I feel like zoo photography is so underrated and not enough people take advantage. It's so much fun to be able to photograph animals you might never actually see in the wild. While some of the enclosures don't make for the prettiest scenes, that just adds to the challenge of trying to make those photos look as "wild" as possible, and I really enjoy that. My favorite things were of course the birds, but I did get a few shots of mammals and fish as well. I hope you enjoy, I know I did. Let me know what your favorite was in the comment section below! And if you're not, consider subscribing to my blog, it's free and you'll be notified every time I make a new post.
My favorite bird of the trip was hands down this Victoria Crowned Pigeon. What a stunning bird! Named after Queen Victoria, this mostly ground dwelling pigeon can typically be found foraging for fruits, seeds and insects on the forest floor. Victoria Crowned Pigeons are currently listed as Near Threatened due to loss of habitat, hunting, and illegal trade for their plumage. Zoos play an important role in the conservation of this species by helping maintain carefully managed breeding populations.
Victoria Crowned Pigeon
Red and Green Macaw, Blue-throated Macaw, and Military Macaw are all native to central and South America, but their wild populations face different pressures. Habitat destruction and the pet trade are the most major threats to macaws, which is what makes conservation programs so important.
The Blue-throated Macaw is the most threatened of these species, and is listed as Critically Endangered. Intensive conservation including habitat restoration, nest protection, and breeding programs has helped rebuild the population.
I loved being able to photograph all of these beautiful birds, with the Red and Green being the most striking color-wise. Let me know which one you like the most !
Red and Green Macaw, Blue-throated Macaw, Military Macaw
Now this was a dream bird to photograph! Look at that beautiful orange bill. The Toco Toucan is the largest toucan species, and that bill actually makes up a third of the birds body length. Despite looking quit heavy, the bill is actually quite lightweight, and helps the toucan reach fruits on branches that might not support its full weight. Toco Toucans are listed as Least Concern, though populations are believed to be on the decline, due to threats such as the pet trade.
Toco Toucan
Harris's Hawk, African Fish Eagle, Hooded Vulture
The colors of this dove! They are such a fun combination of pink and green, and something really interesting to note is that is not just a male trait. Females also have this bright beautiful plumage, which isn't always typical with bird species.
The current status of these doves is Least Concern, but because it depends on forest habitat within a fairly restricted geographic area, protecting those mountain forests is still important for its long-term future.
Pink-headed Fruit Dove
Lesser Flamingo, Trumpeter Hornbill, Bali Myna
The Flamingo was one of the things I wanted to photograph the most! I love pink on birds, and it's not something that is super common to find with your average bird species. The lesser flamingo is currently classified as Near Threatened. Although millions still exist, they depend on a relatively small number of specialized breeding and feeding lakes in eastern and southern Africa, as well as parts of India. Zoos contribute by maintaining healthy populations, studying flamingo behavior and reproduction, and helping visitors understand that even species seen in large flocks can face conservation challenges if their unique habitats are altered.
Takin, Bactrian Camel
Asian Wild Horse, White-cheeked Gibbon
The aquarium at the Minnesota Zoo isn't huge, but they had a couple of really beautiful reef tanks. I have zero experience with photographing fish, and it proved to be a little bit of a challenge. I wasn't able to capture a lot successfully, but I got a few that I think turned out really neat. This is something I would really love to work on and get better at.
