The Cleveland Zoo

Recently my partner and I joined the Cleveland Zoo. We have been members of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History for a few years; this year we decided to branch out. The zoo has a new veterinary facility opening this fall, with a preview period for members only, starting on September 26. So that is how I plan to celebrate George's birthday, weather permitting. No, there is no particular logic to this choice; it is merely an accident of timing. But of course I will also listen to a Gershwin tune, my usual small and more relevant tribute.

Belonging to a zoo is actually a pretty cool thing. You get in for free, which is nice when finances are tight. Of course, you paid for the membership, so the more you go the more economical it becomes. Nice incentive to get out of the house and get some fresh air and exercise.

Another nice thing is that your dollars support important research and conservation efforts. Many of our most endangered species are surviving primarily in zoos; others whose survival is less tenuous still benefit from having something of a "buffer zone" in zoo populations. Zoos work collectively to ensure species health by careful breeding programs to maintain and improve genetic diversity in small populations. Related research develops successful breeding methods for species which have a difficult time mating and raising healthy offspring in captivity.

Zoos also work very hard these days to make the animals' lives more interesting and enjoyable. "Enrichment" includes play activities, training, toys, and food presentation which more closely emulates the animals' natural feeding experience. I am sorry we missed seeing the lions stalking and bringing down the cardboard "zebra" the last time we were there. It was thoroughly demolished by the time we arrived, and they were basking in the afterglow amid striped tubes and shreds of paper.

Somethin' tells me it's all happenin' at the zoo....