I was ready with my debit and Sacramento Zoo membership cards in hand to pay for my visit at the Folsom Zoo Sanctuary only to be told that they have no affiliation with the Sacramento Zoo and couldn’t give me a discount! They were not a zoo, but a sanctuary!! That’s what’s in a name!!!
Marlene and I had visited the Folsom Zoo, in Folsom, once before and found it not too favorable for photography, but Ray set up this outing for our Tuesday group and off we went. I just wasn’t prepared for the difference between a zoo and sanctuary to be explained so explicitly and rudely. What makes one better than the other?
You might say that the sanctuary takes in animals that can’t be released into the wild while the zoo breeds animals into captivity. I find there’s a place for both. When you look at the amazment in children’s faces you understand that a zoo is where they learn about animals they may never get to see. I think it’s great that a sanctuary gives animals a home when they can’t be in the wild any longer, and their stories touch your heart. For me, there’s a place for both.
Getting back to why the Folsom Zoo is not a great place for photography, their cages are too thick. We can’t shoot through the thick metal and make it disappear. Knowing that, I just took pictures of the crowds, the beautiful landscaped and designed walkways and some animals not in caged enclosures.
Meanwhile, at the Sacramento Zoo, in Sacramento, there were so many children visiting the day we went. I couldn’t get close to some of the exhibits. Or, by the time I could take the shot, the animal was out of reach or went back inside.
So, here are a few images from both the zoo sanctuary (FZ) and the zoo (SZ)!
Flamingo stretching. 
Blizzard, the male snow leopard. 
Hungary 
Mongoose Lemur 
Wolf’s Guenon
I loved that this tree was in the center of a quad. FZ 
Educational pieces were prominent. FZ 
One of the pretty enclosures. FZ 
A walkway. FZ 
Keeping the enclosure clean. FZ 
Tiles made by children. FZ 
A peacock. FZ 
A deer. FZ 
The barn. FZ 
One of the keepers who was willing to pose. FZ 
A beautiful wolf that was a favorite. FZ
Slow Shutter Speed 
I would have thought that in a sanctuary animals had more space than in a zoo…you always learn something new, I guess!
Brilliant photos, Anne! I love the flamingo and the wolf. Such a pity it was in a cage, because it looks gorgeous!!
Btw, I don’t know if it’s my laptop or my internet or…. but I can’t see all the photos… 😦
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Mercedes, I went into the blog and all the pictures were there. I guess in a zoo sanctuary things don’t offer a great deal of space. It’s not like they can roam around. Thanks for liking whatever photos you could see. The flamingos and the wolf are my favorites too. The wolf was beautiful.
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The hawk, sleeping flamingo and yawning lion are stunning. I can’t see the four (4) between the Okapi and the Lion, either. …… 😐
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Thanks Donna. I think I fixed it. I’m on my laptop and I couldn’t see them either. While I was doing the post, those photos loaded twice in the blog gallery. I didn’t want them taking up extra room so I deleted the four photos thinking that the identical ones remaining would be sufficient to keep them in the post. I guessed wrong! I went back in the gallery and replaced them. When I checked them on my desktop, they were there. I guess I just had to use a different computer! Please go back!!
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Thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures with us!
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You’re welcome Mackenzie. So glad you enjoyed them.
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