Outing to Paignton Zoo

This morning we made a really early start, to arrive in time for breakfast at Paignton Zoo. It was a church event, with the Bishop of Exeter attending. We had a choice of continental or full English breakfast (we both had the former) and it was delicious. There was a good crowd of people there and we made some new friends and met up with old ones too. After breakfast, the bishop spoke most entertainingly and movingly – I had not encountered him before and I was very impressed.

After this we decided to take advantage of where we were, and went round the zoo – it’s some time since we went. The weather was very overcast and showery but it didn’t spoil our enjoyment. Lots of photos follow! I also took some video clips but these need editing.

Pretty flamingos. Lots of ducks kept them company too.

Arum lilies growing beside the stream.

I love this elephant’s bottom! Unfortunately his front half isn’t the other side of the wall!

We can never visit the zoo without calling on the tigers. They are my favourite animals in the zoo, and today they really gave us a show. We thought they’d stay in their house because it was drizzling, but they came out and walked past us, and then played and rolled around together! They are sooo beautiful!

We found this plaque of a poem written by a six-year-old boy.

A Ural owl.

The lions were all out and about too, some on the roof of their house.

 

This funny little creature is a capybara from South America. It looked like an over-sized guinea pig!

Two camels, four humps. I think the further one has just told a joke because the nearer one looks as if he is laughing! What extraordinary looking creatures they are.

Here are the giraffes in their outside enclosure, enjoying an elevated snack. They are so slow and dignified and do everything in slo-mo, it seems.

The elephant came out to say howdy to the giraffes.

We went inside the giraffe house because we’d been told that a baby was born a couple of weeks ago – isn’t she absolutely adorable?

Beautiful giraffe fur.

Our little baby learning to groom herself.

She doesn’t have a name yet, and apparently they are running a competition to name her on Facebook.

Bluebells.

Black rhino. One lugubrious old gentleman.

Here is a creature I’d never heard of before, called a Coati. Not sure where it came from. It was trotting about, showing off its beautiful striped tail.

Suddenly it grabbed hold of some leaves and dashed off with them, disappearing inside its house. Making a nest perhaps, or wanting a snack in private.

When we were furthest away from the exit, my buggy battery decided to die intermittently – my hubby said he probably hadn’t charged it up for long enough. It had got very flat because I haven’t used it lately. It was fine going down hill but climbing the hills it kept cutting out so my hubby had to push me to give the battery a helping hand! NOT what we wanted – we got the buggy in the first place so that he wouldn’t have to push my wheelchair when I got too tired to do it for myself. We got back OK, and we swapped it for the wheelchair.

We went back to the restaurant and had lunch, and then had a lovely wander around the shop. I photographed a gorgeous little metal hanging fish, beautifully painted with an ombre effect. I edited out the background to show it off better.

Back view.

I fell in love with this painted metal chicken.

I thought there was lots of design potential in these – maybe to make in fabric or mixed media? Or just to draw, colour or fill with Zentangle.

Outside the entrance was this painted gorilla,

and also these banana trees.

Then back home, and I needed a rest!