10 Countries: 22 Days: 27 Zoos/National Parks

Of course Mole House photos forthcoming! I believe I saw pangolins at 4 zoos on this trip: Taipei, Night Safari, Ueno and Batu Secret Zoo. Before this trip San Diego and Leipzig were my only pangolin experiences. I also stopped by the Carnivore and Pangolin Conservation Program next door to the Endangered Primate Rescue Center, but they weren't available for tours at that time and all of their nocturnal residents were asleep anyways.

 

Toba Aquarium wins! Posting now:

 

Best news I've heard all day! Bring on the Dugong pictures!

 

Any more?

 

Yes I know I've been slacking haha- what should be next?

 

Moscow & Novosibirsk Zoos

 

Novosibirsk just posted!! Sorry for the delay!

Novosibirsk Zoo | ZooChat

 

Indonesia & Australia

 

Really apologize for the delay. I thought I'd have more time to work on photos than I ended up having. Unfortunately I'll be busy for about the next month, so I'll have to resume uploading in late July. I'll also be taking a short hiatus from ZooChat until then. See you next month!

 

Okay, back after my mini-hiatus! Uploading Moscow now, and then will get to Indonesia & Australia. Thoughts on which one first? And how about what's next after the 3 mentioned?

 

Batu Secret Zoo next please!

 

Ooh! The Cuc Phuong Endangered Primate Center! Just a question, was it peaceful when you were in Vietnam? Any disruption in the cities? Uneasiness from the citizens? How was it?

 

But it's a secret...I'm not sure I'm allowed to post....

 

Absolutely peaceful! Finalizing my Visa was a little scary at the airport since I didn't have enough cash on me (I thought it was already paid for but of course there were additional charges, and no credit cards allowed) so their very strict security had to let me past the check point without my passport so I could get to an ATM and then head backwards through security with no passport haha. All worked out though!

Rained a lot (I mean A LOT!) while I was at Saigon zoo, but people that worked there were so nice and gave me rides on a covered golf cart once the rain died down a bit so I could get around slightly drier haha. Only attitude I got at all was from a merchant selling bunches of bananas outside my hotel, but that's because I was trying to only buy 1 banana and he wasn't having it haha.

Had a great driver in Hanoi for the day to take me down to Cuc Phuong and back (6-7 hour round trip.) He seemed to really enjoy getting out of the city into the completely opposite environment of a national park. He hiked around with me and went through a cave to help me look for bats (didn't find any unfortunately). He had no problem stopping at Hanoi zoo for me on the way home. Got to meet his family and dogs at the end of the day as well.

The people at Cuc Phuong Endangered Primate Center were also super nice and worked really well with the primates. With careful monitoring they allowed me to get closer to the fences to result in better photography.

 

Just wait till I get around to posting the 100s of species I saw in Plzen in 2010. 99 new species for me in one location (just missed out on 100 thanks to a no show from Richardson's Ground Squirrel- don't worry saw them in USA later). Absolutely stunning collection!! Of course it gets harder and harder for me to see lifers, but over the past decade no other collection approached 30 (Berlin Zoo was close) let alone 99!

 

"The secret's out" lol. Had a few species ID questions uploaded there for anyone who can help.

 

Finally got around to your Avilon request !

 

The 3 Japanese Zoos I visited will be next, then I'll finish Indonesia and Australia as those were also requested. That pretty much leaves some zoos from Thailand and Vietnam as well as the Taipei Zoo which sadly got no requests haha.