There was a labor dispute underway on that day. This sign was set up in front of the entrance and next to two huge topiary elephants. Behind was a lush profusion of palm trees and green shrubs.

The zoo opens at 9:00 a.m. daily, but closes at different times depending on the season. The San Diego Zoo is located at 2920 Zoo Drive in Balboa Park, just north of downtown San Diego.

Just inside the entrance were shops and statuary and places to purchase tickets for special rides, such as those for the gondola.

Guide pamphlets with maps were available near the entrance and throughout the park. Here was a handy bench upon which to loiter while reading the guide.

Most zoos feature a flamingo exhibit near the entrance. San Diego Zoo was only different because of it size. The flamingo exhibit was a goodly walk from the entrance and along only one of four main paths inward.

Two flamingos browsed for food with their heads inverted under water. These two immature flamingos had not eaten enough shrimp yet to turn pink.

The zoo has many hills and elevated paths. To accommodated the disabled, clean elevators were available at major junctions. Here, the choice was to continue either over the elevated Tiger Trail, or to go down to a different path at ground level below.

Clear maps were posted at all junctions along all trails. The circled number corresponded to numbers on the brochure. Here, this map read:

Tiger Trail

15 minute walk to Tigers.
Mild to Steep Terrain
Connects to Monkey Trail and Hippo Trail.
Birds • Mandrills • Pigs • Pythons • Tigers • Tapirs • Turtles

Monkeys are displayed in different ways, depending on the zoo. Some show them isolated on islands, while others show them behind a fence or glass while surrounded on three sides by a moat. Here, the monkeys were contained inside a huge metal screened tent.

The turtle exhibit had one side slightly below ground so that the turtles could be watched swimming and submerged. Several different kinds of turtles were on display together.

Here was one turtle found swimming near the glass in the turtle exhibit.

A Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus) rested near a rock. The Malayan Tapir ranges from Myanmar south to Sumatra, and is considered an endangered animal.

This Okapi was snacking on leaves offered to it. The Okapi is the only living relative of the Giraffe.

In the prior shot, an Okapi was shown snacking on leaves. In case animal hunger rubbed off on humans, snacks were also for sale in many handy kiosks and gift shops found along the trails.

A huge enclosure held a group of Schmidt's Spot-nosed Guenon (Cercopithecus ascanius schmidti). The Guenons are a genus of Old World monkeys, with the Schmidt's Spot-nosed native to the Democratic Republic Of The Congo and east into Kenya. For a close-up shot of one, see this animablog shot .

African Spot-necked Otter (Lutra maculicollis) is native to a range that extends from Sierra Leone to Ethiopia, south to South Africa.

The elevated path that led to the Raptor exhibits, such as eagles and hawks.

The Steller's Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus pelagicus) were in a huge enclosure, large enough so they could freely fly. They are found along the northeast coast of Russia.

Speke's Gazelle (Gazella spekei) liked to run. This one was dashing from one end of the enclosure to another in happy bounds. The Speke's Gazelle is found in dry open country and grassland from Eastern Ethiopia to Somalia.

A polar bear statue in shiny chrome was in the playground just outside the Polar Bear exhibit.

Southern Gerenuk (Litocranius walleri walleri) clustered in the center of their exhibit area. Their habitat is dry country with a light covering of brush and thorn scrub. They range from South Somalia to Tanzania.

Three Chacoan Peccarys napped under the shade of a tree. The Chacoan Peccary (Catagonus wagneri) is from South America where it is found from southeastern Bolivia through Paraguay into northern Argentina. Its habitat is semiarid thorn forests and steppe. The Chacoan Peccary is endangered.

The Skyfari Gondola Ride is an elevated tour of the park from the air. It runs from one end of the zoo to the other. Movement of the ride can create a pleasant breeze on a hot day.

Seen from the gondola ride was the huge restaurant and conference complex in the center of the park.

Seen from the gondola ride was the raptor cages with their elevated walkway. Also note the double-decker buses that ran at ground level for those less able or willing to walk.

Near the zoo entrance was the Terrace Lagoon, a calm getaway with many wild ducks, turtles, and koi.

The entrance to Elephant Odyssey located near the back of the zoo. In addition to historic information about elephants and their ancestors, the Elephant Odyssey also had many hands-on learning exhibits.

A recently new African Elephant Enclosure with widely spaced stout cables between the public and the elephants. Note the elevated pods from which entertaining treat puzzles could be suspended.

An African Elephant stood by a rock with a food dispenser in its side. The elephant was calmly working food free and eating a morsel at a time.

Bontebok (Damaliscus dorcas dorcas) relaxed under a shade tree. The Bontebok is found in South Cape Province, South Africa. The Bontebok is endangered.

A few of the zoo's Lion-Tailed Macaque were available to watch. More than three dozen Lion-Tailed Macaques have been bred in captivity here at the zoo, but most are not on exhibit to the public, but are rather kept at the Center for the Reproduction of Endangered Species .

One enclosure was being used for art studies. Many artists were seen throughout the zoo sketching animals, or (like us) photographing them.

One of several paid activities for the very young were these bouncing rides. Here kids could bounce safely while suspended from long fiberglass rods.

The zoo featured a three story high aviary filled with hundreds of birds. This shot looks down into the aviary from the second story. Paths ran through all three levels.

A typical bird found inside the aviary. Many would sit right on the rail for easy photography using a wide lens (here 70mm on a Nikon D300).

At strategic locations throughout the zoo were collections of small snack vendors and gift vendors. In the center were arrows pointing to all the different destinations.