we had the occasion to visit the henry vilas zoo in madison, wisconsin which seems like a perfectly fine zoo, all the moreso because it's absolutely free.
odin enjoyed his visit and got to see lots of animals that he's only read about in books such as this giraffe and a polar bear and chimpanzees and lions, oh my!
but whenever i go to a zoo, i can't help but wonder if they're really necessary in this modern age. is anything really gained by seeing animals you wouldn't normally see confined in small spaces?
and what exactly are we teaching odin?
While the confinement aspects of zoos are questionable for sure, don't forget the breeding programs that many of them run. Programs like that have brought many species back from near extinction to at least some active breeding population. Many large zoos are often huge centers of active research, not to mention learning facilities for children and adults alike!
“"it is hard to be brave," said piglet, sniffing slightly, "when you're only a Very Small Animal." rabbit, who had begun to write very busily, looked up and said: "it is because you are a very small animal that you will be Useful in the adventure before us."”
the complete tales & poems of winnie the poohthis site chronicles the continuing adventures of my son, odin, who was unexpectedly born on the fourth of july at 25 weeks gestation, weighing 1 pound 7 ounces.
he's quite a fighter and you can always send him a postcard to the most current address listed here if you're inspired by his adventures. see the postcard project/google maps mashup to see a map of the postcards.
if you're new, you can browse the archives to catch up. and don't forget to watch a few movies that i made while we were in the neonatal intensive care unit. or if you want the abridged version and you can find a copy, you can read about his adventures in the november 2005 issue of parents magazine.
daddytypes
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blogging baby
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rebeldad
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thingamababy
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The Continuing Adventures of Super-Preemie
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dooce
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