I had a magical day yesterday at what may be the happiest place on earth. Not Disneyland (are you kidding me? Hellish crowds, $6 churros and screaming kids does not create sheer happiness). No no...I enjoyed the wonders of the San Diego Safari Wild Animal Park.
In my previous posts I have been exploring what it is like to be a world citizen. Through these written ruminations and life wanders I have tried to be a more conscious citizen of this world, thinking about how others live and affecting how I interchange with others. However, yesterday I had realized just how limited I had been. I had only been thinking of people, of the anthropology of the world, of what makes people tick. I had failed to reflect on our interchange with other creatures.
It is rare to reflect on a day and think, today may have been one of the top twenty days I've had in my life. When that happens, it' a good practice to note its magic, as magic is hard to come by. Here it goes.
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Yesterday I saw beautiful, aggressive, playful, wacky, slobbery, fat, horny, ambivalent, ugly, loud, curious and ostentatious creatures from around the world. Let me introduce some of them to you.
The SD Park has the largest "crash" of white rhinos in the world with the most successful captive breeding program with 115 rhinos born so far. They even knew to change the grass type to foster the best rhino fertility hormones. Impressive! Although the southern white rhinoceros breed well in captivity, the northern white rhinoceros (the only other type of white rhinos) is not faring as well. Thus species is critically endangered (or extinct in the wild), with only seven individuals left in the world (two in this park).
Yesterday I saw beautiful, aggressive, playful, wacky, slobbery, fat, horny, ambivalent, ugly, loud, curious and ostentatious creatures from around the world. Let me introduce some of them to you.
The white rhinoceros (the largest of the five remaining rhino species) has a heavy head (weighing up to 1000 pounds!) and a wide mouth for soundless lawn mowing. The females (like these shown) like each other's company. If the girls are not together, they lose their fertility. Since there is usually only one male per pack, no they are not a monogamous species. But that's ok. The girls usually reject the bull most of the time. Good thing he's a persistent one!
How did this happen, you ask, since they live until 50 years old. The only predator of these animals are humans. Ivory poachers reduced their population from 500 to 15 in the 1970s and 1980s. These beautiful animals have tusks that are believed to improve virility. Don't you just have an explosion of hatred for human beings sometimes? Answer: Yes.
But please do not get too depressed thinking about the decimation of animal species. Please look at this cape buffalo bull. He actually was so successful in breeding that he's in time out. He sticks out his tongue at us to intimidate us.
And look, these male deer battle with their horns for dominance. They look healthy to me!
The Uganda Giraffe is a majestic creature. Just look at their long lashes and cute little drooly muzzle. Yes, I'm in love!
Unfortunately it is one of the most endangered species of giraffe, with only a few hundred members in the wild. This species has distinctly visible patches on its pelt and a whopping five ossicones. (Don't see the forth and fifth ones? Look behind their ears!)
Though a bit slobbery, we don't mind their 18 inch tongues. What?!
Don't let his goo goo pretty eyes fool you. He's trying to eat my yummy leaves. It's ok. He has a big heart. Two feet long and 25 pounds to be exact!
That's right. I tried to National Geographic this oryx.
The Indian Rhinoceros looks like fully armored beast.
Until you feed it apples and scratch its sweet spot!
That's right. I tried to National Geographic this oryx.
The Indian Rhinoceros looks like fully armored beast.
Until you feed it apples and scratch its sweet spot!
