Who says zoos are just for kids!?
I love visiting zoos. I have been to Delhi Zoo many times before, but this visit was very
special. Before I tell why, let me tell you a bit about this place first.
Spread over 170 acre, its located
near Purana Quila (old fort).Well, yes, I have this fort marked for my next
visit. Delhi zoo is indeed huge. It gives you a feel of actually walking
through the wild forest, only less scary. The entry ticket costed me mere Rs
40.
The zoo has maps inside to guide
the visitors accordingly. Though it is best to tour on foot, the zoo also has battery
operated trolley service for those who can’t walk for a long.
Initially, as always, all I could see were
deer. Hog deer, sambhar deer, spotted deer, black bug, chinkara and what not.
To be honest, it was getting a bit boring. But not after I saw what made me
awestruck, a dancing peacock. Nope, it wasn’t raining. It was the first time I
had seen one. Always heard of how beautiful they look, but never really had a
chance to experience something like this.
And oh boy, was it beautiful? The dancing and shimmering feathers with
shades of blues and greens was what made my day. Things like these make me feel
so insignificant and marvel at the beauty of nature. It was beyond what words
can describe.
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| If you can spot the peacock;) |
Next, I got to see an African
elephant, hippos, black bears, some monkeys, jackal, crocodile, giraffe. Oh, giraffe is a designer animal. I mean just look at him! Simply amazing! Does the word 'graffiti' has its genesis from 'giraffe'? Just asking!;)
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| The tall and the handsome |
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| He was huge |
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| As still as a stone |
Seeing the dancing peacock was
like a beginners’ luck. Because you got to have a lucky day to see what I saw next. Throughout my walk, I was looking for one animal in particular, the king of jungle!
And then what I saw could only be described through this pic -
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| Like a boss |
Yes, there he was. Big and beautiful. With thick and dark mane. Siting like a boss in front of the den.
I gasped at his beauty, strength and power, for few minutes, and then bid adieu with a salute to the king!
As if this wasn't enough , I caught a glimpse of the jaguar, tiger and the white tiger, one of the only 250 left in the entire world. Just imagine that! Yes, the figure is heart breaking and disappointing.
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| Taking a power nap |
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| Enjoying the pool in the heat |
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| This white tiger made the headlines last year. Know why!? |
Watching these big cats was indeed an awesome experience.
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| Yes! we do need to stop it. |
Whether a Zoo is an ethical way of keeping animals or not, is still a debatable topic for me. I won't be lying, though I had a great time, but seeing them caged hit me a little inside. On another thought, if the authorities promise or rather swear, to take good care of the animals, may be its the only way to show kids how beautiful these creatures are and to teach them the art of conservation and protection of endangered species.
What do you think!? Please comment below.
The concept of caged animals is horrible indeed, but yes, as long as they are maintained it's a great way to educate the kids about how diverse life on our planet is.
ReplyDeleteAs for the dancing peacock, I was lucky to see something even more impressive - a white peacock and a colored one were showing off in front of each other!
I totally agree with you Antonina.
DeleteAnd i have never seen a white peackock. It must have been an awesome site..:D