San Diego Zoo - Tiger Cubs and One Cool Looking Bird

I got to the tiger enclosure at about 9:45 this morning, and for the first 15 minutes or so all I could see of the cubs was a pair of ears just peaking out from behind a big rock up near the top of the ridge. Mom Mek was napping not far away. Every now and then she would open an eye or raise her head a bit, but really there wasn't all that much going on. This lasted until a little after 10:00, when the cubs finally decided it was time to get up and wander a bit. Somewhere along the way they decided to go wake up Mom.

Then it was time for a bit of wrestling.

Then it was back to hanging out with Mom.

Finally it was time to get up and walk around, and get away from that ugly chain link fence.

By 10:25 Mom was ready for another nap, but the boys still wanted some of her attention.

A little after 11:30 a keeper showed up to toss them some chunks of fresh beef heart. Mek and one of the boys knew exactly where to wait.

Here comes a piece now  . . . 

. . . get out of the way kid, this one's mine!

All that stuff in the air over Mek's head is water - their fur was pretty wet from being under the misters just before. When she jumped up water went flying everywhere.


After Mek and the boys went in for the day, at about Noon, Danai, the other adult female, came out.  Here she is watching as the keeper is about to toss a giant femur bone over to her. The bone, which weighed about 10-12 lb., wound up in the water at the bottom of the enclosure. It didn't take her long to go in and retrieve it, and haul it up to a shady spot.

Over half an hour later she was still gnawing away at the giant bone.

All in all I spent about 3 hours just at or near the tigers this morning. Later, on my way past the hippo pool I spotted this cool looking bird sitting on a branch over the pool. I don't think I've seen one of these before.

   

Click here to see more images from Saturday morning Aug 27 at the San Diego Zoo.