Mike and Midori go to the ZOO!

What a fun! We went to Howletts wild animal park yesterday. This animal park is focused on breeding and conservation of rare wild animals. So you won't see ordinary zoo animals here. There are no giraffes, no zebras or no hippo. They are world leading institution for gorilla breeding.

Luckily we live about 15 minutes' drive from the Howletts. I wanted to visit there last year, but due to the murderous schedule I had then, I couldn't find time to go. If you visit once, it is expensive, about £24.  But at the same price you can get an annual pass. So we bought passes, planning to visit at least twice more!

Zoo has been one of my favourite places to visit since I was young child. To be able to see animals close is so exciting!  It was a warm day, up to 21C (70 F) and Mothers Day! It was fairly crowded. There were loads of toddlers on buggies. I had never seen so may little ones in one place before!

Mike's back. English (and Japanese) are so used to queuing up! 

First we went to see Black rhino.  Each one is in each paddock. This one was the farthest end when we arrived. But soon it started coming down, I shot a few photos with zoom.

 
Woah, he is coming!

He came to the gate to a next paddock where another rhino is in. 

 Then he stopped and sniffing around the gate.

We witnessed live action of marking! 

Then he did marking! This was the first of many markings we would see on that day! 

Close- up - the white line is his... mark! 

In the end, we saw him marking backward several times.  It is such wildness or what!

Then we saw young elephants, sleeping wild dogs and several monkeys.

We walked to red river hog enclosure. They are so sweet. They have bodies like little barrels. Their ears and tails  have tassels. The spooky thing about them, though, is that they have human like eyes! I just imagined each has a human inside!  

Their noses are always on the ground.

Red river hog

Meal time! Eastern Javan Langur are more peaceful than macaques.

I have got an itch eye. 

I like eating alone in peace. 

I have got an itchy foot! 

But the highlight of the day was the Anteater! We were completely taken back!

 

What an unusual animal he is! I had only seen one once in London zoo from a distance a long time ago. He was busy looking for something. Putting his long nose into the soil here and there. Incredible animals! The eyes are so gentle. I talked to him, and in the end, he came close within 1m. The he sniffed at me with his nose in the air. Snif snif snif, you live with nasty dogs.... snif snif snif.  How delightful!

A half of his nose is under the ground! 

The estate has a mansion and and vegetable gardens as well as large greenhouses. A small walled garden was very colorful!

We had such a good time. We only stayed there about three hours, but our legs hurt! We are thinking to visit  there before Easter to see baby animals!

Howletts Wild Animal Park