Sad News From the San Francisco Zoo

Last month I wrote about my visit to the zoo on one of those cold overcast days San Francisco is known for. The zoo was a little sad that day with most of the animals opting to stay indoors to escape the damp and the cold. It was also my first trip to the zoo since the elephant had died. I guess to me seeing the elephants just seems to be an essential part of a zoo trip. There were a few highlights to the day. The bears put on a hell of a show, playing a rousing game of tag. The lions decided that it was the right time for some afternoon delight. We joined the crowd late but the hippos were having the time of their lives just by getting hosed down. Word came yesterday that Puddles the zoos longtime elder hippo died after not adapting to temporary housing as they moved to expand the hippo habitat. Puddles had been at the zoo for forty-three years. That's older than me so he was there when I took my first trips to the zoo some thirty-four years ago. Sad news.