Well let's start with a picture of the Toronto Zoo...December 26, 2018, it was SUPER cold. FREEZING outside.
All those animals there, most that we saw, are these AMAZING animals, from jungles and rainforests and tropical locations of the world.... and they are all separated into their own little domes and buildings during winter time here in Canada.
It sounds like in the summer they are outdoors more, but these winter season days, they stay inside... in these small and very bland environments.
These two AMAZING creatures, were in this space that you see behind me....with the background painted as it would look, if it were a REAL environment.... you WOULD see vast land, flat... yet with big trees, and mountains about, vast landscape....
no buildings.... LAND.
With different creatures, and land....textures and tastes....green-ish trees and shrubs and dry-plantlife that they would be eating from.
They were beautiful. I was quite enchanted by them...they were so big and tall and graceful.
But....
they were in this weird environment, that i cannot imagine how that FEELS for them, when their natural habitat is SO MUCH DIFFERENT.
the fact that there is just a PAINTING of what their environment is supposed to look like, felt like mocking.... it was more for us onlookers... not to stimulate for them AT ALL. They don't buy that, you know? ya can't eat the leaves in those paintings.... you can't walk, and feel the wind and sun on your beautiful tall interestingly shaped body...you can't RUN for your life away from those Lions chasing you... and escape because you run so fast and there is much space to run away from them....
We all know the bad rep of zoos, the pros and cons... obviously i am a person who leans towards 'natural', so i certainly noticed many of the flaws of the zoo-system-environment. This did not take away from my awe of earth's creatures, and their beauty, and amazing unique perfections...
This was my first time seeing giraffes....first time, and first time at the zoo....
I have seen many amazing animals in the 'wild', in their natural homeland and habitats. Elephants in India, Zebras in Ethiopia.... Gorillas in Uganda.
I have been Blessed to have seen these amazing grand creatures in their lands.
SO seeing these amazing beautiful creatures... so grand... and beautiful, and just unlike what i expected (even though i have seen enough pictures etc etc of them)...in this little too-small and SO boring of a habitat.... it made me feel sad.
And i expressed this to my kids... as we looked at them together, a bit in awe.... appreciating.... but this is a conversation for their elder future selves... but definitely one we have started already. Speaking of pachamama, and her creatures...and the land that is ALIVE in which they live, and come from.
Next step is maybe watching more videos, that showcases the animals in their habitats... to really bring home how amazing they are, and how it is our responsibility to honour them, and care for the earth... or else they will disappear.
and also, to really understand the BIG and complex picture of that, and how we, in our own little toronto canada bubble, ACTUALLY are connected to them, in their natural habitats, across the world.
we are all one...
and those giraffes (and RHINO, and orangutans, and grand snakes, etc etc!) were so amazing to see alive.... even at the zoo... i give thanks....
Long live them all.
p.s. Our trip to the Toronto zoo was December 26, 2018. This was written Jan 15 2019- i am a mama of twins, trying to keep life together, and so this piece of writing got delayed! ;) I think that's the only day of the year the zoo is 50% off FYI, for future reference folks!
All those animals there, most that we saw, are these AMAZING animals, from jungles and rainforests and tropical locations of the world.... and they are all separated into their own little domes and buildings during winter time here in Canada.
It sounds like in the summer they are outdoors more, but these winter season days, they stay inside... in these small and very bland environments.
These two AMAZING creatures, were in this space that you see behind me....with the background painted as it would look, if it were a REAL environment.... you WOULD see vast land, flat... yet with big trees, and mountains about, vast landscape....
no buildings.... LAND.
With different creatures, and land....textures and tastes....green-ish trees and shrubs and dry-plantlife that they would be eating from.
They were beautiful. I was quite enchanted by them...they were so big and tall and graceful.
But....
they were in this weird environment, that i cannot imagine how that FEELS for them, when their natural habitat is SO MUCH DIFFERENT.
the fact that there is just a PAINTING of what their environment is supposed to look like, felt like mocking.... it was more for us onlookers... not to stimulate for them AT ALL. They don't buy that, you know? ya can't eat the leaves in those paintings.... you can't walk, and feel the wind and sun on your beautiful tall interestingly shaped body...you can't RUN for your life away from those Lions chasing you... and escape because you run so fast and there is much space to run away from them....
We all know the bad rep of zoos, the pros and cons... obviously i am a person who leans towards 'natural', so i certainly noticed many of the flaws of the zoo-system-environment. This did not take away from my awe of earth's creatures, and their beauty, and amazing unique perfections...
This was my first time seeing giraffes....first time, and first time at the zoo....
I have seen many amazing animals in the 'wild', in their natural homeland and habitats. Elephants in India, Zebras in Ethiopia.... Gorillas in Uganda.
I have been Blessed to have seen these amazing grand creatures in their lands.
SO seeing these amazing beautiful creatures... so grand... and beautiful, and just unlike what i expected (even though i have seen enough pictures etc etc of them)...in this little too-small and SO boring of a habitat.... it made me feel sad.
And i expressed this to my kids... as we looked at them together, a bit in awe.... appreciating.... but this is a conversation for their elder future selves... but definitely one we have started already. Speaking of pachamama, and her creatures...and the land that is ALIVE in which they live, and come from.
Next step is maybe watching more videos, that showcases the animals in their habitats... to really bring home how amazing they are, and how it is our responsibility to honour them, and care for the earth... or else they will disappear.
and also, to really understand the BIG and complex picture of that, and how we, in our own little toronto canada bubble, ACTUALLY are connected to them, in their natural habitats, across the world.
we are all one...
and those giraffes (and RHINO, and orangutans, and grand snakes, etc etc!) were so amazing to see alive.... even at the zoo... i give thanks....
Long live them all.
p.s. Our trip to the Toronto zoo was December 26, 2018. This was written Jan 15 2019- i am a mama of twins, trying to keep life together, and so this piece of writing got delayed! ;) I think that's the only day of the year the zoo is 50% off FYI, for future reference folks!
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