Featured Writer & Photographer Melissa Laundre
I have been sick and basically living on my couch this week. I haven’t been sick all winter but of course, when it’s nice weather, I get a sinus infection that knocks me on my arse for the week. Ugh.
I’ve been meaning to write about our trip to the Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park is something I’ve always wanted to see. They are a private facility run completely on donations that houses most of the wild creatures in a natural habitat that one would normally see in this area.
I have to be honest and say it is not what I expected. I hoped there would be less fencing, yeah, I know, that’s not safe. But it’s very difficult as a photographer to get good photos when the animals are completely behind fencing. I did my best though and tried to get through the lattice of the fences. Other than that, it was fun for the kids.
Jackson wanted to see nothing else but the (were)wolves. Mason wanted to stay all day and see the owners feed the animals so we left and came back for the feedings. I thought maybe she was going to go into the cage with the animals or perhaps take them to a different cage where we could see more action, no luck. It was still very cool to see though.
Here are some of my favorite photos from that day.
Emus just crack me up. Just look at him.
Me & my shadow….the miniature donkey
Nibbles the Goat. Coolest thing about this girl, check out her pupils. They are rectangular shaped.
Jackson’s wolf. If he could, he said he would trade in our dogs for werewolves. 🙂
The fuzziness on the top of the photo is the chain-link fence. Darnit!
Normally, I would have excluded this photo but check out his claws! They’re 4 inches long!
Hard to believe that these big cats are living in our mountains. My son and his dad once saw a mountain lion here. Yikes!
MRRrrrowwww!
Alright, now back to the couch.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Read more from this author at: mountainmissy.wordpress.com
I hate to hear that you were so sick, Melissa, but this is such great post! We have an animal rescue/privately owned zoo in my town and they have some fantastic animals there. As you conveyed in your post, however, it’s frustrating for a photographer to have to deal with all the fencing. 🙂 You did a wonderful job of working around that and I love the photos you were able to capture – they’re beautiful!
If you are ever in Southern Oregon, check out Wildlife Safari, it is a free-ranging wildlife park with minimal fences. Some of the animals will come right up to your car!