Tugboat, Norfolk, Virginia Harbor

Virginia Zoological Park, part 1: Main Entrance

 It was my first visit to this zoo in my quest to visit as many zoos as possible.  For a small zoo, I rate this one very good.  The animals that were on display were wonderful to watch.  The place was clean and well kept.  And the crowds were enthusiastic and well behaved.

Virginia Zoological Park, part 2: Asia - Trail of the Tiger #1

Once inside, I had the pleasant feeling that I was visited a very well kept zoo.  The spacious plaza and well marked wide paths were inviting.  And I used my Maryland Zoo Membership to get in for just $6.48.  A very reasonable price indeed.  So lets begin at the beginning of the Asia - Trail of the Tiger area.

Bornean Orangutan, Pongo pygmaeus

 The area for the Orangutans was large and included a large interior area as well.  For the most part the animals were just waking up and now so active.  Some were still sleeping inside.

 Across from the Orangutans on an island all their own was a family of Siamangs.

Siamang, Symphalangus syndactylus

Malayan Sun Bear, Helarctos malayanus euryspilus

Sarus Crane, Antigone antigone

Virginia Zoological Park, Part 3; Asia - Trail of the Tiger #2

The trail continues with an opportunity to see many birds as well as the mammals; however, they are kept in large wooden enclosure with wire mesh covered openings and no interior lighting natural or otherwise.  So seeing them was very difficult.  It would be my priority up-grade to this zoo to complete a pair of natural aviaries.  One for the birds of Asia and one for the birds of Africa, that would allow visitors to enter and walk in the midst of the birds.  They have the space to do this--I hope someone at the Virginia Zoological Park has this on their list of future improvements.

Binturong, Arctictis binturong peniciliatus

Malayan Tapir, Tapirus indicus indicus

Asiatic Black Bear, Ursus thibetanus

Virginia Zoological Park, part 4: Asia - Trail of the Tiger #3

And so it is that the last animals encountered in the Trail of the Tiger are the Tigers!  A pair of brothers from the Malayan sub-species of the six remaining strands of this amazing animal.  I learned from the zookeeper that the Indochinese or Southern Chinese is the rarest and doomed to extinction with only 17 animals left all in Chinese Zoos.  The genetics have ceased to be viable at this point.  Here the Malayan Tigers are the most common in captivity, which made me glad that I had recently seen a Sumatran Tiger at the National Zoo in Washington, DC and 4 Amur Tigers at the Philadelphia Zoo.  I'm sorry that for these animals the only viable viewing was through tinted plexiglas.

Malayan Tiger, Panthera tigris jacksoni

Virginia Zoological Park, part 5: African Okavango Delta #1

We begin our African adventure next in the area of the zoo called the "Okavango Delta".   The actual Okavango Delta is located in northern Botswana and mirrors the wildlife that I would have experienced on my trip to Zimbabwe's Hwanke National Park.  The arrangement for the animals in this part of the zoo is spacious and provides lots of great sight lines for taking photographs--yea!

Hartmann's Mountain Zebra, Equus zebra hartmannae

Watusi Cattle, Bos taurus taurus watusi

Virginia Zoological Park, part 6: African Okavango Delta #2

A little further on the Okavango Delta trail at the Virginia Zoo, you can see Giraffe, Ostriches and Red River Hogs.  And if you've ever wondered how Ostriches make out--you're about to see!

Masai Giraffe, Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi 

Common Ostrich, Struthio camelus

Red River Hog, Potamochoerus porcus