EDMOND — If you haven’t been to the Oklahoma City Zoo lately, you’re missing a great experience.   Spurred on by the return of the elephants (Asha and Chandra, Asian elephant sisters, had been living at the Tulsa Zoo since late ’08 while the new elephant enclosure was being constructed) and the arrival on April 15 of Asha’s baby, Malee, a group of friends plus husband Jack and I made a trip to the zoo. And if that’s not an elephantine sentence, I don’t know what is!

For some of us, it had been many years since we had been to the zoo — I’m embarrassed to say that I hadn’t been there since 2007.  We’re all past the take-your kids, even take-your-grandkids, age. But we discovered a marvelous way to see the zoo without wearing ourselves out. We called ahead and reserved two courtesy carts with super-knowledgeable drivers. Each cart could carry five guests and the driver. We were able to cover a lot of ground and stop at the exhibits in which we were most interested.   

And there’s a lot to be interested in at the zoo. We of course wanted to see the new elephant enclosure. With three yard areas on nine-and-a-half acres, it’s the largest elephant habitat in the United States. The elephant barn is high-tech with a monitoring post so keepers can watch the elephants when they are in their stalls. Guests get bird’s-eye views of the whole area from ramps which overlook the exhibit. The architecture of the ramps and structures is reminiscent of Thailand; the buildings have multi-tiered roofs and distinctive ornamentation.

Mom Asha, Aunt Chandra and little Malee, whose name means “flower” in Thai, were enjoying a snack in one of the yards. Malee is apparently a feisty little elephant and, like any little tyke, enjoys playing in the mud. She gains from one to three pounds a day.

I was particularly anxious to see the Oklahoma Trails. I’d gotten a sneak preview before the exhibit opened but hadn’t been back since it was completed. Visitors to this area get a tour of the many ecosystems in the state — from Black Mesa and a magnificent cougar in the far northwest corner of the panhandle to the cypress swamps and alligators of the southeast corner of the state. Over 100 different species are represented; all are animals either currently living in Oklahoma or having once lived in the area. Examples of the latter category are Will and Wiley, two grizzly bears, who inhabit the Cross Timbers section of the Trails.

Each of the 11 habitats represented also features plants native to the particular area. In addition to these habitats, the Trails has a nocturnal barn with owls, bats and other night creatures and a free-flight aviary. Here, a colorful ring-necked pheasant strolled across the path while ibis at the water’s edge eyed us warily.

The Great EscApe is always a favorite stop. The gorillas were lounging in the shade while, in another area, the chimps were a bit more lively. We skipped the Cat Forest and Lion Overlook. Our guide told us the cats would be holed up out of the heat and napping.

As we motored past the hippos and rhinos, our driver told us about the precarious position that rhinos hold in the wild today. Of the five surviving species, most are either endangered or critically endangered. The Oklahoma City Zoo has Indian and Black rhinos.

The Oklahoma City Chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers has an annual fundraiser from which 100 percent of the proceeds go to rhino conservation. The good news is, you can easily participate this very evening, Saturday, July 30 from 7-10 p.m. at the AMF Boulevard Lanes, 3501 S. Boulevard. The cost is $25 per bowler and includes three hours of bowling, shoe rental, food/drink, a T-shirt and the chance to win some cool door prizes. And you’ll help save the rhinos.

We were running out of time but none of us had seen the re-done Children’s Zoo. In addition to barnyard animals to pet, there are wonderful water-play areas and it was fun watching the little children squealing and splashing. We had as much fun as the kids in the Explorikeet Adventure where dozens of brightly-feathered birds vied for sips of nectar.

We’d spent three hours at the zoo and still hadn’t seen everything! The Oklahoma City Zoo is a real entertainment bargain — even a bigger bargain if you have a membership. The zoo is open daily. Summer hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with late hours on Saturdays. If you want to travel in style, like our group did, call 424-3344 to schedule a cart tour (either 9 a.m. or 1 p.m.). Two hours are $30 (plus your zoo admission) or three hours for $45.



ELAINE WARNER is an Edmond resident.