It is always difficult for me to select the particular animals at a zoo which I will feature on my Favorites Page. All of the animals at all of the zoos I visit are my favorites in one way or another.
It is even more difficult to select favorites at a smaller zoo like the Elmwood Park Zoo because, if I just had enough webspace, I could actually display a photo of every animal on exhibit. But free webspace is limited, so I must focus on my "special favorites" for this page. Below you will see the Elmwood Park Zoo inhabitants which I look for first on each visit.
I am not just an animal lover. I am also a "cat person". So this serval is definitely one of my favorites.
(Update: The Elmwood Park Zoo is now exhibiting only North and South American animals. So the serval has been transferred to another home.)
Not only am I a "cat person", but I am also a "dog person". This beautiful female white wolf looks so gentle that I could easily imagine seeing her curled up on my living room couch.
Unfortunately, her mate died recently, and the zoo may have to find another home for her so she can be with other wolves. Her mate was also one of my favorites. I miss seeing him, and I will really miss her if she is sent to another zoo.
(Update: This beautiful wolf was happy and doing well alone at the Elmwood Park Zoo, so she was not sent to another home. But sadly, she was old, and she passed away, too.)
This female bighorn sheep startled me the first time I saw her pop out from behind the rock pile in the bighorn sheep area. I was accustomed to seeing the much larger male strutting slowly into view. He is definitely a favorite, but she has quickly become a "special favorite."
There is no doubt that this adorable fisher is the winner in the category of "animal which makes the cutest faces". He makes eye contact with visitors (and their cameras) which definitely adds to his appeal.
Alligators aren't ordinarily included in my "special favorites" category, but this baby alligator worked his way into that category by acting like he recognizes my son and me when we visit. Each time we visit, he slowly moves closer to the glass. (I am assuming he is thinking There are those nice visitors again as opposed to There are those delicious-looking visitors again.
This beautiful swan loves the food the zoo provides for visitors to feed him and to feed the ducks and geese. Sometimes, after he takes a bite, he nods his head politely to thank the person who fed him.
This otter is not only cute, but he also has a cute personality. He loves to show off and to pose for pictures.
This red fox is handsome and elegant. Every time I see him, I think of Aesop's Fables.
Every time we see this sheep, my son says "That black and white sheep is really cute." And I say "You said that same thing the last time we visited." And he says, "That shows I am consistant!"