Happy Father's Day Paka (the male Malayan tiger at the San Diego Zoo)

The keepers decided to give Paka, the male Malayan tiger, a Father's Day present this morning. It even came in a little gift bag, but he didn't have to do much to get it unwrapped. Here he is on his way down the hill, he knows they've left something out for him.

It looks to be a giant femur bone, hanging from a post in paper bag. Heather asked what kind of animal it came from. Judging by the size, I would say either a cow or a dinosaur. Whatever it was, it looked fresh.

He pickup up that 10-pound or so bone like it was nothing and went down into his little cave to gnaw on it for a while.

Paka's newest kittens, Christopher and Conner, will probably be out on display with mom Mek sometime in July.  


Meanwhile, at the hippo pool . . .

. . . mom Funani and little Adhama were napping in the water. Every now and then they would stick their noses up above the surface for a quick breath, then back down again. Not a lot of action at the hippo pool today, but fun to watch none the less.

The pygmy hippos were even less active, this sign was more exciting to see than they were.

Actually, no matter what level of animal activity is going on, any day is a good day for a walk around the San Diego Zoo. The fishing cat was out (sort of), the otters were swimming around, lots of various primates, one of the pandas was eating lunch, some new baby flamingos (they're gray not pink when they're young), and of course, the peacock who likes to hang out by the ducks at the flamingo pool.

Click here to see more images from my walk around the San Diego Zoo on Sunday, June 19, 2011.