“First I saw the white bear, then I saw the black; Then I saw the camel with a hump upon his back; Then I saw the grey wolf, with mutton in his maw; Then I saw the wombat waddle in the straw; Then I saw the elephant a-waving of his trunk; Then I saw the monkeys—mercy, how unpleasantly they smelt!”

William Makepeace Thackeray, 1811 – 1863

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I went to the animal fair, the birds and the beasts were there, the old baboon by the light of the moon, was combing his auburn hair…

Anyway…went to Brookfield Zoo today for the first time in ages. Think it smelled about the same. Otherwise the experience wasn’t quite what I remember.

As a kid and an adult, it’s awesome to see the animals…and I mean that in the 16th century sense of the word. I am filled with awe by the great apes, the giraffe, the rhinoceros, the big cats, the grizzly bear.

What never registered as a kid is just how endangered so many of them are in the wild.

Brookfield Zoo is operated by the Chicago Zoological Society. The CZS mission “…is to inspire conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature.”

Parking, admission, attractions, food…today was fun, and a bit costly. An adult problem: which kid cares how much it costs?

As an adult, it was worth the 3 ½ hours of…awe.

No circus with animal acts will ever get my money. But Brookfield Zoo, with what they are working to accomplish with animal care and wildlife conservation…that is money well spent.