I never knew I would be as impressed at the accomplishment than that of the HD Zoo. That animals in captivity could be so well cared for was beyond my comprehension. For the record, I am sitting on the fence when it comes to zoos in general. In this day and age, many of the wild animals of the world are disappearing from their natural environs, and they are being stowed away in cages for the enjoyment of other people for the rest of their lives. Many of their lands are becoming OUR lands and therefore the indigenous species take a backseat while we troll for oil, diamonds and other natural resources we believe will help us achieve whatever goals we have (defiling Mother Earth by extracting the fossil fuels our friends the dinosaurs left for us so we can drive fast @ NASCAR (and I will write about this silly “sport” another time with more pessimistic energy than an angry hornets nest)) , and pillaging rhinoceros horn for sexual aphrodisiacs). At the same time, the change to these wild lands is inevitable, so why not provide the best “home away from home” that we can offer to these local natives we have displaced for the viewing pleasure of all who may walk this way?
And I do suggest going out of your comfort zone and making a voyage to the East African savannah and seeing these animals for your own viewing pleasure. I have done it, and it was worth all the money in the world to see a cheetah bring down a Grant’s gazelle after a 60 mph chase. I was also treated with the spectacle of two lionesses putting the hurt down on a Cape buffalo during a rainstorm while sliding through the mud in a large matatu. I was listening to Enya on my headphones. How’s that for random?
Apparently Henry Doorly was the chairman of the World Publishing Company and his incredibly generous wife Margaret donated $750K in 1963 (which is about $4.5 million these days) and had it named in honor of her husband, but really this is beside the point. But hey, thanks Margie!
We spent the perfect zoo day on a grey balmy Thursday with low clouds and about 50 degrees outside. There were maybe 200 other people at the zoo that day. Perfect. The zoo itself is roughly 150 acres, holds over 17,000 animals, almost 1,000 different species, houses the largest Big Cat complex in North America, and the areas that deserve my greatest attention are 1) The Desert Dome, 2) Lied Jungle 3) Kingdoms of the Night 4) The Aquarium.
Seriously folks, if you ever head this way, plan to spend a day at the HD Zoo. It’s right across the street from Rosenblatt Stadium, home of the World Series of College Baseball. And it’s right on the western shore of the Mighty Missouri River in Omaha, Nebraska.
This is the view I had while flying into Omaha. I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard someone say “That’s the zoo!” The Desert Dome is the world's largest indoor desert at around 42,000 ft (0.96 acres).
Here is another view of the inside. The dome is 137 feet above the main level and 230 feet in diameter. WOW. You have got to see this amazing architectural achievement because it takes your breath away from a mile away!
The Kingdoms of the Night is Tee’s favorite. Imagine walking across bridges over water, with an ambience comparable to that of Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland, and throw in opossums, alligators, bats in 70 foot cave, and a 16 foot bottomless pit I almost walked right into! There are beaver dams and large snapping turtles cruising through the world’s largest indoor swamp, and all the while you can hear the animal sounds in the dark.
The Lied Jungle was the first exhibit we saw, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. It’s the largest indoor rainforest in the world, and the building spans over 1.5 acres. The rainforest animals of the 6 major continents are displayed. Among my favorite are the otters, 11 foot crocodile (which I’ve been told has displayed a habit of escaping its pool), and the Clouded Leopard. There are waterfalls, rope bridges to cross and many a wild bird flying through this exhibit. I believe it took us 90 minutes to walk through the whole place!
This is the Aquarium. We were treated to views of cruising Sand Tiger sharks, stingrays, and also a few sea turtles. I love the jellyfish tank, and was also pleasantly surprised to see the weedy sea dragon! I had read about them and had seen them in rare pictures in National Geographic, but to see them up close was an amazing treat! Oh, and I saw seahorses, which are closely related to these crazy weedy sea dragons. I HAVE to include a picture of this wacky specimen.
Oh, what a wonderful way to spend a day in Omaha. The weather was nice, the company was great, and I love it at the HD Zoo. Good job, Omaha! And thanks, Tee! This has to be the best zoo experience ever. In my opinion it ranks higher than the San Diego and the Sydney Zoo.
And a parting shot. This guy was pretty amazing to watch. I can’t even IMAGINE running into a pack of African Wild Dogs the next time I visit Africa!
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