Fuzzy Visits His Cousin

Hi Kids,
     It's almost time for spring break and I want to show you one of my favorite things to do in Oklahoma City. Did you know we have one of the best zoos in the country?
     I made a special trip to the zoo a few weeks ago and the zoo people announced that one of the Indian rhinoceroses is going to have a baby next fall. They are very excited because Indian rhinos are rare and they are trying to keep the species from disappearing.
     The rhinos were taking a nap when I was there. It was also a very cold day so we made a short visit. Spring break will be warmer -- the perfect time to visit.

     This is a komodo dragon. It isn't really a dragon -- it's a lizard. But it is so big if it were standing up straight, balancing on the tip of its tail, it would be taller than your classroom door. It's also mean. Its bite is poisonous. It's big enough and strong enough to kill a cow for dinner. 
     

      When it gets warm enough, the lorikeet exhibit opens. Lorikeets are small parrots from Australia. They eat insects, berries and soft fruits and they like nectar. That's a sugary liquid. You can buy a small cup of nectar and feed them.
      

     The zoo has lots of different areas. One of my favorite is Oklahoma Trails. I like it because all the animals can be found in Oklahoma. And I like it because there is a statue of a bear in front of the exhibit. 

     This is a cougar. It is very unusual to see a cougar in the wild. They are very secretive and are more likely to hunt in the late afternoon or after dark. This animal is called by a number of names -- cougar, mountain lion, puma, panther, painter or catamount. They are not as large as African lions or tigers but they are much bigger than their house cat cousins.

     You'll only find alligators in the very tip of southeast Oklahoma. I have seen alligator egg shells there, but fortunately I didn't see a real alligator when I was there. I think I would have looked like a nice snack for them.

     And here is my cousin -- a black bear. Did you know black bears can be black, brown, even blond? Maybe most of them are black. They live in the woods in eastern Oklahoma.               These are just a few of the animals you can see at the zoo. There are also elephants, giraffes, bison, giant turtles, fish, snakes and even more. I love to go to the zoo. I hope you get to go on your spring break.    
Your friend,
Fuzzy