Chilean Flamingo, Gladys Porter Zoo. Photograph, 4 x 6 in. Copyright 2005, Tania Nault.
Assuming you don’t have an unlimited amount of time to spend at the zoo, it’s probably a good idea to do a bit of research about your target animal. I can hear you thinking: “Research? The animal’s in a zoo, locked in a cage. I’m guaranteed to get a good photo of it!” Maybe so, but I believe if you know a bit about you’re target animal before you get there you can increase your chances of getting some decent reference photos.
Nocturnal/diurnal? While most zoos keep an assortment of nocturnal animals at their zoo in special enclosures with lighting that creates night-like circumstances for those animals even during our daytime, did you know that almost 60% of mammalian carnivores are nocturnal? They are likely to be most active early in the morning or later in the evening, so being outside their enclosures during those hours will yield the best results. Ruminants (bison, camels, giraffes, deer, etc.) typically spend their morning hours grazing and the afternoon laying about digesting their food.
Warm weather/cold weather? Animals like birds and reptiles, become more active in warm weather; while animals from colder climates, not suprisingly increase their activitiy during colder weather. I’ve heard staff at zoos comment that the first snow of the season is often like a little “wake-up call” for many animals (even some of those not native to northern climates) possibly because anything new at the zoo tends to perk up the animals.
Breeding season? There’s nothing quite like the rush of hormones to put a bit of spring in your step. And for some animals, like birds, that time is Spring/Summer; but for some large North American mammals, like deer, breeding season (rut) is in the Fall. And animals tend to be more active as they display themselves to potential mates. The breeding season can also produce a change in the animal’s appearance. The molting patterns for the males of some species of birds, for example, are influenced by the breeding season, when these males grow feathers with brighter colours or more pronounced patterns than the females.
Feeding time? Now, this point isn’t so much about when does the animal prefer to eat, so much as it is when does the zoo feed your target animal? Most animals become very excited just before feeding time (the wolves at the Calgary Zoo tend to howl when they hear the zoo staff drive up) and then take a long nap after they eat. Most zoos will answer polite questions about when they feed their animals, so try phoning/e-mailing ahead.
Anything you can learn about your target animal may not only increase the likelihood of getting a better shot of it, but will definitely increase your understanding and appreciation for that animal as you watch it in the zoo.
