Blauert on Outdoors: Zoos can be fun outdoor activity

It’s always thrilling to see wildlife in its native habitat. We have some great opportunities to do that close to home at the Merced and San Luis National Wildlife Refuges.

The most exciting encounters I’ve had with wildlife have occurred while hiking or camping – deer, elk, coyotes, eagles, newts, snakes, bobcats, bears, a wide range of birds and even a mountain lion.

These glimpses are exciting, and often fleeting. To see wildlife up close and study these creatures for longer durations, zoos are the place to go. Applegate Park Zoo in Merced is an underappreciated gem. Specializing in local wildlife, it’s one of the best places to come face to face with some of the most secretive and seldom-seen animals. There’s no other place nearby where you’re likely to get a good look at a mountain lion, bobcat, mule deer or black bear.

The zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the spring and summer and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the fall and winter. The zoo is located on R Street between Bear Creek and 25th Street. It’s an easy afternoon or morning outing for the whole family. For information, go to http://mercedzoo.com/ or call (209) 385-6840.

Last weekend, we spent an afternoon at the San Francisco Zoo – a place I hadn’t visited since I was a child. I’d forgotten how remarkable it was. It’s a world-class zoo and one of the best nearby places to see some of the world’s most impressive wildlife. With average traffic, it’s less than three hours from home.

The San Francisco Zoo is divided into several major sections that specialize in African animals, primates, cats, South American animals, bears and Australian animals, with some surprises in between that don’t fit into these major categories. We spent 31/2 hours there and would have stayed longer if closing time hadn’t sneaked up on us so quickly.

I’d never seen grizzly bears before, except on TV. The two at the zoo are sisters, and they were active during our visit, play-fighting nonstop. Now extinct in California and much of the rest of their original range, the zoo is the closest place to see them without going to Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Washington, Canada or Alaska.

The gorillas are another unforgettable creature that most of us are unlikely to see in the wild. Two of them acted as if they were posing for our cameras.

The lemurs – seven species in all – were active and fun to watch. We were lucky enough to be around when the tigers, lions, polar bears, chimpanzees, giraffes, kudus, zebras, anteaters and koalas were active.

No matter when you visit, some animals will be sleeping and others will be moving around. The wolverines weren’t visible the first time we stopped by, but one was active when we returned just before closing time. This was especially exciting to see because they are a species that was once native to our Sierra Nevada.

There are only about 100 in captivity worldwide, and they are rarely seen in the wild. In 2008, the first verified sighting was made in California since the 1920s.

Wolverines are one of the largest members of the weasel family. The zoo also has one of their smaller relations, the river otter. They were playfully chasing each other through their aquatic habitat.

Other animals that impressed us included chimpanzees, ostriches, rhinos, bongos, hippos, capybaras, chacoan peccaries, cassowaries, kangaroos, penguins and a wide range of primates and birds. The South American Tropical Rainforest and Aviary is being renovated and will reopen later this year. For a complete list of animals, check out the zoo’s website at http://www.sfzoo.org.

Not having children with us, we didn’t think twice about walking past the entrance to the Children’s Zoo. Back at home, I did some additional reading about the zoo and was surprised how much was behind that entrance: prairie dogs, raptors in a free-flight aviary, insect exhibits, gardens and a petting zoo where kids can interact with animals.

Just outside the Children’s Zoo is a playground, a beautifully restored 1921 carousel and a wildlife theater with regular presentations. A 100-year-old miniature steam train known as the “Little Puffer” regularly circles the park. It’s closed for repairs and will reopen later this year.

The San Francisco Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from March 9 through Nov. 1. Starting Nov. 2 it closes at 4 p.m. For information, go to http://www.sfzoo.org or call (415) 753-7080.

This story was originally published April 28, 2015 at 10:31 PM with the headline "Blauert on Outdoors: Zoos can be fun outdoor activity."