The Louisville Zoo Trunkline • Spring 2016 • 9
As you climb onto the camel and situate
yourself in the saddle located behind the
camel’s characteristic one hump,
you realize how tall they really are.
and your traveling companions on a
short expedition. As you climb onto
the camel and situate yourself in the
saddle located behind the camel’s
characteristic one hump, you realize
how tall they really are. Then, you
sway back and forth on this majestic
ship of the desert and grin madly for
a friend with a camera!
Getting your land legs back, you
watch a giraffe feeding nearby or
better yet, you join the feeding party.
The Masai giraffes lumber over and
gather, and using their amazing long
purplish tongues, they eat browse
(tree branches) right from your hands.
You decide it’s time to journey on
— and to get a closer look at the
Hartmann’s mountain zebras as they
run and frolic with wild abandon.
As you travel along the wall of
painted petroglyphs featuring stylized
drawings of animals, the Toyota safari
vehicle calls to kids like a siren —
they race to climb in and peer out the
driver’s side window that is actually
positioned inside the
zebra exhibit. Several
zebras approach the
Be sure to come visit
starting March 19 to take your
first tour of New Africa. See more
online at LouisvilleZoo.org/events
vehicle to investigate the giggling
children. The two groups curiously
examine each other, nose-to-nose,
separated by only a window pane!
You hear the enthusiastic and
rather unruly beating of drums
nearby. You spot a lively cluster of
inspired young Zoo visitors trying out
the African percussion instruments
located around the corner near the
African Outpost restaurant. Your gang
doesn’t want to pass up the chance
to create their own drum circle. As
you tap your drum in the shade of
the canopy above the conga and the
marimba, the drumming rhythm feels
more like a soundtrack for
your group adventure.
With a wave goodbye to
your new zebra pals, you take
a short stroll to the African
Outpost to grab a snack or
the daily special for lunch.
You snag some prime seats in
the shaded outdoor deck, kick your
feet up and fully enjoy the cinematic
setting. From your comfortable seat,
you watch the Hartmann’s mountain
zebras now galloping across the
savannah. You hear the roar of a lion
and see it in the distance, in no doubt
of its status as king of the beasts.
With such a vista before your eyes,
you truly feel the power of Africa.
It’s been an incredible journey— and
many more adventures await you
throughout the rest of the Zoo!
You’ve now had an ideal tour
through th H