African Safari in bloom at Bronx Zoo

Recently, someone asked me if I had been to the Central Park Zoo lately. Central Park has a fine zoo, as does Prospect Park. Both are fine if you happen to be in the neighborhood. As a destination, the Bronx Zoological Society is King of the Pack. To get the zoo experience one is looking for, timing can also prove crucial. 

Just this winter Nicole and I were enjoying a snowy day in the Bronx Zoo when a married couple approached us. "There are animals, here, right?" Asked the husband.

Yes, we assured them. Unfortunately, they had walked the entirety of the zoo's African collection--all of which takes a break during the winter months. Come spring, the giraffes, baboons and hyenas all come back to join their fair-weathered friends.

The Bronx Zoo is a relatively short walk from Metro-North's Fordham Station. If you're driving and you arrive early enough, you can also likely score free curbside parking on Southern Boulevard. It's always a good time to visit, and if you want to know why the northeast is having a late spring this year, well, I think I have an idea as to who ate the lamb . . . 

Was it the tigers . . .

Could it have been the bears?

Maybe it was this guy.

Update: Despite the weather forecast, today was sunny and warm. It looks like the lion sat down with lamb after all, and we can look forward to perfect harmony!

Plenty of love to go around.

Having fun in the snow.

Ice, slush, snow, snow crud. This winter has many people complaining, but in the Bronx, some of the locals are living it up!

It should go without saying that red pandas are indeed red, but alas, many a parent has expressed doubt and confusion at this creature and its rather appropriate name. Then again, these parents may have been thinking of the famous red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet panda.

Tiger Tales.

We had hoped to land in Pyongyang, but at the last minute, we got a call from the State Department. No go, they said. Too dangerous. The U.S. Government will not support you. The pilot headed north, hoping we might be able land in Vladivostock while the State Department would reconsider. All of a sudden I heard the co-pilot scream, "Look out!" I turned to the window and saw the unmistakable streak of a surface-to-air-missile. The pilot banked hard--but it was too late. The missile hit the left wing and were headed straight down.

I don't know how long I was out, but once I regained consciousness, it was clear that I was the sole survivor of a plane crash. Was I lucky? Or would I envy the dead? I wasn't even sure which side of the Amur River I was standing on. Was I in Russia, or China?

Then I hears a growl. International boundaries were the least of my concerns. A Siberian Tiger! He sauntered, slowly, as if teasing me. These fierce creatures eat photojournalists for sport. It's their game.

My one hope was to somehow distract the mighty animal and hope for an escape. I grabbed my Nikon D5200 DSLR and set the flash bulb to Christmas Party. Hey, if I didn't make it, at least I would go out with a blast . . .

But really . . .

I was taking photos of the Tigers at the Bronx Zoo. All of a sudden a group of pre-teenage schoolchildren showed up. This furry beast decided to give everybody a show. He hustled towards us and displayed his fangs in the most menacing way possible. 

Then he plopped down on the snow, belly up, paws in the air and started wagging his tail like an 800 house cat. What a ham!

How he likes to mock the hipsters and their silly little manicured mustaches!

A Tale of Two Tigers

Do you ever wake up and feel like your on top of the food chain?

This guy does.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Tiger Mountain, we saw an old friend. Then again, even though we have known her for what seems like a long time, she is way to young to be old. 

The Bronx zookeepers have moved the teenage tigers to the other side of Tiger Mountain. These teenagers are very cautious in their new surroundings. Look at the uncertainty in her eyes as she scouts her new surroundings and the way she stretches herself like a slinky as she climbs up the rocks to the top of Tiger Mountain. 

Watching these little babies grow up has been fun and intriguing. I wonder what these cool cats will look like once they become twentysomethings. I sure hope they don't turn into hipsters!

Then again, Tigers are just way to cool for that. 

You guys weren't looking at other cats, were you?!

The Tigers of 187th Street.

Last fall, Nicole was beaming with a new, exciting joy--and not just because we had just gotten married. No, she had something more important to bring to my attention.

"There are baby tigers at the Zoo!" She said, elatedly.

Ah, the Bronx Zoo. The flagship of all New York City Zoos. Perhaps the flagship of the world zoos. One of the oldest and largest facilities of its kind. A zoo where animals were once held captive in cages, and now are cared for in environments specifically designed to recreate the natural habitats. Whenever Nicole says "zoo trip," no further explanation is ever necessary.

We couldn't wait to see their precious, pretty little faces!

Getting to the zoo is a short, 15 minute bike ride away. Sometimes, before I go to sleep at night, I marvel at how some of the world's largest and most exotic animals are just two miles away from me. What a world we live in. We consider ourselves fortunate to have such a place to visit regularly.

And boy, the baby tigers certainly put on a show--not that they felt the need to be entertaining. Three little tiger cubs had a large portion of the tiger den to themselves, with the accompaniment and supervision of their mother. The little tiger cubs did what little tiger cubs do best: run, jump, and and tumble all over each other. Their every movement brought joy and excitement to the crowd--which ironically was mostly small children. What a sight indeed!

What is it with you kids being listless and lounging around!

Fast forward a few months. Those adorable little baby tiger cubs are now brooding teenagers. The playful world of king of the mountain and let's jump on mommy has been replaced by sullen staring contests as the teenage tigers gaze out in to an interminable distance. Sound familiar?

In the adjacent tiger den, some adult male Bengal tigers were taking advantage of their new living quarters. Booted out of one area to make room for the cubs, these 450 pound cats decided to let people know that this time, they were staying put. To do so, the big guys put on a very illustrative display that left little to the imagination. Hey, anything to let people know that you are top dog--or in this case, cat!

Top o' the morning to you, Mr. Alpha Male Bengal Tiger!

Idyllic childhood. Detached teenagers. Alpha Male Adults. And we are better than our animal friends how?

How to lock your bike in New York City.

When Nicole and I moved to New York, one of our primary causes of concern was potential bike theft. And our concerns were not unfounded: bike theft increased by 25 percent in the city last year. But we still have our bikes, we still ride them, and we still lock them up in public. How is it that we have avoided becoming a statistic in a city already notorious for being the stolen bike capital of the world?

Let's take a lock on the wild side!

Well, for starters, I am very lucky to study under the wisdom of Hal Ruzal, who really has made a name for himself as the king of bike security in the five boroughs. Learning from the master, and honing this skill after nearly two years of practice through experience has yielded a great peace of mind when Nicole and I sit down at a restaurant or go to the zoo or the Botanical Gardens. When we go out, we feel safe and secure knowing full well that our bikes will be there when we return.

Well, at least I feel secure. Nicole often says she's nervous, but I think the results speak for themselves. Any questions?