For some years I had planned to go to the Zoo 'off season.' I, as many others, have somewhat conflicting feelings about zoos, because I like animals. They do have a useful mission in today's world, but a cage is a cage, even when the well-being of the animals is taken into account. Last Sunday I finally went, and in addition to animals, there were also ice sculptures to be seen.

Ice Sculptures	Find the Snowy Owl...
Bisons	Kulans
Snow Leopard, prowling...	Markhors
Lioness, watching the Amur Leopard	Amur Leopard feeding

The felines prowled restlessly, except for the Amur Tiger, resting imperially in the sun, and the Manuli hiding in its cave, but the herbivores seemed happy enough, and the Grey Seal swam under ice floes in its small pond... On Saturday there had been a programme about the rare Snow Leopards on TV, so of course I was pleased to see the great number of them in Helsinki Zoo, and Markhors, too.

The weather in the morning was cloudy and raw, and before leaving I went to warm myself in the Amazonia and Africasia house. When I came out the sun was shining brightly, and as I noticed that the Amur Leopard was soon to be fed, I stayed to watch, before returning home to feed myself.