Zoo Animal

A wolf munches on meat at the Olympic Game Farm in Sequim. Big predators, like this wolf and tigers, are in enclosure is no bigger than a small studio.

Zoos are unique places that allow the every man, woman and child to see exotic animals representing far off places, and many work tirelessly to conserve nature around the world.

Yet it seems cruelly ironic that the creatures we marvel at, even if bred in captivity, are basically prisoners behind bars, pacing back and forth.

What do you think of zoos?

For some reason, I found myself at three zoos recently. Here are some pictures:

Olympic Game Farm in Sequim

A black bear looks on as cars drive by her enclosure.

A lion eats in a den attached to his enclosure.

Around all the big predators, bunnies run around free.

The main attraction for the Game Farm is a drive through the property. Drivers can feed yaks, deer and horses bread that's provided.

Vancouver Zoo

Spectators watch a trained beluga whale at the Vancouver zoo.

Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma

Owl food.

The Point Defiance Zoo has a breeding program for red wolves. Only 100 live in the wild, re-introduced from zoos.

Homeless

Vancouver, B.C.

I shot from the hip and accidentally under exposed this picture. But I kind of like in black and white, and grainy.

Otoño

Autumn is in full bloom in Seattle. Here area few pics from Sam Smith park near the I-90 bridge. 

This family was taking advantage of a new camera and the nice day to take pics of their cat.

Aaaaaaaaaaah!

The Murals of the Castro District

Recently went to the Bay Area to visit dear friends and go to a music festival. We managed a stop in San Francisco's Castro District and I was in love. I love murals, they provide so much color and life to a city.

Seattle, where I live, is so stale in so many parts. For example, in a city that's constantly overcast, I don't know why people paint houses gray.

The colors of the murals, many painted at the height of the 1970s chicano movement, were hypnotizing. At a well-known alley, a group of children were touring, providing for the opportunity for good photos.

Occupy Seattle

As protesters in Occupy Boston were getting arrested, word came down that police were moving in on Westlake Park and warned the Occupy Seattle campers to vacate or face expulsion. I shuttled there at midnight and hung out til about 4 a.m., filed a couple of photos and got some raw footage for video. It was a good assignment, except for the pouring rain.

No arrests were made, and the occupiers stayed. Because the city doesn't allow them to use tents, most sleep under tarps.

The Hometown

This is where I live: Seattle.