Places - # 10 – Milwaukee County Zoo

In the early 70’s, I was in graduate school in Milwaukee. As a zoologist, I have always enjoyed visiting zoos. In those days, the Milwaukee County Zoo was rated as one of the best in the country. Many of its features were new. Large enclosures with natural elements replaced bare, sterile cages. Open-air spaces make for better photo-op’s than shooting the critter through bars and wires.

I can rethink that. In a cage, the animal can’t hide. The bare space ensures you actually see the beast. She will be framed by cement and tile with bars or wires across the entire composition…but the face can say a lot. With the new, improved enclosures, the resident could be curled up behind a rock. Then you have to resign yourself to the fact that this was not your lucky photo day. On the special day you finally do see him romping about, you will truly appreciate the experience. But I digress.

Caged Felines, Bronx Zoo (1967)

I grew up within walking distance of one of the first great zoos in America. The Bronx Zoo opened in 1899 and by the time I was going there in the 60’s, it felt like we were still looking at the 19th century way to exhibit animals. By that time, TV nature shows started to promote a better, more humane way to provide for AND exhibit animals. Enclosures with room to run and climb and bathe became the norm. Cages are jails, as the expression on the two inmates above will attest. Still digressing.

Before I relate a special memory from the Milwaukee Zoo, here are some images from my days there.

Samson (September 1969)

I easily remember Samson in his indoor space. He was the park’s ambassador, the zoo’s iconic, advertising center piece. This lowland gorilla was huge. He liked to sit on this scale. It showed us he weighed over 600 pounds. He also had a habit of sitting against the front glass…as close to his admirers as he could get…very still and quiet. Then, out of the blue, he would slam the glass with a massive forearm, scaring the bejeezus out of folks as he darted over to another spot to sit quietly again.

Hungry No More, Milwaukee Zoo (November, 1970)

Some say snakes make good pets. They need to be fed infrequently and once they’ve eaten, they prefer to quietly digest and be left alone. I have no idea what this big python ate but I suspect it wasn’t going to be active for a while.

Two Cockatoos, Milwaukee Zoo (September, 1969)

Months before moving out of New York City, I visited Milwaukee and took this picture at the Zoo. It may have been the first slide I liked enough to enlarge and frame. After it was scanned into a digital file, I was able to sharpen it and improve the color. Another neat thing about digital images – there was a strand of green leaves above and behind the upper bird’s head. Now, we can clone out undesirable elements by pasting in pixels from other parts of the wall.

Right. There was supposed to be a story here.

I had a free morning. It was a beautiful day…shirt-sleeve weather. Spring or fall, I can’t say. It doesn’t matter. It was that delightful time between the unpredictable summer and frozen tundra winter.

Also, it was a weekday. Most people were at work. When I arrived as soon as the zoo opened, I had the place to myself. The plan was to casually cruise the grounds and linger at promising locations. Take the time to check angles and light and finally compose images worth keeping. My idea of fun. Just me, the camera and the residents emerging from their dens to begin the day by looking good for me.

Common Egret, Milwaukee Zoo, (June, 1972)

Then, all Hell broke loose…disaster in the form of running, screaming hordes of school kids. It was Field Trip Day and the little monsters spread through the park like a plague. I remember the poor critters retreating back into the deepest recesses of their homes. That’s certainly what I wanted to do. So much for my great, quiet morning of picture-taking. The project was abandoned and I went home.

Ever since then, that memory has stuck with me like a wart…which was revived 38 years later.

Stay tuned.