Cheetah Run

 My primary mission at the Columbus Zoo June 26 was to shoot the cheetah run.

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I blew it completely. Totally. Indisputably. I was in a great viewing spot. I had good camera settings. As I looked through the viewfinder, I didn't even see the cheetah. Shoulda reviewed my previous experience.

Columbus June 12

I got a larger proportion of good shots than usual on this visit to the Columbus Zoo.

koala

red kangaroo

red kangaroo

siamang

African leopard

okapi

okapi

 

Columbus May 28

I went with family members on an after-hours tour of the Columbus Zoo.

A moose, the largest deer, can fold itself pretty compactly.

A puma, probably Goldie or Poppy, one of three orphaned because of fires in California in 2020.

A pallas' cat, or manul, pauses during scratching.

A markhor makes a leap.

Splooting, red panda style

Katy, a koala mom

Katy and Kora

Toledo May 27 Birds

Here's more from Toledo. I love the birds.

Himalayan monal

That guy 👆 is a challenge. He is spectacular, but I haven't seen him spend time in the open. The Pheasantry is a group of cages around a core building where keepers do their things. Most of the enclosures have plenty of bushes behind which birds can hide, and the food dishes are usually at the back. These are the best pictures I have of him.

roseate spoonbill

blue-winged kookaburra

laughing kookaburra

Swinhoe's pheasant

crested coua

Toledo May 27

The missing gardener and I went to the Toledo Zoo for early member hours mainly to see the polar bear twins, Kallu and Kallik. Unfortunately, he observation building was closed, so we couldn't see them under water. They were active and romping.

One of the twins

Those are Crystal's (mom's) legs.

Kallu and Kallik romping

This giraffe is missing some teeth, so his tongue tends to dangle.

Watusi cattle traffic jam. They were on their way from the near area to the main yard when they just stopped. (Facebook video, 2021)

Snow leopard. I assume this is Greta because this is her usual enclosure with the chilled rock. Her mate, Shishir, is usually next door. They've produced a number of cubs. (First cubs)

The North American river otters continue to entertain the primates with back flips off the glass.