Zooropa

Lao Zoo aka 'Vientiane Zoo', 'Baan Kuen Zoo' or just 'The Zoo' (there is only one public zoo in Laos).

Seemed like a great idea at the time - catch the bus to Vientiane zoo for a few hours on Sunday.



Although there's not a lot of info around about this zoo, I started some basic research. I soon learnt:

• it's about 70 kms away (which could be around 2 hours on Lao roads)
• there is no public bus to the zoo (despite advice to the contrary) so you have to hire a minivan or take yourself out there some other way
• the white elephant died 3 years ago
• there are bears and (critically endangered) Siamese crocs
• insect repellent is strongly advised
• our communal husband/fixer/tour manager/musician/all-round cool guy, Jorge, can "fix" anything (except the thing about the white elephant).

So off we went to enjoy a day with nature. We piled into the van: nine adults, two kids, bags of taro snacks, hats and umbrellas (just in case). We had a great day - although I don't think the animals were getting a lot of joy out of the whole captivity thing. Lots seemed a little unhealthy, many were overcrowded or all alone. Sure, I have no idea of the appropriate number of crocs in one pool or of the psychological damage done to a camel who has no one to sneer at all day, but it seemed all a bit sad to me.

Except these guys - they seemed to be having a good time...

 

Animals at the zoo having fun

Pu (the guy inside the bunny suit), took his head off to chat. He pointed out to us that this was just a part time job - he is a uni student during the week. (And in case you are wondering why a rabbit and a chook are mascots of the zoo, as I did, yes, there are cages with chooks and one with a bunny in it.)

So here's a pictorial summary of our Lao Zoo visit...

Coffee break enroute

Ewwwww

Awwwww!

Elcira the deer whisperer

  

awww, what a deer

A white-necked heron and a, ummm, errrr, big white and black bird

Ugliest Lesser Adjutant I've ever seen (I've seen 2)

  

I think it has a goitre

 A hawk/eagle thing (behind wire, hence the blurriness)

Cute sleeping owls (behind wire). They look kind of like they are giggling (not that I am one to anthropomorphise. No, really.)

A bird of prey with that look in its eye - like it is sizing up a small child (run, Julian!)

A gloriously blurry peacock with well-focussed mud

Part eagle, part owl, part cat, part big scary bird

sneaky and evil-looking

A Crane

lotsa crocs

Not friendly. Probably thinking about eating a bear.

Sad little bear. Reminded me of John Irving

The Leopard. Poor thing - all alone (still refuses to change, though)

A hornbill getting hassled

Sticking its beak out through the wire - no wonder those guys were grabbing at it

Haven't seen monkeys in cages like these since White Hills Gardens did away with the monkey cage (circa 1971)

  

Bear cages #1

Bear cages #2. There's a field out the back - I'm hoping they get out now and then.

This sign gives me hope that they DO get out into the grass

These are the stinkiest, screeching-est weird half cat - half bear things I have ever seen. I don't think I have EVER seen these before. And of course this is the one animal that a local asked me what we call it in English. ER... dunno. Sorry mate. 

 
Those sad and soulful eyes!



I was keen to see the elephant. She was all alone, swaying like her modecate had been overprescribed and she looked sad and lonely. So hard not to anthropomorphise when these gorgeous things have such soulful eyes.

 swaying, swaying, swaying

A Fisher and two Stuckeys feeding the elephant

Poor thing. Alone and a long way from home.

The naughty corner for apes

 

Porcupine - there were quite a few

Another goitre?

All the action was happening back at the entrance. Those poor uni students must have been really hot in there by mid afternoon. Still got smiles on their faces, though.

And then it was, of course, feeding time.

Then, as we were leaving I saw the cheeriest thing of the day for sale outside the gates:

She looks pretty harmless to me