Tag Archives: issaquah

Macaws of Different Colors

The Macaw is a bird that really looks like it has been created for our amusement. The bright colors and personality of the birds combined with their intelligence makes them instantly attractive. We can forget for a while that they are the way they are because they are adapted for the environment in which they live (by which I don’t mean a zoo).

We saw a few of them at Cougar Mountain Zoo. Some of them were out on perches in the zoo grounds. A few were brought up to a stage to demonstrate their intelligence and dexterity. They really are a quite amazing bird. While it is easy to be impressed by their capabilities, you don’t ever forget how amazing they look. The vivid colors and the fascinating shape make it easy to just spend time watching them. What a fantastic creature.

What a Great Crest Cranes Have

The Great Crested Crane is a crane that has a crest. I think it is fair to say that this crest is pretty impressive. You might almost say it is great! I’ll let the picture speak for itself then…

Tigers Being Tigers

There are four tigers at Cougar Mountain Zoo. They are in two pairs and they move them between enclosures to give them some variety in their surroundings. They were pretty active compared to tigers I have seen in other places. They spent a lot of time checking out where they were. Of course, being cats, they also enjoyed lying around for some of the time. The staff also did a demonstration with them when they showed how they carry out physical examinations for the cats when necessary.

The tigers would come up to the fence and would stand up on their hind legs with their paws up on the fencing. This allows the staff to CA them out from the safety of being behind the fence. It is a good opportunity to realize just how big a tiger really is. Those paws are something and, if you were in there with them, you can see how easily they would dispatch you!