A zoo day ;-)

Most people know that I'm a mystery shopper in addition to doing my online stock trading, although it doesn't pay a lot. Most shops pay $10-$50 OR just include a nice product, event or meal reimbursement. The best shops offer both. I've stayed really busy in New Orleans mystery shopping high-end restaurants and coffee shops, but yesterday was different... I found a shop for the Audubon Zoo! It paid $40, PLUS 2 meals, zoo admission, a $15 gift shop purchase and a zoo train ticket. I spent four hours there, taking copious notes for my lengthy survey but it was well worth it. I have been on safari in Kenya, but zoos still bring a smile to my face. Prior to yesterday, the National Zoo in DC was my favorite.

Audubon Zoo is a New Orleans landmark and a living museum filled with some of the rarest and most beautiful creatures of nature. There have been animals at this site since the 1884 World Exposition in Audubon Park. Today, Audubon Zoo is 58 acres of animals in their natural habitats. The Zoo consistently ranks among this country’s best. It has a New Orleans "flavor" and lots of impressive 100-year old oak trees. This beautiful peacock strutted and posed for pictures near the cafe.

Animal favorites include elephants Jean and Panya, the Komodo dragon and the rare white Bengal tiger brothers from California, named King Rex and King Zulu.

There are also bears, monkeys, snakes, orangutans, elks and more exotic animals than you can imagine. The orangutan family was in full play more during my visit and the baby was swinging, sliding and frolicking all over their habitat. In the reptile exhibit, there is a two-headed snake which was donated by actor and local, Nicholas Cage.

I learned that giraffe hearts are 2 feet long and weigh 25 pounds.They are the only animal capable of licking their own ears, and like humans, they have only 7 bones in their loooong necks.

The zoo has a compost area for "zoo poo" and a garden where employees and volunteers plant veggies and food that they use to feed the animals.

I came across the panel below in the Asia section of the zoo... wow! As a Year of the Tiger girl, it is dead on ;-)

At 80 years old, the turtle below is older than any of my living relatives! ;-)

Much of the zoo dates from early in the 20th century. The sea lion pool was constructed in 1928. Its graceful columns mark one of Audubon Zoo’s most romantic spots. Monkey Hill was built by Works Progress Administration workers to show the children of New Orleans what a hill looks like! At 28 feet, it’s the legendary “highest topographical point in New Orleans.” and the only spot not below sea level here. Today it boasts wading pools, a rope bridge and a safari trail.

One of the day's highlights was the Louisiana Swamp exhibit. I strolled through a real swamp right in the middle of uptown New Orleans. The exhibit has received national acclaim for the innovative portrayal of Louisiana culture. One of the most popular attractions in the history of the Zoo, it explores the relationships between the Cajun people, plants and animals of the swamp, in food, industry and daily life. Although swamps are found elsewhere in the United States, south Louisiana is unique in that a distinct culture developed in this environment.

Audubon chose to highlight the Cajun culture in this exhibit because it is a perfect example of a balanced life within a habitat. The Cajun people only caught what they could eat and learned from the Native American Indians in Southern Louisiana how to economically use the earth’s natural resources. It wasn’t until the 1940s when more people began relying on the swamp’s resources that the balance was threatened and need for conservation arose. To teach visitors about conservation in the Louisiana Swamp, Audubon uses animal exhibits—from black bears to blue crabs, from water snakes to red foxes—educational presentations, and graphics.

 A real Cajun houseboat on a lagoon full of 14-foot alligators faces a pair of playful black bears. A raccoon defies the laws of physics by snoozing on a narrow twig at the top of a tree. At the baby animal nursery, naturalists show visitors baby nutria, explaining why that innocent-looking fuzzy creature is jeopardizing the very existence of the swamps. Further on, the world-famous and rare white alligators float in an exhibit constructed especially for them. Rocking chairs throughout the swamp exhibit invite visitors to slow down and take in the ambiance of the swamp. There was also an interesting section with cypress trees detailing the wood's durability and near "extinction" due to excessive logging. For those of you who dislike Walmart, know that they refuse to sell cypress mulch here because of this situation. Go Walmart!

My phone/camera battery died about an hour into my 4 hour visit, so I only got a few photos ;-( There were SO many more great photo ops, but oh well. The zoo train transported visitors around the zoo, and the driver gave excellent commentary on animals, exhibits and habitats. Wonder if he knew I was "mystery shopping" him. ha-ha

My mystery shop instructions dictated that I evaluate the gift shop and make a $15 purchase. I found this awesome book, "Why New Orleans Matters"... a perfect souvenir to take with me after an amazing month in this magical city! On the way home, I passed Tee Eva's little store front on Magazine Street and finally got a chance to buy some hot, fresh pralines, pronounced "praw-leens" by locals. Positively delicious! Another great day in the Big easy...