Jrand: I was surprised that the lions were out - all the other African animals were keeping warm in their winter homes.
The rock on which they were resting is heated and the keepers keep it dry and clean with fresh hay. They're big and furry, so they can handle the cold better than, say, a gazelle or giraffe, but you could tell George did NOT like walking on the snow. The tigers, however, love it. The ones at the Bronx Zoo are Siberian tigers, so they're built for such weather. I believe they may have Bengal (Indian) tigers on display in the Wild Asia outdoor section of the park, but that's closed off for the winter.
Sasha, the one whose pic I posted last night, is the male (there are four or five females) and he gets an exhibit all to himself for most of the year. He's 10 feet long from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail and he is absolutely gorgeous. I could sit and watch him all day. Next time anyone's in the City and wants to visit him, let me know!
