OTish - More Shots of the Wolverines at the Zoo

Submitted by mikoyan on

So I went to the zoo on Saturday because it was a pretty nice day.  While the weather was cooperative, I remembered why I prefer the zoo in the dead of winter as there was a pretty sizable crowd there.  At any rate, the pics folks here might be interested in.

http://michiganexposures.blogspot.com/2011/05/and-wolverines.html 

And if you like the other animals.

http://michiganexposures.blogspot.com/2011/05/fauna-at-detroit-zoo.html 

Don

May 9th, 2011 at 9:08 AM ^

If I had my way, nobody would be allowed to post on MGoBlog until they passed an exam that tests their fundamental knowledge about them.

Don

May 9th, 2011 at 10:36 AM ^

I think some around here get a little over-zealous in their OT fanaticism, and I think it's great you've been posting your pix here. Keep 'em coming.

Both the Detroit Zoo and the Toledo Zoo are great places. One of the main differences is that the Toledo Zoo is far smaller in acreage than the Detroit Zoo, so you don't have to walk as far between exhibits.

Benoit Balls

May 9th, 2011 at 11:04 AM ^

and  before they put 696 in, we used to be able to sit on her front porch and hear the animals go crazy during afternoon feeding time. Sometimes we'd take a walk up to the Zoo and wander around just to kill an afternoon. Its been years since I've been to the Detroit Zoo, but I do remember everything seeming like it was a half mile away from everything else. I just figured things seemed so far apart back then due to my relatively shorter legs.

 

white_pony_rocks

May 9th, 2011 at 9:11 AM ^

speaking of the zoo, has anyone been to the toledo zoo?  I hear it is pretty nice, and ive been to the detroit zoo many times, is it worth going to or should I just stick to the detroit zoo?  also when the gf lived in lincoln park we walked to the free zoo all the time, it was amazing, but I have a friend moving to chicago in a few weeks and we want to show him around, should we take him there or the brookfield zoo?

Raoul

May 9th, 2011 at 9:52 AM ^

When is the last time you visited the Toledo Zoo?--because it's expanded quite a bit in recent years. It may not be as large as the Detroit Zoo in terms of acreage but it actually has more species and more individual animals than the Detroit Zoo.

To white_pony_rocks: I would definitely recommend you check out the Toledo Zoo. It's not necessarily "better" than the Detroit Zoo--it's just different. I think the Toledo Zoo is particularly good for kids, especially with the opening of the new children's zoo called Nature's Neighborhood.

rederik

May 9th, 2011 at 10:49 AM ^

I have been to both zoos numerous times, and while the Toledo Zoo is smaller, it is still the better of the two. I spent a number of my childhood summer days at the Detroit Zoo, so I don't say this for any lack of love. It's simply that the Detroit Zoo is so spread out, they seem to waste all that space. While there are still particular reasons I love my old Detroit Zoo--such as the penguarium, the underwater tunnel for seal-viewing, the butterfly house, and the new kangaroo walk-through--overall it's only an "okay" zoo in comparison to Toledo. They don't even have elephants anymore! IMHO, the Toledo Zoo simply makes better use of its space, not merely asthetically but also in having more than twice as many species in the zoo, and generally seems have a lot more charm (the WPA-built aquarium, the old lion cages now being the food court, the Sigfreud and Roy white lions, the hippoquarium [currently underconstruciton, however] etc).

 

Raoul

May 9th, 2011 at 10:57 AM ^

I agree with your point about the Toledo Zoo making better use of its space, compared to the Detroit Zoo. I wouldn't necessarily criticize the Detroit Zoo over its lack of elephants, however. There's a ton of controversy right now about whether elephants should be kept in zoos because it's been found that they don't do well unless they have very large enclosures. Many zoos have ended their elephant exhibits in recent years for this very reason.

rederik

May 9th, 2011 at 11:22 AM ^

Certainly, everything you say is true. But that controversy surrounds the ethics of elephants being in areas too small for them during the winter, not whether they can be kept in the north/midwest at all. And while it's true that other zoos have chosen not to expand their indoor habitats, and like the Detroit Zoo, have simply abandoned the prospect of housing elephants, I respectfully disagree that this is not a point for criticism. Outside of the circus, which is an entirely different animals-ethics debate, where else can a child ever see a creature as large and magnificent as an elephant up close? It's that first-hand observation that really inspires kids at the zoo, and that's where the Detroit Zoo dropped the ball. It's not as if the Detroit Zoo didn't have the space- we both agree that the Zoo as a whole already has plenty of that. And if money is an issue, I wonder why they chose to find funding for expanding the lion habitat, which to my knowledge lacked any ethical implications either before or after construction, instead of trying to bring elephants back. In short, I think you need elephants to be a good zoo.

Ironic/OT: Toledo is currently also expanding its bull elephant exhibit, and one of the elephants is expected to give birth sometime this spring.

Additional point: I do wish the Toledo Zoo would get their own wolverine. Major points to Detroit for that.

Raoul

May 9th, 2011 at 1:20 PM ^

I don't know the details about the Detroit Zoo's decision on elephants, so maybe they should be criticized for that. All I do know is that the zoo is not alone in going elephant-free; the latest is the Toronto Zoo, which I think will be still be a "good zoo" even without elephants.

On your additonal point: I think the Toledo Zoo might lose some members and donors if they added wolverines. It's always interesting walking around that zoo and seeing about equal numbers of people wearing Michigan and OSU apparel.

jmblue

May 9th, 2011 at 4:55 PM ^

I don't think money was the big issue with the elephants.  They just aren't comfortable, in psychological terms, being cooped up indoors during the winter months.  I agree that it's unfortunate for children, but there still are enough large, interesting animals at the zoo to entertain children.  My nieces and nephew are regular Detroit Zoo visitors and they love it.  I don't think they've ever even paused to consider that it has no elephants.

jmblue

May 9th, 2011 at 5:01 PM ^

The Detroit Zoo has much larger habitats for the animals than the Toledo Zoo does.  That's a double-edged sword.  On one hand, it's probably better for the animals' well-being to have that extra space, but it can sometimes makes it hard for visitors to see them.  (The wolverines, in particular, are often hard to spot.)  At the Toledo Zoo, the animals don't have as much room, but they are easy to spot.

MAgoBLUE

May 9th, 2011 at 9:58 AM ^

I like how you start the section with the other animals:

"And of course, I didn't let my enjoyment of the flora cut into the enjoyment of the fauna. Animals are simply way cooler than any flower. Sorry members of the plant kingdom, you may live longer than animals but until you start moving, you just aren't as cool."

Telling it like it is.

M go Bru

May 9th, 2011 at 10:33 AM ^

Those are nice pictures but unfortunately they don't portray their true prowess. They almost look like they are smiling.

The most active I have seen the wolverines at the Detroit Zoo was over one of my kids' winter break at the end of February. A front end loader was near their area and it spooked them. One wolverine scaled to the top of the tree in their area in a couple of seconds. It looked like it was shot out of a cannon. It was trury an impressive physical feat!

Don't expect too much from them in summer. It seems they were always sleeping in the shade.

My favorite video  I saw on 'you tube' was a wolverine fighing a wolf for a large animal carcass. The wolverine used its jaws to clamp down on the muzzle of the wolf and would not let go. When the wolverine did let go you could see the bloody holes in the wolf's muzzle left by the wolverine's teeth. The wolf wanted nothing to do with the wolverine and fled.

WestSider

May 9th, 2011 at 12:18 PM ^

the John Ball Park zoo has a Wolverine that looks depressed, is always inactive, and truly makes me sad when I see it. As endangered as they are in the wild, this one looks like it would prefer death to imprisonment.

WolverineHistorian

May 9th, 2011 at 12:29 PM ^

On the local news last year, they featured a piece about 2 wolverines being donated to the Detroit Zoo.  The only reason this was considered "news" was because an MSU fan who worked at the zoo named them "Sparty" and Bucky."

I assume this guy is one of those two. 

jmblue

May 9th, 2011 at 5:07 PM ^

Those are some classic images - wolverine on the move, snarling as he walks.  Did you have to wait awhile to get those?

The bear and tiger photos on the other page are fantastic as well.