Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
A Rainy Day at the Zoo – In Black and White
Yesterday we visited the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle even though rain was in the forecast.
And rain it did, most of the time we were there.
Even so, I carried my camera and managed to sneak some pictures of the animals, which I later changed to black and white for this week’s Sunday Stills Challenge.
Many of them were well suited to this change including the zebra
who looked good from any angle.
The giraffe stayed inside but gave us a smile while he was eating.
The monkeys stayed in their caves wondering what on earth we were doing outside,
and the lemurs were also surprised.
But the big cats were not daunted.
We ended our visit with the gorillas, who went about their business taking no mind of us, for which I was grateful.
I love animals and whenever I visit the zoo, I fall in love with them all over again. Always with a mix of joy and sadness. Joy at the beauty and uniqueness of each; sadness they aren’t able to live freely in their natural habitat. And yet that habitat is disappearing. So I’m happy they have a place at Woodland Park, where efforts have been made to build homes for them as true to nature as possible.
Now before I go, I’ll leave you with the beautiful and industrious Weavers, building their nests for spring.
Life is better in color.
~ Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 
Well, Zebras are a very suitable subject for B&W photos, Susanne. 🙂
Shame about that rain though.
Best wishes, Pete.
Yes, the zebras work, don’t they? 😉 Today and tomorrow will be clear but it worked out better for us to go yesterday, despite the rain. We do what we can! 🙂 🙂
I have been to London Zoo in the rain, and to Monkey World in Dorset when it was pouring down. Sometimes, the weather doesn’t respect our advance planning! 🙂
Exactly! Life goes on, even in the rain!
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It rained here too, Susanne, a big surprise to us since it wasn’t in the forecast! What lovely B&W shots of the beautiful animals in the zoo. It has been too long since I’ve been to any zoo. I have to agree that many of these creatures are well-protected and can educate people about the plight of our world where wildlife is concerned. Love the zebra shots and the lemur certainly posed for you!
Thanks so much, Terri. We hadn’t been to the Woodland Park Zoo in at least 5 years, so it was nice to visit, even in the rain! And since it was rainy, I didn’t feel bad to share the pictures in black and white, so it worked well for your challenge. Especially the zebras! 🙂
I also meant to add how gorgeous the birds were too!
Thanks so much! I loved their brilliant color and watching them build their nests!
It is a hard thing to think of these days, about zoos and what they represent, isn’t it. Most of us desperately want the animals to be forever free living out their natural lives in their own habitats undisturbed by enclosures and humans. But then we are essentially required to confront issues such as the wholesale slaughter of elephants for ivory. Of rhinos for “horn.” Of other rare and endangered ones for bush meat, or for religious, cultural, or so-called “medicinal” purposes.And finally sadly having to realize that eventually the only safe place for the ones remaining will be the zoos.
Yes, I wish there was room for all in their natural habitat. But that is less and less the case. So good zoos are critical for keeping them alive and well. Woodland Park does a good job building enclosures very much like their native habitat. Except of course, the ability to run free.
I love good black and white photos like yours, Susanne
Thanks so much, Don! I don’t think I’m good at black and white photos, but the zoo animals seemed to cooperate with me this week. 🙂
Oh my word! Those lemurs are adorable! And of course I love the big cats too😀
Thank you! I loved seeing them all! 😊😊
Nice photos despite the rain!
Thank you so much! 🙂
Your photography is outstanding Susanne. Love the black and white. The animals work well with this format. I haven’t been to the zoo in a while, appreciate you bringing me along! 💕C
Thank you so much! I wasn’t thrilled with the photos because of the rain, but it seemed to work out in black and white and gave me a chance to join the Sunday Stills Challenge! 🙂
These work great in B&W, Susanne. The last time I went to Woodland Park Zoo was for a concert and it rained so hard on the way there I wasn’t sure I was going to make it!
Thanks so much, Graham. They looked better in B & W to me, than they did in color. And I guess I should be used to the rain by now, having lived here my whole life. Fortunately it wasn’t raining on the way there, and was clearing on the way home.
You certainly managed to get some good shots despite the rain. I love the giraffe portrait, and I had to laugh at the second zebra shot. I think the monkey shares my thoughts about rainy weather 😆 I am a bit ambivalent about zoos these days but happy to visit those that house their animals properly and do good conservation work. As for those weavers, what a glorious colour!
Thanks so much! I was disappointed with my pictures until I began to play with them in B&W. I love their expressions. 😊 But I had to share the weaver in living color!
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Great B & W shots! I agree with you on the sadness of zoos, my partner refuses to go to them if she can get out of it. My favorites are the gorillas because they look so intelligent.