Our Latvia album

Our Latvia album, p. 6

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Rīgas ZoodārzsRīga Zoo

No contest here! Elephants rule where size is concerned. There are two at the zoo.

Say hello to Rupa. She was born in Savala, India, in 1975. Previously, she's lived at the Basel and Copenhagen Zoos. The Zoo's other elephant, Radja, was born in 1968, also in Savala. It seems he developed a bit of temper as a young circus star and was put out to pasture in early 1970 and has been living the zoo life ever since.

Elephants may be big,
but hippos are wi-i-i-i-i-de!

This big alligator doesn't seem to mind the heat. Sadly, he's still living in an old exhibit…

…not much more than shallow concrete pool. As the zoo's patriarch (here since 1935!) he deserves better!

We were overjoyed when we heard from Guna that the Zoo's oldest inhabitant, and perhaps the oldest alligator in captivity, had moved to a brand new exhibit in the Tropical House! And, yes, you do use all the s's and p's: alligator mississippiensis

Čabulītis, as he was named, passed away August 21, 2007 at an estimated age of 72.

…not much more than shallow concrete pool. As the zoo's patriarch (here since 1935!) he deserves better!

Čabulītis, as he was named, passed away August 21, 2007 at an estimated age of 72.

This poor snake is in a plain old tub, just trying to stay cool, hoping for a corporate sponsor… the old and new exhibits are worlds apart. Fortunately, as the good news about our alligator friend demonstrates, progress is being made!

Pink bare flesh, that would be…
wait, hold on!
Kids can go on a camel ride for one lat.

There's actually quite a wide and interesting collection of smaller reptiles…

…they've been able to benefit from more natural surroundings.

These tree frogs can stick to just about anything!

There's even an aquarium!

On the grand scale of things, these fellows are the smallest.
Then again, there are the ants!

The flamingo flock was surprisingly large!

One in particular seemed to be keeping a watchful eye on me.

The second one from the right is saying, "Hey you! With the camera! You can hurt yourself carrying something that heavy!"

Here was something new! I had no idea swans came in all-black! (I've been corrected, I thought it was a goose…I ran afoul…)

My favorites! (My childhood ostrich doll "Fifijs" is still around the house somewhere!)

These two were busy working at the netting, putting their escape plan into action!

Guna Vitola wrote us that these active fellows are baby cranes, hatched at the Zoo's incubator. They are the common crane, grus grus. The predisposition for children to get into everything (or attempt to get out) appears universal!

These two were busy working at the netting, putting their escape plan into action!

The exotic bird habitats had a corporate sponsor (larger and more "natural" quarters). This guy's working off some energy!

This pair wouldn't stay still long enough (that blur in front is a second parrot!). But we can admire them just for their colors!

This somewhat less colorful pair seemed quite content in their outdoor habitat.

Even if ostriches are my favorite, the owls were the most captivating.

Once again, someone is keeping an eye (one) on me! His apprentice isn't quite sure of me, either!

The way some of them stare back, you wonder whooo's watching whooom.

It's meal time for this white owl, undoubtedly the most beautiful of all owls!

"Hey buddy! Enough already with the pictures! How's an owl to eat in peace?"

Opposite the owls, in an aviary which saw the rise and fall of the Soviet empire, the vulture. Thick necked and broad shouldered, he looks like a gangster surveying the prison yard scene.

Someone is staking out lunch! I think I'm projecting my own rumbling stomach!

These fellows look hungry, too!

There's definitely more than a mere feather in this fellow's cap!

These camels pretty much set the tone for man and beast alike: Find shade. Lie down in shade. If shade moves, move with shade.

It's got to be hot in those wool coats!

I've seen bison before, but never this close. They are huge!

Guna says… this is actually the musk ox, ovibus mochiatus

I've seen bison before, but never this close. They are huge!

Guna says… this is actually the musk ox, ovibus mochiatus

No zoo would be complete without monkeys! There are plenty to go around!

The zoo is working diligently to improve conditions. But many of the larger animals still live in rows of small attached stables connecting out to narrow dirt runs.

The tigers have one of the largest expanses of territory —

— because they have corporate sponsorship. This works for the "popular" animals, but less so for many more interesting (my opinion) zoo inhabitants.

Bad puns… Itching to cool off… the heat is unbearable…

I think the heat is making everyone a bit itchy at this point!

Grazing contentedly in the shade is, as Guna pointed out, a llama, lama glama. Unfortunately I guessed alpaca originally.

This furry fellow is a capybara, native to South America, Barbara tells me!

The camels are still there. They have their act together and they are not taking it on the road!

The sheep and goats have their own house and yard, and the kids can come pet them.

And who could resist petting a sweetie like this?

On the other end of the adorable and pettable spectrum is this surly looking fellow.

He saw me. He doesn't like me. He's coming to let me know.

He's kicking up dirt, picking up speed —

— and I take the hint that I've overstayed my welcome!
Or, maybe like my impression of the vulture, it's all in my mind. He just wants to make sure I take a nice close-up!

Grant Wood's American Gothic↗ has nothing on this classic pose.

The ultimate "fuzzy wuzzy?"
A building supply company "initiated and sponsored" a project to obtain the lesser (red) panda. "A portion of each purchase goes toward…"