Behind the Scenes at the Zoo

My wife sponsors the Polar Bear Zero at the Milwaukee County Zoo.  Twice a year sponsors get to take behind the scenes tours of some of the facilities, so we went over and toured around.

We went into the elephant area and the area where all the African animals spend nights and all winter - underneath the cat house and outside African Animal area.

The Elephant area was interesting in its size.  The walls are probably 10 inch thick concrete and the cage bars are massive.  They showed how they safely coral the elephants, rhinos, and hippos into the building and talked about things I have never thought mattered like how to keep the elephants nails filed down.

The winter/night quarters weren't as interesting but it is a large area very reminiscent of a livestock barn.  The coolest part was looking though a barred door that had the "Danger - Lion Moat" sign.  Out this door was the moat that separates lions, cheetas, and hyenas from the other animals.

Pictures from the zoo