The
people's choice in Livingston County... and beyond!
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The
people's choice in Livingston County... and beyond!
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Please note: More complete information about this
and related subjects can be found in our new
Western New York Travel Guide. You
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Hi there. I'm Nosey, a full-blooded North American river otter. And, don't
go making jokes about my name or I will totally soak you when you come to
see me. I know 101 uses for water; that's why I'm the star of the Seneca
Park Zoo.
There's four of us otters and we're the highlight of the zoo's new Genesee
Trail and Discovery Center, some really cool digs called-gosh, I hope I
get this right-"A naturalistic exhibit and interactive learning experience
for humans and their litters, I mean kids."
The trail has other animals, too, like beaver, real reindeer, kangaroos
and an awesome snow leopard. We otters can play on the water slide outside,
or swim underwater and make faces at you, inside, eye-to-eye, through the
glass wall of our aquarium.
I just came back from visiting the zoo hospital where I saw volunteer humans
nursing the new baby kangaroo. They sewed pouches on the front of their
sweatshirts (like a mama kangaroo) and nursed the baby with a bottle all
day and all night, for weeks! Those humans are so cute.
I got into a little trouble for going to the zoo hospital without permission.
So, maybe I did cause a couple of small problems on the way there. What
is it with those monkeys, anyway? Why do they get so much attention?
As far as I'm concerned we otters blow those monkeys right out of the water.
Okay, I admit, the little baby spider monkey is kinda cute and that silly
baby orangutan, Bandar, is a gas dragging his security blanket around with
him swinging on the ropes, but, hello!--don't you humans want to see the
rest of our family here at the zoo?
C'mon, follow me. I'm 5 years old and know all there is to know about this
place. We've got everything from an arctic fox to elephants, a bald eagle
and California sea lions-oh, they're just so West Coast-and check out these
two gigundo polar bears. Yukon's the daddy, Aurora's the mommy and they
like to play in the water, just like me.
I got into an argument with my sister, Emmy. I said that the polar bears
are kinda, sorta like giant white otters. She said all I ever think about
is otters. I'm gonna stick a snake in her dresser drawer for that remark.
And we've got snakes-gross!-and a tarantula as big as your hand, and even
poison dart frogs (Man, some guys will do anything to attract attention!).
My handler just caught up with me. These humans want to be in on all the
action, that's why we keep a few of them around. She wants me to remind
you that we're right in the middle of Seneca Park. Little humans get all
excited about the two playgrounds and big humans like these giant oak trees
and beech trees, and the trails that wind through them and overlook the
Genesee River gorge. My handler calls the gorge trail breathtaking and says
it's as beautiful as anything east of the Grand Canyon! And it's free. Cool,
huh?
If you go: Seneca Park Zoo, 2222 St. Paul St., 1/2 mile north of Route
104. 716-467-WILD. Open 365 days a year, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $3, adults; $1.50,
kids ages 5-15; children under 4, free.
The zoo is one of Rich Gardner's tamer hangouts.
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