st. louis zoo – A Thousand Acres of Silphiums

The WGNSS Nature Photography Group headed to the St. Louis Zoo during a frigid winter spell this past weekend. Light could have been better and we struck out on a few things we were targeting, but I am pleased with a few images I was able to make. Everyone was well bundled for the conditions and I think had a nice time.

The takin, one of my favorite animals, is a large ungulate classified as vulnerable to extinction. It can be found in the eastern Himalayas.

The closest living relative of the giant panda and equipped with false thumbs used for grasping bamboo stalks, the red panda can also be found in the eastern Himalayas. Its conservation status is currently endangered.

Listed as vulnerable to extinction, the Red-naped crane can be found in eastern Asian countries of Mongolia, China, Russia, Korea among others.

With a current population in the wild of around 100 individuals, the Amur leopard is critically endangered.

Classified by the IUCN as endangered, the Swan Goose can also be found in feral and domesticated populations outside its original north and east Asian distributions.

The St. Louis Zoo also contains a number of species native to Missouri, most of which are rescued animals that have poor chances of survival in the wild. Some, like the eastern grey squirrel and eastern cottontail, along with some waterfowl and wading birds are wild species that stick to the zoo grounds looking for easy meals.

If I were to pick my spirit animal, the Takin would definitely be one of my top contenders. An impressive animal, the Takin is a perfect mix of brawn and agility. Phlegmatic, confident and humble (they seem to me), these goats live with the Giant Pandas in the mountainous bamboo forests of China.

Sarah and I took a day off to visit the Zoo and imagine our pleasure at finding the newest Takin in StL. This little one was about a week old when we made our visit.