Elephants Are Big!

Let me preface this post by saying that I have a really nice patient/friend that has spoiled my family twice by letting us see some really cool behind the scene zoo things. Thanks Nick! 
I took the boys to the zoo over the weekend and I headed straight back to the elephants because I hadn't been able to see the new exhibit yet.  When we walked up, there was no one there and I couldn't see the elephants either...I was thinking, "bummer!"  However, as we were walking around the boardwalk toward the chimp side of the exhibit, I saw my friend Nick getting the yard ready for the elephants to go out in. I of course, took advantage of his generous offer to show us around the inside of the elephant barn. 
It really is as awesome as everyone has said!  It is also REALLY big!  The inside, which you can also see from the boardwalk, is amazing.  When you first walk into the barn area, there is a really big room that has a sand floor and beyond that is where the smaller stalls are.  The elephants were still in their smaller stalls, so we were able to get a really up close look at them and touch them!  They are alot softer than I imagined...hairy...but pretty soft.  It was also neat to see the elephants obey commands.  They fanned their ears and said hi with their trunk!  Wiley even got to weigh himself on the elephant scale...it said he was 33 pounds!  I had a really great time getting to see this awesome exhibit from the inside and even though the boys won't remember, I know that they had a great time too! P.S.  Van was there too, but since we had to hold the boys while they were inside the barn area, I didn't get a picture of him petting the elephant!


I think this is Asha...the pregnant one!

This is in their stalls inside the barn.

Wiley with Nick petting Asha

Nick showing Wiley what to do!

Wiley inside the Elephant barn!

The Girls in the yard.



The Girls in the yard.



Wiley on the elephant scale.  They weigh the elephants here every day.  So far the pregnant elephant has only gained about 500 pounds...I laughed when Nick told me that!

Here are the pictures from the summer of 2009 when we got a behind the scene peek at the Rhino/Hippo Exhibit.

Wiley petting the rhino!



Feeding the Rhino!



Petting the Big Rhino



Justin feeding the Rhino