I had the wonderful opportunity just a few days ago to visit the Knoxville Zoo located in Tennessee. This zoo was one of my favorite places to visit when I was just a kid and the memories there are still so clear in my mind. Since I had not visited the zoo since I was ten A LOT of things changed (for the good)! I am so excited to share with you all some of my favorite pictures I took during my visit. ~Enjoy
The Knoxville Zoo is WORLD FAMOUS for their Red Panda breeding program. They have had more panda births than any other place in the Western Hemisphere! I was so happy to see the pandas in their brand-new exhibit called "Red Panda Village." Unfortunately Red Pandas are considered endangered and are being effected by human expansion and poaching.
If you follow me on Twitter you will know already that my absolute favorite exhibit in the WHOLE zoo was Black Bear Falls. It was visually stunning complete with waterfalls, tall trees for the bears to climb, and a pool (with underwater viewing). You get so close to the bears that you almost forget that there is a 3 inch piece of glass separating you and these magnificent animals. This bear is enjoying some browse for enrichment.
This animal is on my "Wish List!" You are looking at an Alligator Snapping Turtle. These large turtles can weigh up to 175 pounds giving them the title as the world's largest freshwater turtle! They are primarily aquatic and use their "worm like" tongue to lure in fish. Unfortunately they are disappearing in North America due to human expansion and collection for their meat and eggs.
My favorite animal by far at the zoo was this North American Beaver. You seldom see beavers in zoos and when they are on exhibit they usually are sleeping in their den. The Knoxville Zoo re-created the beavers' natural habitat complete with streams, a pond (with underwater viewing), and a den. I Loved this little guy! For more information on how you can visit the Knoxville Zoo please visit their website http://corbinmaxey.com/http://www.knoxville-zoo.org/index.htm