Minnesota Zoo

The Minnesota Zoo has a large building that hosts the Tropics Trail. There are enclosures for specific species, a pond with a gibbon island, an aquarium, and a walk-through aviary.

African dwarf crocodile

Maylayan tapir

 

American avocet

metallic starling

My video of this duck turned out badly, but I kept it because of the LOUD gibbon:

There are at least two white-cheeked gibbons. Males are black and females are white:

The aquarium can be viewed from above, and there is a fish that seems to have some personality. (I readily anthropomorphize animals, especially if I know their names.) I often saw it swimming quickly back an forth, even breaking the surface.

August 2023

 

It sometimes made a little splash, and look at those buck teeth! And bulging eyes! How can you not like this fish? Are you heartless? Burt is my favorite reptile, and this is my favorite fish. It was also a mystery fish because I couldn't identify its species.

Last December, I was standing at the top of the tank next to a family (of people). The dad said, "There goes Scooter!" This was exciting to me, because [see above]. I turned and asked if that's its name, and a daughter replied that's just what they call it. "It's a good name," I said.

Scooter, also August 2023

I wasn't sure what Scooter looked like other than from above because it's difficult to see the surface from the underwater viewing area. One way I identify animals is through Google's image search, but my overhead shots didn't work. In December, I got a side-on picture.

Scooter, December 2024

Google told me Scooter is a yellowmargin triggerfish. I'm sad that I no longer have a mystery fish but happy that I have a name, even if it's unofficial.