GIRAFFES, BABY LIONS and More at the Wildlife World Zoo Aquarium and Safari Park, Litchfield, AZ

A giraffe enjoys a snack at Wildlife World in Litchfield, Arizona (near Phoenix)

What could be more intriguing than a giraffe's blue tongue or more enchanting than two tiny lion cubs? The two lions, brother and sister, born in January 2016, and housed in the baby animal nursery at the Wildlife World Zoo Aquarium and Safari Park in Litchfield, Arizona (just west of Phoenix) were the motivation for a trip to the zoo with friends on my recent visit to Arizona. 

Lion cubs in the baby animal nursery

We found the cubs cuddled together in their nursery home; just as we arrived they woke up from their nap and began to play. What I had forgotten is that lion cubs are spotted when very young–an adaptation that helps protect them from possible predators in the wild.

The baby tapir (6 weeks old) will lose its stripes as it matures

Also in the nursery was a baby Brazilian tapir, and a young Patagonian cavy. It is baby animal season at the zoo! Outside we passed young zebras and antelopes with their mothers and a goose with her flock of goslings.

A mother Addax antelope and her calf

As we walked along the shaded paths to see the animals, everyone--people and animals--seemed to be enjoying the beautiful weather. The scope of the park is large and we didn’t have the time or energy to do the entire tour. We chose a circular route that took us past the tigers, lemurs, wallabies and other Australian animals, ponds with various exotic waterfowl, lots of bird exhibits and more.

A curious ostrich

At the giraffe enclosure I climbed the steps to the feeding station, where the animals stuck out their long blue tongues for treats from visitors. (A giraffe's tongue can be 20 inches long and the dark blue or black color protects the tongue from sunburn while feeding in tall trees.) We then followed the train tracks past some curious ostriches and other African animals back to the entrance and Dillons Restaurant for lunch.

Looking at the shark tank from inside Dillons Restaurant

While we ate, giant sharks cruised the waters in the huge tank between the restaurant and the Aquarium. Smaller tanks with tropical fish surround the patio and bar area. Inside the Aquarium I saw an albino alligator and watched children reaching into the touch tank to feel the rays swimming by.

Two lemurs out for a stroll

There is something for everyone at Wildlife World–animals, birds, and aquatic animals, plus rides, bird and animal shows, animal feeding and more. We enjoyed our visit and someday will have to go back to see more.

Information for Visitors:
Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park is located at 16501 W. Northern Ave., Litchfield Park, AZ (SE corner of state route 303 and northern Ave.) It is open seven days a week, 365 days a year, including all holidays.

Zoo exhibits are open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (last zoo admission is at 5:00 p.m.) Aquarium exhibits are open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Daytime admission includes access to the zoo, aquarium and safari park. Special reduced evening admission to Aquarium-Only is available after 5:00 p.m.
For more information go to the Wildlife World website.

THE DUKE LEMUR CENTER, Durham, North Carolina

Duke Lemur Center, "Tonga Soa" means "Welcome" in Malagasy

A year ago, in November, when we were in North Carolina for Thanksgiving, we did a family outing to the Duke Lemur Center located near Duke University in Durham, NC where a very knowledgeable docent gave us a tour of the facilities and told us more about lemurs than we ever knew before. 

Ring-tailed Lemurs
More than 200 lemurs live at the Duke Lemur Center.  It is the largest group of lemurs outside of Madagascar and is a place where scientists learn about lemurs close-up and study them in ways that would be impossible in nature. 

Prosimians include lemurs, bush babies, and lorises

Lemurs are prosimians that live on the island of Madagascar and the nearby Comora Islands. (The first prosimians lived 55 million years ago.)  Lemurs once lived in every part of the island but now, due to habitat destruction, are found only around the edges.  Wild lemurs often live high in the trees and in remote places and many are active only at night. It is hard to study lemurs where they live in the wild.  The DLC provides the opportunity for scientists to learn more about these unusual and endangered animals.

Sifakas in their Outdoor Enclosure

Most of the lemurs at the DLC live in family groups in buildings with access to both inside and outside facilities.  Each lemur has its own room with a door to an outside cage.  Openings between cages allow the animals to be together or stay alone.  We enjoyed watching the lemurs in their outdoor cages, where they scampered about, seeming to enjoy the bright, sunny day as much as we were.

Map of Madagascar

Many lemurs are nocturnal (which explains why they often have such large eyes.)  At the DLC, the nocturnal animals occupy rooms that are dark during the day with the only light coming from low, red lamps, which has the effect of starlight or moonlight.  Because it is dark, the lemurs move around as they would in the night, which allows scientists to observe their behavior without having to work in the wee hours of the night.  At night, bright lights are turned on in the nocturnal room and the lemurs go to sleep.  When we visited, it took a while for our eyes to adjust to the dark before we could see the animals.

In the warm months (April to October) some of the lemurs are allowed to live in the forest that surrounds the Research Center.  There they explore, climb trees, and hunt for food just as wild lemurs do in Madagascar.  A fence around the 14.3 acre forest allows them plenty of room to roam.  In the forest, scientists observe the lemurs as they move about and interact with one another.  Since we were there in November, all the animals were inside, but if you visit during the summer, there is an option of an outdoor tour.

Tours:  To find out about tours of the Duke Lemur Center and how to make reservations, click here.