Michigan wildlife

On Sunday, Aunt Julie took me out to the Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, MI. To call it a zoo does it a great disservice, as it is more of an animal preserve than anything else. Most strikingly was a reproduction of an African savanna, with giraffes, zebras, antelope, and many other species grazing and prancing across a broad expanse. At the edge of the savanna, there is a public giraffe feeding zone at which patrons can hand feed these giants from an elevated walkway. The giraffe are incredibly gentle, with their head gently reaching and bobbing up to the elevated railing. There is no jostling amongst the gentle giants as their tongues carefully take the biscuits from your hands. The savanna evokes both surprise and awe, reminiscent of archeologists' first encounter of dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. While not as fantastic as the movie, it takes one aback to stumble across this naturalistic African savanna in the middle of Michigan.

I also had a chance to meet Aunt Julie's horses, one of whom is pictured here.