So long, Sparky! Camera Critters Saturday and Sunday

Sparky V, the "biggest ham" in a long line of sea lions to entertain families at Como Park Zoo, died Monday. He was 31. Sparky V holds a special place in Como's celebrity-animal roster, having performed from 1981 to 2001. Sparky V retired when vision problems made it too hard for him to see his trainer's signals. Sparky V was the oldest sea lion ever at Como and the second-oldest in the nation. The average lifespan for a sea lion is 15-25 years. RIP Sparky!
(Information from the St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 5, 2009). I took this photo of the painting of Sparky at Como Zoo in 2006.


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Chloe,the Sloth-Saturday & Sunday Camera Critters

We who live in the Twin Cities are very fortunate to be able to visit the Como Zoo and Conservatory in beautiful Como Park in St. Paul. There are many educational and informational exhibits; on November 17, 2006, the new Tropical Encounters exhibit opened in the Visitor Center. This exhibit is a total immersion experience into a neotropical rainforest and is the first exhibit that combines both animals from Como Zoo and plants from the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. It features over 250 animals including giant river turtles, frogs, fish, free-roaming birds, leaf-cutter ants, spiders, an anaconda and “Chloe” the sloth. Chloe has been featured on my blog before, but this is the first time that I have been able to photograph her face. Cute, isn't she?!
To see more Camera Critters from around the world on Saturday and Sunday, click here.

Blooming Butterflies #4

Another beauty from the exhibit. Perhaps I should go back and get more photos. It's such a pleasure watching them flit about the area, and it's such a thrill if one of them lands on one's arm and occasionally one's head!