Trip to Keenesburg

Last evening Joe, my mom and I headed for Keenesburg to visit the Wild Animal Sanctuary during one of the twilight visits open on summer weekends. We arrived shortly after they opened at 6 and stayed until a rainstorm moved in about 8. It was a lovely evening on the prarie, overcast and cool with a slight breeze that was enough to keep the mosquitos from biting.

Most of the animals were asleep when we arrived,although we were greeted by 2 of the wolves howling when we pulled into the parking lot, so the visit started on a very rewarding note. (The wolf and bear enclosures are partly visible from the parking lot and entrance to the sanctuary.) As the sun moved lower in the sky, many of the animals began to wake up and walk around, one of the benefits of an evening visit.

Here are a couple of leopards relaxing in their enclosure:





Also some tigers, note how they dig out a spot to lie in:

Some of the tigers were cooling off in the water:

this one is just emerging from a dip in his stock tank

and this one spent some time lazing in the tiger pool

Romeo the mountain lion was sitting on his concrete shelter slowly waking up as sunset approached. We could hear and see some of the other mountain lions (including Dixie) as they woke up, but Romeo's enclosure is really the only one close enough for decent pictures:

Romeo is an exceptionally beautiful cat!

It was awhile after we arrived before the lions started waking up and moving around. Here is one of the first ones to stir, a male who ambled over to the tank and took a good long drink:

Didn't get any pictures of the servals this trip, although we did spend some time watching them and admiring their beauty. Their enclosure is shaded by trees and there wasn't enough light for a clear picture.

So glad we went, we always enjoy our trips to the Wildlife Sanctuary in Keenesburg.