A Day At The Zoo

At the end of the summer, Valentina and I went to the Bronx Zoo for a last hurrah.  

Hot take: zoos are not strictly for children, as animals are universal. 

And yet there were children everywhere. 

Valentina and I made our way through the crowds of strollers in scorching hot weather, feeling very superior to the toddler who kicked its shoes into the gazelle pen, and losing our minds over the beautiful elephants, same as any sane person would.

This led to many great discussions, such as “what animal would you want to be reincarnated as?” and “do you want kids?”

The Bronx Zoo claims that all of the animals they have in captivity are the result of being rescued from the wild and rehabilitated, which was justification enough for Valentina and me to enjoy ourselves. 

I pspspsped the giraffes and they did the same thing that my cat does when I do it to her: not come towards me. 

I kept my Harry Potter references to a minimum when in the reptile room, staring at the boa constrictors behind glass. 

I used the limited amount of animal knowledge that I could recall from childhood to keep the conversation going.

How many bones do giraffes have in their neck? 

7, the same as humans. They’re just longer.

Are zebras white with black stripes or black with white stripes? 

It depends on the zebra. You can shave them and have your answer.

What animal rules the animal kingdom?

My house cat thinks it’s her. 

Valentina and I spent the afternoon reclaiming zoos for adults. We did not see any Capybaras or Ocelots, the respective favorite animals of Valentina and myself. We missed the penguins, which were the main reason that we went, but we can always take another trip to the zoo in the coming year. 

We were able to see lions, elephants, giraffes, and every other majestic type of animal from the Animal Kingdom. I desperately want to go on a safari but due to my on-going fear that I will accidentally cause my own death one day, I’m thinking about maybe sitting that one out. 

My recommendation would be for everyone to go to the Bronx Zoo and experience it for themselves, so that you might stare at the penguins and succeed where Valentina and I failed.

The Tragic Queen,

Raquel