It had been years since my last visit to the zoo. This time was no different from my past visits with the exception of some new exhibits. My reaction was the same too. I was happy and sad at the same time. Happy that the animals were safe and protected. Happy to see them. But sad that they were not free to live wild.
I would love for this to be a perfect world where the wild ones can live safely in their natural environments, but that is not the case today. In the meantime, I like to think of zoos as modern day arks. A place of safe haven for endangered animals.
The polar bear is one such endangered animal. They are disappearing at an alarming rate due to melting ice. They use the ice for hunting and resting when out on the sea. They starve to death when they can not hunt. I have chosen to show only a piece of their magnificent beauty, because they will never be whole until we can protect them in the wild.
Bear Paw A close up shot of the giant paws of a polar bear. Denver Zoo, Colorado
