Extraordinary Stories From An Ordinary Guy: The "A Trip To The Zoo" Story

It was an ordinary day. Just paid for entrance into the Ardastra Gardens, Zoo & Conser- vation Centre in Nassau, Bahamas. It is in the heart of Nassau, more than four acres of lush tropical gardens which are inhabited by a variety of animal species including the national bird of the Bahamas, the Caribbean flamingo. Ardastra Gardens, Zoo and Conservation Centre was created by Jamaican horticulturalist Hedley Edwards in the 1950’s.

This is "Tweet" the African Gray bird.

He developed the picturesque and exotic gardens as a nature preserve, later bringing in flamingos from the southern Bahamas. In 1980, the gardens were purchased by Norman Solomon, whose passion for wildlife and conservation education inspired him to incorporate more animals into the gardens. My wife, Carol, along with friends Jerry and Just Sue will get to enjoy close encounters with over 135 animals as we wander the grounds.

A Cockatoo

Shortly after entering and visiting with several species of parrots, we hear the announcement for the bird feeding session and head in that direction. We pass through one large gate which is then closed, and then through another gate into the feeding area. Small pieces of apple are passed out and within seconds the Swainson’s Rainbow Lories, parrots that are native to Eastern Australia and Tasmania, land on our hands. These parrots differ from other parrots in that they require pollen, nectar and fruits to survive. They also play a major role in the pollination of trees and flowering plants.

The beautiful Swainson Rainbow Lory.

The birds boast bright colors and are very friendly. Shortly after leaving their feeding area we hear the call for the flamingo show in the small, round seating arena. One of the most unusual and entertaining shows you will ever see, but that's a story for another day.

The Capuchin monkey

Close by we visited the Capuchin monkey, Australian Black Swan and Ring-Tailed Lemur. As we wandered the grounds we were followed by the Peacocks who entertained us with their strutting and fanning of their tails. One interesting animal I had never seen before was the Caotis. They are native to the Netherlands and a family of four were donated to the zoo in 2010. Interesting looking animal with a head that reminds you of a dog, but with a pointed nose. Another exhibit featured a Capybara which is a semi-aquatic rodent that is the largest rodent in the world. Their incisors can grow to be six inches long. They have a squared head that looks like a giant beaver to me. If I had to pick out a favorite from the zoo, I guess it would be the flamingo who had free roam of the zoo and are very inquisitive. Made for some neat photos and a few of their feathers will be featured in my scrapbook. Fun day in a fantastic environment with some of the best groundskeepers and trainers. Oh yeah, the complimentary rum punch at the end of the journey helped make the day a winner! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - More photos of my trip through the zoo follow: