Otters, Pandas and Bears, Oh My!

If Dorothy had decided to venture to the Ueno Zoo instead of Oz, she would have encountered very different creatures. I'm not sure what it is about zoos in other countries, but so far my experience has shown that animals abroad are much livelier. Yesterday, the inhabitants of Tokyo's famous zoo were as active as those in captivity can get given their space constraints. The most exciting thing was the activity of the animals that zoo-goers pay to see like tigers, polar bears, gorillas and pandas. I have been to the San Diego zoo more times than I can count and have never seen a giant panda as close up as I did in Ueno.

I think I'm invading this panda's personal bubble

Not only were the gorillas monkeying around (there's a little primate humor for you), but they had an adorable little whippersnapper of a baby with them. The otters, which often sleep in American zoos or hide better than Waldo, snaked around playfully like furry little eels through the water. I have seen polar bears all over the world, in places like San Diego, Colorado and Madrid. Yet, I have never seen one bounding back and forth, jumping, and diving as I did in Tokyo. All of the beautiful creatures were truly a sight to behold, and made me realize with how many beings we share this Earth. Sorry, I hope you all had your Lactase ready, that got a bit cheesy without warning. My favorite was the snowy owl. It pivoted its head sharply a few times a minute and once stared directly at me with a piercing gaze through yellow eyes. I felt like it was looking right into my soul. Maybe it was Hedwig and had magical powers and actually did stare into my soul.

One of my favorite exhibits was the one featuring Japanese birds. One of the reasons I liked it was its complete emptiness of the building. I suppose most of the visitors figure they have seen enough Japanese birds just by living in Japan. Yet it was so peaceful watching the graceful beings amid no sounds save the echo of my footsteps. If I were a zoo animal, I would definitely be a Japanese bird because I wouldn't have to deal with annoying people glaring at me and being loud at all hours.

I think that visitors who don't speak Japanese should get a discount at the Ueno Zoo, since almost all of the signs are in Japanese only, thus meaning they miss out on the information about the animals. Okay, okay, I concede it is only $5 to get in which is really nothing, especially in comparison to other zoos. At least the names of the animals were translated, some rather comically. One was called a “Dhole,” and I could just read it as a D-Hole, which just sounds wrong. It looked like a kind of fox. I guess maybe foxes can be D-Holes.

The only downside, as is often a downside in theme parks, zoos, and other attractions, was the mass amount of people. This particular outing redefined what it meant for a place to be crowded. I eventually lost count of how many times someone ran into me with her stroller, or a child stepped on my feet. Not a single person said “excuse me” or “I’m sorry.”

However, for every inconsiderate person on this Earth there exists at least one considerate one. The language barrier in Japan has discouraged me to the point where I rarely ask for help or for directions anymore. Even when I ask a question in Japanese, I can’t understand the answer, so the point of asking is moot. Upon arrival in Ueno, however, the zoo had already been open for hours and I didn’t want to waste time wandering around lost beyond reason. So, after realizing the map was of little assistance, I asked the two women standing beside me which way the zoo was. A look of determination came over their faces and they said “please, we go together.” I felt bad, because one had a suitcase and wore sky-high heels and the other carried a tiny baby. But they insisted. So, we walked across the station to the information booth and they found out where to go. Then, they walked me all the way out to where signs pointed the way to the zoo, chatting with me animatedly the whole time. After such a short time with them, it surprised me when I felt sad upon going our separate ways. When you are in a foreign country, you tend to latch onto any human interaction rather quickly.