8/4 Visiting the Detroit Zoo after 45 years!

Anyway, I have always liked zoos and took my own children several times when they were babies up until they were in their teens.  But all of this was a very long time ago.  I now live in my motorhome and am legally now a resident of Ohio, but I try to get up to Michigan and Detroit at least once or twice every summer I am in the area.  

Unfortunately, I always seem to be rushed for time on these visits, but this time I was determined to get to the zoo and see what it looks like now.  Luckily, the big water tower at the entrance looks similar, but I am happy to see that the current mayor of Detroit has not included his name, as most of the others in the past did. 

 

 

I have a photo of what was probably the first time I ever was taken to the Detroit Zoo.  Normally, I don't post photos of myself or relatives, but I think the one below is appropriate because it was taken in about 1945 when I was barely two years old.  It shows my grandparents, some aunts, uncles, and cousins, and me.  It is not a good image of me, but I am standing slightly hidden by my grandmother's hand.  My mother is next to me, but she is holding a cousin who younger than me. We were a year apart, lived across the street from one another, and were often dressed alike when we were very small. 

It was a nice day for going to the zoo, cool and slightly cloudy, but no rain.  Also, it was very empty because it was one a school day after Labor Day, and most families were getting kids off to the first day of school for the year.  

The first thing you always did at the Detroit Zoo was to take the train from the entrance to the far end of the property.  That way, you could walk the length and be at the entrance/exit when you were done.   

 

   

And we arrived in Africa, of course.   

 

 And a very nice sculpture of a lion and her cubs.  

  

 

Most animals were out of sight, no doubt relaxing after the busy weekend.  However, at about this point, I got stung on the tip of my little finger very painfully by one of the animals, namely a bee, who was NOT taking the day off. I have not had a bee sting for over 50 years, so I was really surprised at how painful it was. I asked a volunteer guide if they had a first aid station so I could get something for it, but they did not.  However, she called for the safety person who is responsible for such things, and he removed the stinger, which I could not even see.  He also gave me a ride back to my motorhome in the parking lot so I could get some benedryl I had. 

Anyway, below are some of the outdoor animal exhibits, with no animals visible.    

 

 

Frankly, none of this looked like the zoo I remembered, but that's OK because came to see how it had changed, not necessarily how it used to look. 

 

I am really happy to see so much art around the zoo.  This was just outside the chimp exhibit:

 

 

 

One interesting thing to know about this zoo is that way back when I used to come here as a child, there was a trained chimp show.  Chimps were dressed up in little suits and rode bicycles and did other tricks before a seated audience.  That kind of exhibit disappeared in the 60s and was replaced in nearly all zoos by more natural animal exhibits like the one shown below.  Also, instead of trying to have examples of all of the great apes, zoos started to specialize and focus on only one type, so the Detroit Zoo does not have gorillas or orangutans. 

It is much kinder to animals to show them in more natural situations and really more interesting to see their natural behavior.  The zoo has 17 chimps, which is a very large troop, and each animal has access to the outside or inside spaces, depending on their personal desire.  

I remember these long roads in the zoo, and they are still there next to the fountain and pool.

 

 

Not sure where this came from, but it was not there 45 years ago.   

 

  This is part of a long, central garden area that I remember. 

 

 

And some art.  Not sure what animal this is!! 

I remember this commemorative drinking fountain and the large fountain it refers to below. 

 

 

I remember kids wading in this shallow fountain.  Not sure if that was really allowed, but they did it on hot days.  

 

 

A new education building.  

 

 

The entrance to the reptile building and some of its residents.  

 

 

I liked how neatly this snake curled itself up!  

All of the snack bars were closed on this day. 

 

 

I forgot to take a photo of the outside, but this is the penguin house.  

 

 

I do remember this building, but don't know what is in it now, as the zoo was closing, and I had to leave.  

 

 

So, maybe I will come back for a longer another day next year.