California Livin' Series: Honolulu Zoo (Honolulu)

Part two of my California Livin' series! Leggo...

Hooray, the zoo! Who doesn't like the zoo?

Vegans. Vegans don't like the zoo. Good thing I'm not vegan anymore.

Lots of animals here I've never heard of. Apparently they came out with a new kind of primate called a tamarin?

And a duiker which is some kind of antelope that we couldn't see. Then there was the typical zoo fare.

A couple formerly-black now red-with-mud rhinoceroses (rhinoceri should be a word).

The African hunting dog which was pretty.

Elephants are classic zoo. So are lions but we couldn't really see them. Lions are lions I guess.

More zoo fan favorites, giraffes and zebras. Spots and stripes do go together, eh.

And a whole lot of birds and primates.

Gorilla close-up.

This zoo is definitely kid-friendly. They have a playground.

They also have the Keiki zoo for kids where you can crawl in the exhibits, along with what looks like a classroom where they do activities.

They let the chickens roam around so you can kick them if you want (don't do that).

Apparently chickens and tortoises can make good pals. Or frenemies...

We were wondering how happy the animals here are. This Siberian tiger looked like she was going stir crazy in this tiny space by herself.

I guess there used to be three and now it's just her. I'm nearly as old as she is. A lot of other animals are by themselves in their exhibits which seems depressing. Or awesome, if you're an antisocial specimen.

The entire back of the zoo is designed to emulate a savanna.

We almost passed the little bird sanctuary. You have to go through some inconspicuous doors and chains (they keep the birds inside). Not too much to see in there but whatever. There's supposed to be a reptile house too but we couldn't find it anywhere.

There are some flora-devoted areas as well.

Perfect for picnicking.

Typical American fare at the restaurant, not that we tried anything. The Plantation Cafe has burgers and salads and stuff.

And the Arusha Waterhole is hidden away toward the back, with drinks and popcorn.

It appears to be perpetually closed, replaced with a vending machine. Plus a closed Dippin' Dots stand. I miss Dippin' Dots.

As always, there is a zoo gift shop. Standard souvenir-y stuff like jewelry, shirts, magnets, commemorative cups, hats, toys, and stuffed animals aplenty. Oh and animal crackers. Opportunity not missed.

I'm not a big zoo-goer but Honolulu Zoo is worth a gander because it's pretty big. I will leave you with this photo to ponder.