this is tough for me. i think i'm growing less fon...

this is tough for me. i think i'm growing less fond of zoos these days. i found myself fairly depressed while walking the grounds as i noticed the very small, dirty enclosures, with most of the animals huddled in the corners of their enclosures or anxiously pacing the perimeters. they didn't necessarily look neglected or in major distress, but i definitely felt like my presence there wasn't exactly doing any good for these poor creatures. while i fully understand that most of these animals were born into captivity or were in some way injured and cannot survive in the wild, it's difficult to be able to justify putting them on display. still, it was pretty wonderful to get to see a snow leopard, polar bear and amur tiger up close. go early (9-10am) or in the evening, or you risk visiting when they're all sleeping.