Yet ANOTHER trip to the zoo.

The zoo (or Musée, as we usually call it) is a favorite place for our children. It isn't like a zoo in the States - it is small and the animals don't receive the care they would in the Western world. But it does have some unique features...

A trip to the Musée is pretty much a standard "touristy" thing we do when we have visitors. When a young man, passing through Niamey for his college internship, decided he'd enjoy a trip to the zoo, our gang was delighted. Here is a sampling of photos from their outing.

This lion is keeping a really close eye on Jonathan ... so is Tim!

Here, Brendan is counting up how many lizards he thinks he'd have to catch to feed this owl, an owl several times larger than Silver, his pet owl.

No need for a petting zoo when you can reach your hands right into the cage to love on some of the animals...

Here, we see that Jonathan escaped from the stroller to take his turn petting the little gazelle.

Posed in front of some of the fossil dinosaur bones that have been discovered in Niger sections of the Sahara Desert. We all enjoyed this exhibit more before they enclosed it. Then, you could walk right up next to the dinosaur fossils. Now, you can only look from a distance.

Tori and Anna gazing at a another grazer...

One highlight of each trip is when they call the hippo up out of her pool to feed her for you - amazing and scary as you gaze down into that ENORMOUS mouth. I'm always thankful that I'm up here and not down there...

Brendan took this one - otters are his favorite animals. It is cute, fun animal to watch.

Mr. Brenson posed with the girls by the civet cat exhibit.

Last, but not least, on a hot & humid Niger summer day, there is the obligatory Coke at the zoo buvette. Too bad the waitress dumped a coke all over Nadia; but, as you can see, she's still smiling!

And there you have it, another fun-filled morning at the zoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!