Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Cover: Zoo's Playful Orangutan

"Zoo Atlanta has evolved from a quaint picnic stop where people gawked at wild animals to a conservation organization seeking to engage the public in the lives of its animal ambassadors and the preservation of their counterparts in the wild." - Zoo Atlanta Website

Playful Orangutan at Zoo Atlanta
Playful Orangutan at Zoo Atlanta
This is one of my all-time favorite Atlanta photographs...orangutans are so much fun! They're not gregarious creatures, but they're subtly fascinating. I guess also I'm influenced by having seen "Every Which Way But Loose" starring Clint Eastwood when I was young, which co-starred an orangutan AND the movie had scenes in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, which was near one of my high schools.

Zoo Atlanta has consistently been a great visit, whether with friends from out-of-town or on my own to make photos (this photo was made while on a solitary photo excursion). 

With a history of more than 120 years (growing from a circus animal rescue effort), being one of the few zoos in the United States to host Pandas, and new babies all the time (Sumatran orangutan Blaze is expecting!), there's a LOT to discover here!

Enjoy the above pre-sized Facebook Cover Photo...it's one of my favorites! This one and many others are also posted at the wanderlust ATLANTA Facebook Page...go have a look and then go see the orangutans play!

2 comments:

Leslie Anne Tarabella said...

Orangutans look a little dangerous to me! I'd much rather visit the Zoo and see them from a safe distance. Although I've been to Atlanta a zillion times, I've never been to the Zoo. Great idea for my next trip.

Travis Swann Taylor said...

I think Orangutans are humorous creatures...they're adorable. If you at all have trepidation about them, then the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, DC might not be for you (or pre-map your routes). The Orangutans there have multiple habitats and they move to and fro via an overhead rope network! It's pretty cool, actually. Ours are much more tucked away in their wide open habitat.