Dickerson Park Zoo

An essay for my English Composition class.

            As I was brainstorming for this essay I tried to think of the place where I had the most sense memory. What place, when I close my eyes, can I hear, smell, taste, and touch in my mind’s eye. My mind’s eye takes me to the zoo. I love the zoo. I have memories of the Dickerson Park Zoo that date back to my toddler years. They’re all jumbled up into one big kaleidoscope of memory. This is why I chose the Dickerson Park Zoo as my place.

            It has been a while since I’ve been there. I have been told they have made lots of changes recently so I took this as an excuse to go again. Of course I picked a day when it was 90 degrees so most of the animals were hiding in the shade. But, I had a fun time anyway.

            The Dickerson Park Zoo was established in 1922. It was not well funded and by 1975 it had become a liability to the city. Instead if tearing it down The Friends OF The Zoo was formed and it has been improving steadily since. It is now on the list of accredited zoos and aquariums. They have a program called Z.E.B.R.A. (Zoo Education Broadens the Realization of Animals) to teach the community about animals. There are also a lot of other community outreach events. In the next few weeks alone they have free summer Tuesday, Zoobilee (a concert at the zoo), and Mc Donald’s Dollar Day at the zoo.

            I’d like to take you through my trip over the weekend with a couple of side trips down memory lane. The first thing I saw when I drove in was the albino peacock. I parked quickly then chased it down to get a picture. As I was walking up to the main gates the smell of a skunk hit me. I know it isn’t a skunk though; oddly enough the smell comes from a maned wolf. The maned wolf is an animal that is oddly beautiful. That is if you are lucky enough to see it.  It looks a little like a big fox. The zoo has the maned wolf in a species survival plan along with Asian elephants and cheetahs.

            I passed by the flamingos without stopping. They’re pink they stand on one leg and they aren’t very interesting. Besides, one of my favorite places is the bridge that you walk over next. The creek and waterfall along with the craggy rock wall makes me feel like I am in a fairytale. You can feed the huge carp and catfish there in the creek.

            I came upon some animals I wasn’t familiar with called peccary. They look a little like warthogs. Up ahead we have spider monkeys and tropical birds. I read that the zoo has acquired a new cockatoo named Professor. His owner died and he will be used to help teach children. As a therapy bird he is used to being around people. Unfortunately I didn’t see him.

            There are red kangaroos lying in the sun. You’d think they’d be better acclimated to the heat. On the right is a petting zoo. As I walk along the path I start to notice the moist musky smell of decaying plants and warm earth. With just a hint of manure.

            When I got to the Missouri exhibit I was excited to finally see an animal moving around. The otters weren’t even playing in the water. But, the cougar was chasing a butterfly. He was not happy that I was there and started stalking me. Or maybe he was irritated by the peacocks screaming you always hear throughout the zoo.

            The wolves were also out prowling around. There were three of them and it was obvious that they were unhappy about something. I quickly realized it was because the zoo personnel were cleaning their habitat.

            The elephants were up moving around as usual. When I was a kid they used to have elephant rides. The giraffes too. I think the giraffes usually are because people are able to feed them crackers. Giraffes have rough tongues. Kind of a cross between a cow and a cat tongue.

            Around this time the sound of the train whistle starts invading my consciousness. It’s a cute little train that goes around the small lake where the lemurs live on an island. But, before I get there I’m headed to the reptile house. Right outside the doors is the bald eagle habitat. All the bald eagles were rescued after being injured. I love going into the reptile house and seeing how jumpy everyone is. I was in more danger from the cougar than these people are from those snakes.

            As I left the reptile house I smiled at all of the kids playing in the jumping water area. It’s a brilliant idea to cool off hot and cranky kids before moving on to more animals.

            One thing I do not like about our zoo is the hippo exhibit. It is basically a deep cement pit that was probably built in 1912 and it makes me sad every time I visit the zoo.

            Outside of the gates is a large park. It has lots of play equipment. When we were kids we would always stop there before going home. Especially when we went on school field trips. There are picnic tables and BBQ pits. When my son was little we would go to the zoo every weekend and it was always our last stop. I think now and in the future my memories will revolve around those trips with my son.

            The Dickerson Park Zoo is a place. It is a place that holds a special place in my heart. It may not be as big or as grand as some other zoos but it is a gem of Springfield.