A Field Trip to the National Zoo!

It  is a very busy time of the year, boys and girls. I know you are all excited and ready to begin your summer break. I really want to show off the wonderful students I met in Raleigh County last week, so I will hurry and tell you about my field trip to the National Zoo!

I went back to Washington, D.C., a few weeks ago to go on a field trip with the 5th graders at Tomahawk. Now, they are much older children that are almost in middle school, but they are mostly very polite and kind to me. Since a zoo is a place where you can see and learn about animals from all over the world, I was very excited about going. Even though it made me a little sad to see my friends in cages and enclosed areas, I know they are very well cared for and have wonderful lives living at the National Zoo.

Well, I know the best way to share my field trip with you is through pictures! I will explain a little about all the animals I met so you can learn more about the beautiful creatures outside West Virginia!

I first went to see some of the birds - Clay's request! I saw many fascinating feathered friends I had never met in the Mountain State! Some of them were very friendly and talkative; others wanted to be left alone.

This is a stork! Did you know they make no sound?! They "clatter"
their bills to get attention! Storks eat earthworms and insects...and even small
frogs and other birds!

Here are the flamingos! They were very noisy! Many times, they will
stand on just one foot. They get their reddish color from the bacteria in their food supply.
The redder the flamingo, the healthier the bird! Flamingos live in the Caribbean, South America,
Africa, and Asia!

The Scarlet Ibis is another bird that gets its color from
what it eats! They love areas that are wet and muddy!

This is a Cassowary, also known as the "Australian Big Bird!"
His feet are huge! The Cassowary does not fly. The only birds that are taller and
heavier are the emu and ostrich! Cassowaries love to eat fruit and are very shy
(he wouldn't even look at me)!

Believe it or not, boys and girls...but this is a cardinal -
the Red Crested Cardinal! It lives in South America, Hawaii,
and Puerto Rico! Clay was happy that excited to hear
about his relatives from down south!

Next, I went to see the Pandas! Everyone is talking about the Panda exhibit at the National Zoo, so I patiently (and very excitedly) waited my turn to meet them! The Pandas at the National Zoo are from bamboo forests in the country of China! They will be at the National Zoo until 2015. Panda are endangered animals. There are only 1,600 in the wild, and about 300 in zoos around the world.

This is the Panda Cam room - where scientists monitor the
pandas to learn about them and make sure they are healthy.

Tian Tian was taking a nap when we stopped by to visit. 

It was lunch time for Mei Xiang! Pandas love to eat bamboo!
She has to get enough nourishment so she can feed her cub, Bao Bao.

I thought you would like to see Mei Xiang in action. I don't know if I would like to be taped when I am eating my honey, but it's not every day you get to meet a panda!

Bamboo must be very tasty! It's a panda's only food source -
but pandas in zoos will also get sugar cane and other
nutritious treats, like fruit popsicles!

Panda selfie with my bear friend from China!

Bao Bao, the baby, was taking a nap! She is an excellent climber
and worked her way to the top of these rocks in her exhibit. Even though the
children outside were very loud she kept sleeping. She must have been very
tired from playing.

I then met some animals from Africa. That is a continent far, far, away from the United States.

These fellows are known as oryx. They are related to the antelope.
The oryx also lives in the Middle East. Many species of the oryx are
endangered or very close to extinction. It makes me sad that my
animal friends are hunted for their antlers.

Here is the zebra! Aren't his markings magnificent? They are
also endangered in their natural habitats, as they are hunted
for their beautiful coats. Did you know that this black
and white member of the horse family can see in color?

My elephant friend staying cool! They like to spend their days
near water. Elephants live in Africa and Asia. Their large ears help
keep them cool, and their long trunks have about 150,000 muscles! They
use their trunks do many things - breathe, grab things, make noise, and suck water
to drink or spray on themselves! 

Last, I visited some members of the cat family. Truthfully, I do not like cats, boys and girls. Mrs. Sponaugle has two cats and home, and they have made it very clear we are not friends. It hurts my feelings, and I don't like it how they glare at me from across the room. The cats I saw were much larger than Alex or Frankie, "teacher's pets."

This is a cheetah. It is the fastest land animal in the world! It can
run as fast as 75 miles per hour - but only for very short distances.
Yikes - I think he would win a game of tag at recess!

His beautiful spotted coat helps keep him camouflaged. His fur
is dark under his eyes to his noes to keep the sunlight out of his eyes
when hunting - like the "black stuff" football players put under
their eyes before they play a game! 

See - I told you he was fast!

The tigers were getting ready to take their cat nap.  They are
the largest cats in the world! Mrs. Sponaugle just loves them...but remember,
cats are not my favorites. Tigers mostly live in Asia - and are very endangered.

Here are some lionesses staying cool and eating their lunch.
They have those boards on the trees to keep the big cats from
scratching the trees to pieces (like a giant scratch post). They live in
Africa. Only the male lions have a mane around their faces to make them
look larger.

It was so fun to be with the children from Tomahawk, celebrating the end of the school year. I am sorry to see them go, but I know it just means there are more students next year to meet!

I will soon tell you about the children I met in Raleigh County...and another field trip I went on with some students from West Virginia!

Until next time...