Mongoose family. They live in packs underground tunnels. This meerkat is standing on top of a mound that marks the entrance to a tunnel. He is keeping watch for predators.

Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Flamingoes are one of my favorites
I liked this photo.