Cold temperatures good times!

Cold temperatures can be good times to go to your local zoo.

It is true that during the colder times of the year, not all the animals will be out and viewable for people to catch a glimpse of but isn't that true for all seasons and times of day the animals are out?

Bundling up and getting outside for some fresh air is always a good idea, even when it may be a little cold. But what is an adequate temperature to go and take an adventure walk through your local zoo? Here with the team at JK's Zoo Tales, we find that the mid-forties to low-fifties is an excellent time to go and see many of the animals at our local zoo.

Imagine going down the boardwalk at the exhibit of stunning and powerful elephants at the zoo. The other day, at our zoo, they were playing in the snow: throwing it around with their mighty trunks and seeing the smiles the baby elephants had as they stomped through the snow would have been an exciting sight.

Seeing the thrill on the children's and their parent's faces as they watched our tall and beautiful giraffes running through their exhibit was worth an admission; the bonus was hearing them laugh out loud for seeing something like that for the first time in person. How about feeding a giraffe some delicious romaine lettuce and seeing its purple tongues stick out to receive its treat?

That may not seem worth the trip to some, but having just an extra layer of clothing or a jacket for cover can get you an experience of a lifetime with these and many other animals. You may think it is too cold for them to be out, but this is not true. During these temperatures, the animals are even more playful and feel free when the zoo is quieter and more peaceful during this time of year.

We love going during this time of year cause we can get more exciting encounters and up close experiences with many of the animals around us, especially the squirrels; I say this with much laughter and enjoy watching our kids engage with the squirrels from a distance.

The best part of getting to go during this time of year is that, though it might be a little colder, the nature walks are breathtaking. You walk along the winding paths of tall bamboo and turn the corner to see some of the most spectacular sights of plants and animals playing, but if you wait patiently long enough, you can stand there and take it all in like it is your very own retreat.

So I hope the next time you want to get away for a day vacation and think it may be too cold to get out, remember your local zoo has heated buildings to stop in at, marvelous restaurants, and astonishing animals and nature trails to see. Maybe we might even run into each other and share a story or two.