Animal Attractions for the Little Ones

After the recent events regarding the escaped tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo in December 2007, the focus of the media has largely been on the problems of this San Francisco institution. Questions are constantly raised as to treatment of its larger animals and the morality of capturing animals and depriving them of their freedom. While these are very important questions that need to be probed, they are wholly ignored by the blissfully oblivious like my young pal Grady.

On a recent trip to the zoo, Grady, my wife Lucky and I decided to enjoy a beautiful day at the Children’s Zoo.

All the lions, tigers and bears were largely ignored as the majority of our time was spent petting goats and sheep at the Family Farm section of the Children’s Zoo. To see all the children running to and fro, feeding the animals or combing their coats, it was hard to imagine that the zoo in the news and the zoo they were at were generally the same place. Here, the most dangerous part about the place was that a few of the animals would aggressively nudge people to get them to feed them special little pellets of food that could be purchased.

This was little Grady’s first up-close and personal exposure to animals. Sure, he had seen dogs on leashes and pigeons at the park, but he had never had any close encounters with animals. He was so eager to touch real sheep he had previously only seen in his books. On the verge of hyperventilation, his little hands excitedly rubbed and occasionally pulled at the animals’ coats. Fortunately, the animals were used to it and did not retaliate.

The Children’s Zoo also has a fascinating collection of insects and spiders for older children at the unfortunately misnamed Insect Zoo. Those with arachnophobia may want to stay away from the exhibit Otherwise, it is an amazing collection that introduces children and adults to scorpions, tarantulas, walking sticks, and many other creepy crawlies.

Of course the zoo has its share of tigers, gorillas and bears (at the new Grizzly Gulch) for those who like the bigger animals. Bu if the zoo does not fit your fancy, there are also animals in Golden Gate Park. Besides the squirrels that beg for food in the Botanical Garden, there is also the Bison Paddock. Yes, they are locked up and kept at quite a distance to really be appreciated, but how often do you get to see bison (other than in the zoo)?

Another place in Golden Gate Park you and your young ones may find interesting is the Conservatory of Flowers. You read that correctly. From now until November, part of the Conservatory will house butterflies in the “Butterfly Zone.” We went in mid-March when it just opened- there weren’t an overwhelming number of butterflies, but they were a sight to behold. And at $3 for students (and free for children under 4, $1.50 for children 5-11), it won’t kill your budget. There is a butterfly bungalow which houses caterpillars in various states of the transformation into butterflies. I assume that later in the year, these new butterflies will increase the population flitting about the butterfly zone.

Originally published: www.ucsf.edu/synapse/articles/2008/Apr/17/animals.html