Phoenix Zoo vs. Portland Zoo

Erik and I went to the Phoenix Zoo yesterday. For those of you that don't know, I had applied there before moving down here, to work as an interprative speaker, but did not get the job (I must add I was the only phone interviewee). But now I can say that I am very happy I did not get it. First thing we come to at the entrance is a woman asking if we would like our picture taken together. Um, no thanks, can you not see this large camera slung around my neck? I'm not going to pay $20 for a picture you take of us on your dinky little digital when I can do it myself the "fun way". So that was annoying. But the thing that bothered us most was, at every single animal exibit, the animals were so depressed. They looked terrible. I didn't see one that looked happy. It WAS the middle of the day, and quite warm out, so most of them probably would be sleepy and "deperessed looking" anyway, but I know the difference between hot and tired and depressed. I understand zoos are places animals go when the other option is to be euthinized, but sometimes I think that that's a better way to go.
I've been to the Portland Zoo many times, and the animals there definitely are happier. They play with each other, have more space to run, and you just leave feeling good about the place. I felt so different leaving the Phoenix Zoo. The animals each had a very small fraction of what they would normally need (not necessarily in the wild, since most animals have a very large range and that is impossible to do in a zoo, but enough to make them happy). For example the bald eagle cage was about half the size of my apartment... And take a look at this:

You can just see it in the rino's eyes :(.

Then there's the Portland Zoo. I took this a few months ago when we went to visit the baby elephant. This polor bear was one of many happy looking animals. This guy played and played while we were watching him, and was before and after we left. I was very happy leaving the Portland Zoo after the account. The first one is of him sunbathing taking a "breather" from throwing around the pink thing that's with him, and the second is of the same one with a bucket over his head swimming on his back. This is all after watching him take a running leap into the pool like a dog to catch his toy he flung in. So dang cute.

Anyway, I'm just glad I'm not working at the Phoenix Zoo cuz I would just come home depressed every day! Don't think I'll be going back there any time soon. Go Portland Zoo!