What’s on your mind when the topic is about Africa? Are you one of most people who think of the big animals like giraffes, gorillas, lions, buffalo, elephants, and many others? I must admit that I’m one of those people, until I found out that there’s something more to expect about Africa! Where there is big, there are also small ones— the smaller species, animals and plants that need attention.
Speaking of attention, the San Diego Zoo is shining the spotlight on them. It’s also good news that they’re doing their best to help in conservation, giving them a new home so they can be taken care of and populate. The Conrad Prebys Africa Rocks at the San Diego Zoo brings the superstars in front of us to show us the another side of Africa. Isn’t it exciting?
I bet it’s a must-visit place for the entire family. Not only for the kids to enjoy and learn, but also for the parents. Everyone will surely enjoy their visit seeing the Africa Rocks superstars.
And who else love penguins? You’ll be surprised that penguins also lived in Africa; they’re not just cold weather birds! I can imagine how cute these penguins are while they’re swimming and diving over their 275,000 gallon pool at the zoo. Glad to know that there are actually 2 ways for the visitors to watch them, one is from above the water and one is from below through the large underwater viewing window.
Though these cute penguins will share the pool with leopard sharks, no harm will happen to them because these sharks don’t eat penguins anyway. Since these African penguins are endangered, the pool is going to be their breeding colony where they can nest and raise their chicks, yay!
I’m almost carried away by my excitement about the African penguins that I almost forgot to mention Africa Rocks highlights 6 habitats from savanna to seashore. And these habitats are Cape Fynbos, Kopje, Acacia Woodland, Ethiopian Highlands, Madagascar Forest, and West African Forest.
- The Cape Fynbos is where the warm-weather penguins swim with small sharks through the South Africa’s rocky coastline and gives us the weird yet beautiful Protea plants.
- Kopje is boulder-strewn islands in grassland savanna where the rock living animals’ lives.
- The Acacia Woodland features thorn-bearing acacia trees with shrubs and grasses, where you can expect leopards, vervetmonkeys, and a colorful bevy of birds.
- The Ethiopian Highlands is a rugged mountain habitat made of craggy, granite peaks, and plateaus.
- The Madagascar Forest is where you can find dramatic limestone formations and spiny dry forest plants, and also a home for lemurs.
- West African Forest gets up to 80 inches of rain each year, which creates water forms like waterfalls, pools, and streams.
Whoa, that’s a lot of exciting experience at the Africa Rocks! Are you as excited as I am? Be sure to plan your visit with the kids!