Day Off at the Bronx Zoo

Somewhere around thirty years since my last visit to the Bronx Zoo, this time I returned with only one mission clear in my mind: to see a sloth (or two). I packed a large bottle of cold water, two turkey and muenster on sourdough sandwiches and a small pink portable fan, and for once finally remembered sunblock and a hat.

It was a hot sunny Wednesday, and admission being free meant crowds of families and strollers and mother’s pulling on large bags over one shoulder. Behind my sunglasses I wondered how on earth we’re walking around lions and elephants that have no enclosures. Was I thinking too much about how this all works?

When we finally arrived at the World of Darkness exhibit, it took a few seconds to adapt to the new even hotter climate and the screeching of fruit bats and babies excited to see them. Nocturnal species behind glass observing each other and the stares of visitors. There is an echo in the simulated cave, and though immersive it does make me wonder how comfortable some animals might be. Two sloths live in the middle of the exhibit, and we would have missed them had it not been for a tiny pygmy slow loris that led us to their dark corner in the back. Hanging upside-down off a small angled branch, one sloth inched closer to the glass while eating some leaves. Slowly blinking as it stared in our direction the sloths maneuvered curled branches while aye-aye’s zoomed back and forth and up and down from where the sloths hung. The contrast in speed and excitement like a mockery of their patience. My little fan came in clutch here since there were about two classrooms worth of kids and instructors inside what was meant to feel like a cave.

After leaving we walked over to a shaded bench and ate our sandwiches with ginger ale and jalapeño chips while we stared at giraffes. We decided to ride the trolley last, which was the right move since it was too crowded to walk around and would have otherwise missed the red pandas.