My girls love animals. That is why we make it a point to go to a zoo or petting farms yearly. This year, to add to their wonderful memories of Panaca in Colombia, we went to Bowmanville Zoo which is just outside of Toronto.
We got some animal food at the gate so the girls could interact with the llamas, goats and sheep. The zoo had a decent collection of animals, considering that the grounds were not very expansive. We started off at the enclosure of the ring-tailed lemurs. The zoo keeper gave some interesting facts about these playful creatures, and at the end, she picked a child from the crowd to enter the pen and feed the lemurs.
The girls had a grand time feeding the animals while hubby and I were more interested in the big cats such as the panther and the Siberian tiger. For an additional fee, the zoo offered elephant and camel rides as well. I marveled at the camels which grazed on wide open spaces on the way to the Animal show. (Make sure to check the show times in the brochure handed out at the gate to ensure you get to the show on time). While we waited outside the Animatheatre to catch a show, DD#2 got a chance to bottle-feed a baby goat. That was one of the highlights of the day for her!
The Animal show ran for about 30 minutes and featured several animals. The show started with some horses which ran a bit too long for me and with music so boring I feared the kids would want to go back outside. Good thing they brought out more animals. The baboons, pony, and elephant showcased nice tricks that the girls enjoyed. They especially liked the zoo keeper walking up the theatre steps with the lemur on her head.
After the show, we went on the Expedition Predator ride. It was like a mini-safari where we boarded a trolley—which looked like a vintage streetcar with nice wooden interiors and big glass windows— to get closer to the predators.
The African Lion which really sleeps most hours of the day was lazily lounging.
The wolves were being trained for a TV show and were on cue to approach as the trolley drew near. The zoo keeper got down and interacted with these predators at every stop. The tour ended with the prey—the bison. The ride was a nice albeit short attraction which allowed the visitors to experience just a little bit more in the zoo apart from observing or feeding. If you miss this safari, you can also walk the elevated catwalk and see the lion and wolves from among the tree tops.
As it was already off-season, we were not able to witness carnivore feedings. So instead, we headed to the splash pad. Good thing the kids were easy to please as any water play is a definite hit with them. The splash pad was in need of a major updating, though. Our community centre’s splash pad is way better! Good thing is that this came with admission and was just a nice bonus to the excursion. With only about 10 minutes into the girls’ water play, the water machines conked out and the kids had to leave.
Another attraction included with the admission was the Fun Land, which was where we headed next. There were 3 rides in operation at the time, and the kids could go on these any number of times. Only one ride was operated at a time, though, so the kids ran from one ride to the next until they got tired. Again, this area was in need of an update, but the simple joys the kids had with these rides made them another good bonus.
The zoo also had a small gift shop and a concession stand. As well, there were many picnic tables all about. With food, activities, and a tiny bit of shopping, families can definitely spend a whole day in the Bowmanville zoo.
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