JULY 17, 2011 VISITING ZOOS AS A HOBBY

"Some people haven't yet found themselves. But the self is not something one finds; it is something one creates." - Thomas Szasz

I do not know how to tell you to create yourself. You do not find yourself. You go out in the world and create yourself. You instinctually know and will be driven to your life purpose. No matter what your life purpose is, I do know one thing.

I know/flowers/herbs, animals, especially bees.

Find a connection with nature!!

What is your most special childhood memory? Was it visiting a zoo for the first time or was it Barnum and Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth-The Circus? There are many memories to choose from, but going to the Bronx Zoo was a highlight for me. The Bronx Zoo is the largest metropolitan zoo in the United States covering 265 acres. The facility known then as the Bronx Zoological Park, opened its doors on November 8th, 1899.

I cannot recall if my parents took us to the zoo in 1967 or if I visited with Yonkers PS 4 on a field trip. I was in awe of the animals, especially the gorillas, chimpanzees and the giraffe. I think it is unfair to pick my favorite animal as I loved all the animals in the Reptile House too. In 2010, the Bronx Zoo became a home to 4,000 animals of 650 species, many of which are endangered or threatened.

I didn't visit the smaller (5 acre) NY Metropolitan Zoo in Central Park until I was in my medical residency in New York City. The Central Park Zoo began in 1860 making it the first zoo to open in New York. Just a menagerie of animals, at that time it was called the '1934 Zoo' or the 'Robert Moses Zoo.' If you haven't visited this zoo you probably read about in high school if you read the 1951 J D Salinger novel Catcher in the Rye.

I have made a point of visiting as many zoos as I can when I travel. I have been to the Washington DC Zoo, Philadelphia Zoo and the San Diego Zoo. I have not visited the Franklin Zoo in Boston yet, but I have a reason to visit this zoo in particular. My son is currently doing his pre-veterinarian internship at this zoo. He is working with the Gorillas. I am also excited about visiting Boise Zoo in Idaho soon. I can add another zoo to my zoo visiting hobby. The next logical question for me is to ask is, "Are there bee zoos?" There are observational bee hives at San Diego Zoo, Houston Zoo (Woodland Park Zoo) and Honolulu Zoo. There are three states as far as I know that do not have zoos. These are Vermont, New Hampshire and Wyoming.

Photos:

Top: Polar Bear at the Central Park Zoo NYC

Next: Bronx Zoo

Next: Observational Bee Hive

Bottom:Okie at Franklin Zoo; his birthday was last week
(Photo credit: Gregory Fratellone)

Until tomorrow...