An elephant went out to play

We went to Howlett's Zoo yesterday, a family and friends group of 11 of us. The top of the objectives was to see an Elephant called Jara, a shared adopted animal of Josh's. Luckily they had the pictures up of all the Elephant's, so we were able to pick her out.

She was with a larger female and a much smaller youngster, but I don't think she was aware that we'd come especially to see her!

In the next enclosure were the Rhinos. Not pretty but they are fascinating animals, always making you think of prehistoric times.

Sam, Jack and Josh had a good game while we had our picnic. The all got on very well, and Sam seemed to love the company of his cousins.

I've always thought that some of the "middle" sized cats were among the most beautiful animals in the world. I've only seen a couple of Servals in the wild, and then only briefly, but this one sat for a long time looking disdainfully at his admirers.

Honey Badger, or Ratel, is an animal I've not seen on my visits to Africa. No bigger than our Badgers they have a reputation as being very ferocious. The also have a well know association with Greater Honey Guides, that lead the Honey Badger to the bees nest so that they can profit from the opened honeycombs.

Any where with lots of animals and food attracts birds, and there are loads of Magpies scavenging in the enclosures.

Normally Stock Doves are quite shy, but they were happily coming to feed in the Bison enclosures near to the visitors.

Around the picnic area Rooks were performing a good function of clearing up any left overs. It is amazing how habituated they had become.

There were also loads of Chaffinches, here seen among the cigarette butts. Smokers just don't seem to recognise that they are littering the place when they leave the evidence of their addiction on the ground.