No trip to the zoo is complete without a tour of the Small Mammal House.

The mammals are very aware of early morning visitors, and often wary of them as well.

The Pale Faced Saki’s are one of my favorite small guys. They were a bit disinterested in me last weekend; of course, it was breakfast time.

The Meercats are always fun to visit.

Although I can honestly say I have never, ever seen one of the speedy guys lay down before.

The baby howler money was quite a sight.

I forget what type of bird this was, but it kept pecking at me from behind the glass. Hence, this aggressive looking shot.

Heading down the steep hill of the zoo.

I’m sure we all have felt this way before.

Perhaps I wasn’t the only one who woke at 5:00 to visit the zoo that day.

I really enjoy visiting Murphy, the Komodo Dragon. I was watching him intently knowing there was a man with his small boy approaching behind me. Sure enough, as I have seen in the past, a very disinterested Murphy turned suddenly aware of a new visitor. Komodo Dragons seem to really, really like visiting children…

One of the zoo’s two beautiful Caracals.

And finally, with the newly reopened American Trail, the return of the wonderful Bald Eagle.

Continuing the Asian Trail journey.

Nothing has more energy or cuteness in the early morning than the Red Pandas. Two were racing around their habitat, showing off for me and each other. Unfortunately, there were no zoo staff present; the Red Pandas really seem to ham it up for those they are familiar with (and, of course, who feed them).

Sloth Bear! Two of them, actually (although only pictures of one). I am not sure I have ever seen the zoo’s sloth bear; if I have, it was a very long time ago. But there were two bears out this past weekend, wandering around with playful enthusiasm.

I’m almost ashamed at how much I take the Giant Panda for granted. They are so beautiful and rare, yet oddly common for the periodic zoo visitor. Mornings are a good time to watch them chow down on bamboo…and this one was chowing down…on bamboo.

The two young, newborn fishing cats (fishing kittens?) were putting on quite a show. Like the cheetahs and lions, they are cats in the pure sense of the word. Jump, play, run, jump some more, and in the last shot, attack mom’s tail.

A pile of spots just beyond the Asian Trail.

Cheetahs, of course.

I continued around the bird area to the flamingos.

Beyond photogenic, these birds have one of the craziest group squawking noises one would ever want to hear. As I start to grow close to their habitat, I can hear them yapping away, and the noise is incredible once I’m staring straight at them. Then, as if on command, they will all put their heads down and rest. However, all I have to do is wait a few minutes; one will start the cry, and soon many are yelling again.

The Double-Wattled Cassowary is my favorite bird at the zoo. Looking like it was put together from spare parts of an emu, turkey, rooster, and who knows how many other animals, this peculiar creature is just remarkable to watch. It was eating from a batch of weeds right in front of me, so I got some interesting, if not a bit blurry, macro shots.

The Stanley Crane cracks me up for no real reason other than it just always looks so happy to see me. Flanked with a sign that says, “caution, aggressive crane” on the fence of its habitat, Mr. Stanley has learned to crawl through the high hedges that were placed a year or so ago to see me close up.

I forgot to post this Kori Bustard pair yesterday.

This Crested Screamer looked like it had something rather angry to say to me, but it held its tongue.

The Red-Legged Seriema, on the other hand, made up for the Screamer’s silence in spades.

I don’t care how noble other animals in the zoo are; whether it be the lion, the Komodo Dragon, or the Giant Pandas, few creatures give me that ruler of all around them more than the King Vulture does. It is truly an ominous sight.