Gourdness Gracious! November 5, 2023
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, Daylight Savings Time, gourds, nature, NYC, photography, Pumpkin enrichment, Red Panda, snow leopard, Snow Monkey, Standard time, wildlife, Zoos
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My October obsession with all things bats, birthdays and pumpkins has come to an end with this Sunday’s photo montage. Fun and enrichment was had by all species (especially me). I usually post something about our having to turn the clocks today as Daylight Savings Time ends. Here’s one from three years ago. Enjoy that extra hour of sleep. I got up earlier than usual. Sigh.
Come to the Bark Side October 29, 2023
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, Audrey and Roberta, Benny the dog, costumes, Halloween, Mr. Pepe, NYC, Pete, photography
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Anyone that knows me is aware that this is my favorite time of the year. Pumpkins, birthdays. apple crisp, candy, costumes, decorations, cooler temperatures, and lots of fun. My furry companions get to share in my October obsession. And yes, there are many treats involved in getting into costumes. A shout out to participants past and present Mr. Pepe, Audrey, Roberta, Pete, Benny, One-eyed Jack and Madison. Happy Howl-o-ween!
Ghost of the Mountains October 22, 2023
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, big cats, Ghost of the Mountains, International Snow Leoard Day, nature, photography, snow leopard, Snow Leopard cubs, travel, wildlife, zoo babies, Zoos
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Tomorrow is International Snow Leopard Day and my birthday. Snow leopards are known as the ‘ghost of the mountains’ because of their solitary and elusive nature. I sometimes am solitary and elusive too. Cheers to these gorgeous cats (and me). For more information about these gorgeous and endangered cats click here. 
Do You Look Like Your Dog? October 15, 2023
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: animals, art, Audrey, baby animals, Fotografiska, Mr. Pepe, NYC, pet photography, Pete, photography, Roberta
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When I am not taking photos at my job at the Central Park Zoo or in my wanderings around NYC I take photos of my own gang at home which includes three cats and a dog. How wonderful to discover that Fotografiska (a NY branch of the Swedish photography museum) was presenting an exhibit of pet photography and its role in culture. This special space is in my neighborhood so how could I resist. As the museum states – ‘With this exhibition we want to celebrate and acknowledge our constant companions, their presence in Western art and popular culture, and our multifaceted relationship with them. We place these animals on a pedestal, and consider them from all perspectives: as life partners, status symbols, friends and family members, and as works of art’. I have included some photos of my own gang (and me). See if you can find us all. Woof!
Be All You Can Be October 8, 2023
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: art, Be all you can be, books, Grolier Club, libraies, NYC, photography, US military
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The Grolier Club on East 60th Street is a hidden gem in NYC. I try to see each exhibit they present. The latest one is called ‘The Best-Read Army in the World’ and is fascinating. It just opened and will be on exhibit thru December. The NY Times coincidentally had a terrific article in yesterday’s paper about this exhibit. It is about the power of books at a time of censorship and repression and tells the story of how the US military fought against propaganda and promoted free thought by disseminating more than one billion books, magazines and newspapers to 16 million troops during WW2 across the world. 
Bats in the Belfry October 1, 2023
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: Batober, Bats, flying foxes, flying mammals, guano, nature, NYC, photography, wildlife, zoo babies
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I have wanted to use this title for a long time just like last week’s Swimming with the Fishes. How lucky were we that the beginning of October starts on a Sunday? I love October with the fall leaves, pumpkins, birthdays and bats. Bats are our friends. Here are some fun bat facts – Bats can live more than 30 years and can fly at speeds of 60 miles per hour (or more!) Bats can find their food in total darkness. Bats can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes an hour. More than half of the bat species in the United States are in severe decline or listed as endangered. Some bats hibernate in caves through the cold winter months. Pallid bats eat scorpions! Bat droppings, called guano, are one of the richest fertilizers. The world’s largest bat is the “flying fox,” which lives on islands in the South Pacific. Baby bats are called pups! Most bats have only one pup a year. The Bracken Bat Cave in Texas is home to the world’s largest bat colony. Happy Batober!
Swimming with the Fishes September 24, 2023
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: Brooklyn, California Sea lion, Coney Island, Fish, Nathans hot dogs, NY Aquarium, sea horses, sea otters, The Godfather, WCS
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‘Swimming with the fishes’ is a famous line spoken by Peter Clemenza in The Godfather (directed by Francis Ford Coppola, 1972). I have always wanted you use it as a photo montage title so even though everything pictured in today’s montage is very much alive, here it is. My friend Robyn and I headed out to Coney Island this week for a fun adventure to the NY Aquarium on a beautiful September day and had a great time. Coney Island is filled with wonderful memories from my Brooklyn childhood and visiting is always a pleasure with a mandatory lunch at Nathan’s of course. Go visit – you will be glad you did.
A New York State of Mind September 17, 2023
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: city views, Empire State Building, I love NY, king kong, NYC, NYC skyline, Observation decks, photography
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My friend Robyn and I ascended to another observatory this week. The Empire State Building was calling our name. It was a glorious day and it was not crowded at all. The views, as always, were spectacular. We groused about all of the ugly new buildings that obscure views and destroy the skyline. That said, we had good laughs and are talking about our next adventure.
Fashionable Fidos September 10, 2023
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: AKC Museum of the Dog, Art exhibit, Fashionable Dogs, Fido, Meet the Breeds, NYC, photography
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I try not to anticipate an exhibit before I go but truth be told…this latest exhibit at the AKC Museum of the Dog was not what I expected. I thought Fashionable Dogs was going to be doggies in outfits – but that was not what it turned out to be. Still enjoyable, but I spruce up this week’s photo montage with some fashionable doggies that have lived at my house. No, my gang were never breeds but they were ‘best in show’ to me. This exhibit highlighted specific breeds that have gone in and out of fashion as the ultimate accessory from nobility to the runway. Through paintings, fashion photography, and accessories this exhibition chronicles the rise and fall of dogs in fashion. Fashionable Dogs tracks the arc of popularity of several breeds through recent history, diving deep into such breeds as the Borzoi, Greyhound, Poodle, Pekingese, Japanese Chin, French Bulldog, and Great Dane. Woof!
As ye sew, so shall ye rip September 3, 2023
Posted by judylobo in Zoo.Tags: Amrican Folk Art Museum, animals, art, NYC, photography, quilts, sewing
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I adore the American Folk Art Museum and never miss a show. I saw this quilt exhibit last April and encourage you to visit. It is on through October 29th. ‘What That Quilt Knows About Me explores the deeply personal and emotional power associated with the experience of making and living with quilts’. Spanning from the 19th through 21st centuries, the works on view reveal a range of poignant and sometimes unexpected biographies. From a pair of enslaved sisters in antebellum Kentucky to a convalescent British soldier during the Crimean War, the exhibition explores stories associated with both the makers and recipients of the works. 
While at the Zoo 