One of many fantastic issues about entertaining visiting household and buddies in Hawaii is that it’s going to typically result in actions we would in any other case regard as “touristy” and take with no consideration. That’s how we right here on the HAT Weblog discovered ourselves on the Honolulu Zoo lately, and it’s why we’re nonetheless charmed by the go to.
A good friend of Honorable Spouse Particular person’s household was on Oahu for a brief keep throughout a multi-island trip, so we made plans to satisfy him on the Queen Kapiolani Lodge in Waikiki. It’s situated immediately throughout the road from the Honolulu Zoo on Kapahulu Avenue. My final go to to the zoo was not less than ten years in the past, minding calabash nieces and nephews as they careened from habitat to habitat, squealing with delight and gawking in childhood marvel at unique animal species from all around the world.
It was simple to recollect then my very own childhood experiences on the Honolulu Zoo, from main college area journeys to birthday events for calabash cousins many years in the past. The latest go to via my (principally) grownup eyes and senses was extra considerate and it lacked the corn syrup-based snacks and treats I keep in mind from my childhood (I’ve lengthy since outgrown my love for sweets). It was a studying expertise, even for this lifelong Hawaii child.
I knew the historical past of the Honolulu Zoo, that it started as a house to King David Kalakaua’s menagerie of unique animals, presents from kings and queens and royals across the globe beginning in 1877. I knew that it wasn’t decided because the Honolulu Zoo till 1947. I used to be vaguely conscious that it contains 47 acres on the foot of Diamond Head Crater.
I’d been on behind-the-scenes excursions of the chimpanzee habitat, met Krueger the Rhinoceros (RIP), and fed watermelon halves into the gaping maws of huge hippopotamuses. However this most up-to-date go to opened my eyes to the decided and ongoing efforts towards preservation, conservation, training, and outreach on the Honolulu Zoo.
I came upon that the Wildest Show Concert Series is again after two years of the pandemic. I realized that as a result of we had been politely requested to depart the zoo and re-enter for the particular occasion. It’s a fundraising occasion, with proceeds going to varied enchancment and outreach tasks on the zoo.
I used to be tickled to study that the official Animal Mayor of the Honolulu Zoo is Squirt the Giraffe (he’s large, get it?), who narrowly beat out Rusti the Orangutan as voted by the general public in a 2020 digital election (Rusti was named Conservation Ambassador). I realized that the Honolulu Zoo simply welcomed a Sumatran Tiger from a Louisiana zoo. I realized about Twilight Excursions on the zoo, and that there are Zoo Camps this summer time and this fall. I additionally realized in regards to the Histories and Mysteries Tour, alongside which zoo guides inform over a dozen tales of supernatural experiences involving zoo employees (reservations required).
Above all, I realized that I’ve so much extra to find out about how a lot the Honolulu Zoo has modified through the years, and the way a lot effort goes into conservation and academic outreach, and into the take care of the animals and habitats there.
It’s an enriching and fully family-friendly expertise, even for this pretty previous man with out kids. The Honolulu Zoo is a shared childhood expertise amongst an enormous variety of Oahu residents, as it is going to absolutely proceed to be properly into the long run. And at $19 per grownup (13+) and $11 for teenagers (3-12), and an inexpensive, pleasing, and academic approach to spend a day for household visiting Oahu.
Allow us to right here at Hawaii Aloha Journey enable you plan your go to to the Honolulu Zoo. A few of us grew up (close to) there.
Posted by: Jamie Winpenny
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