My current project has a bit of a story attached to it and I though you might enjoy the tale….
Through our travels I have always looked to see if a zoo was anywhere nearby and if that was the case, I and my camera were off!
This particular photo was taken in Colorado Springs. They had a fairly large enclosure for the grizzly bears. The area where I was lucky enough to get the photo was on the walk leading up to the main enclosure. I was crossing a bridge, over their (bear’s) ravine, when I spotted this guy and the birds fluttering around. I was just focusing in, (with my telephoto lens), when that bird landed almost on top of that bear. I just kept ‘snapping’ away and finally got the photo of the bear looking at the bird.
After that exciting moment, I continued my walk to the main enclosure and found a couple more bears hanging out there. The main enclosure was a man made waterfall with lots of boulders and such. There were benches to sit on and glass was between the viewers and the bears.]
There was a family there and they had stood their little girl (maybe 5 yrs old) on the ledge right up against the glass. I was watching one of the bears, who seemed to be fascinated with the little girl.
Suddenly without warning, the bear charged the glass where the little girl was standing and hit it hard!! Full body, teeth bared…..scared the crap out of all of us. Of course, everyone was kinda in a moment of shock and awe. The bear; however, just casually walked away. I think it knew it couldn’t actually get to that little girl….it was just a show of force. Letting us know….that if things were different…….well, who knows.
I couldn’t believe how quick that bear was and how deadly that attack would have been had it not been for the glass.It was the closest I hope I ever come to a charging grizzly.
Zoo’s are wonderful for us as visitors, but the animals they care for…..some will never know what it is like to be free and truly wild. That sadden’s me, but I also know they are necessary. Someday, although I pray I’m wrong, a zoo maybe the last refuge for all the animals of this earth.