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There are many adventures that you can take your children on. When you are creating a list of activities, you probably have some basic requirements. You may want to go places that are interactive and fun, but also include an opportunity to teach your kids as well. As you look at all the various options you have, you may find that visiting the National Zoo, or a zoo in your local area, can provide you with many exciting and educational experiences. You can have each of your family members choose their favorite animal and spend extra time visiting and learning all about them. Here are a few interesting animals that you may want to go and see! Panda Bears If you love the black and white giant pandas, you can see them at a zoo. If you can't go in person, it is possible to watch them on the Internet through the Panda Cam. This gives you a chance to see this incredible animal up close and personal. The panda is native to south central China. They are an endangered species. You would recognize them as a smaller bear with a round body and black patches around the eyes, ears, and across the body. A panda eats almost exclusively bamboo. This cute creature is among one of the most adored and protected rare animals. Giraffes You might find that giraffes are fascinating. They are the tallest living terrestrial animal. An adult male can be as tall as 20 feet and a female around 15 feet. They have long legs and beautiful long necks. It is amazing how agile they are for their size; they can run as fast as 37 miles per hour. The giraffe lives in savanna areas in Africa. They use their long tongues to help them pull leaves off the top of trees as they eat. They have a beautiful spotted pattern. You may notice that they have 2 skin-covered knobs on the top of their heads. Those are there to protect their heads, especially when the males fight. Giraffes will normally sleep with their feet tucked under them in a sitting position but they can sleep standing as well. Crazy thing is that they only sleep about 2 hours a day! A newborn giraffe can be 6 feet tall and weigh 150 pounds. Elephants Elephants are large, gray mammals with a long trunk. There are 2 primary species; the African and the Asian elephant. An elephant can measure up to 14 feet high at its shoulders and can weigh upwards of 15,000 pounds. They can also live to be 70 years old. Elephants eat grass, bamboo, leaves, roots, and even some crops like sugarcane and bananas. A typical adult will eat 300 to 400 pounds of food a day. There is a deep family structure within elephant herds. Related females will form a group and it will be led by 1 large female elephant, usually the oldest and largest. Herds range from 8 to 100 animals. When a baby is born, the whole group will mother it and raise it. Eventually the males leave and will live solitary lives while the females stick together. They are highly intelligent animals with incredible memories. Gorillas A gorilla is a member of the great ape family. They are different from monkeys because they are larger, don't have tails, can walk upright, and have more developed brains. They have arms that are longer than their legs and will sometimes walk using all 4 limbs. Gorillas are also herbivores, eating leaves, vines, and fruit. Gorillas live in smaller family units of about 6 to 12. The largest male will be dominant and will make all the decisions for the group. He is also the protector and will be the most aggressive animal. Seeing all these animals, and many more, can be an incredible experience. You can do this by visiting the National Zoo, or your local one.
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