Leapin' Lemurs! Or Kangaroos, Wolf Cubs, & Tigers, Oh My!

Friday was our last big NC adventure day. We trekked up I-77 a little further after our Davidson lunch to...Zootastic Park. It's a small zoo that focuses on animal rescue. Nothing fancy or state-of-the-art, but an opportunity of a lifetime: LaLa had arranged for us to have an AMAZING hour-long private animal encounter!!! Just the four of us together with a zookeeper in an empty room...

...Until in bounded a young red kangaroo!!! The kids' jaws dropped! They had no idea! :-D We had told them that we had a surprise that day, but when we drove up, they thought it was just going to be walking around the zoo. We all fed Boomer grapes out of our hands, and he then hung out in the room with us the whole rest of the encounter. Boomer was laid back (& so soft!)

The next part was *my* personal favorite. The zookeeper gave us each fruit in our hands and told us to hold still. In leaped two ring-tailed lemurs!!!!! They flew across the room and jumped right up to eat out of our hands. Stunned.

Lemurs are one of our fam's ultimate favorite animals (thanks, Zoboomafoo!) and they are almost impossible to experience an encounter with. Next, the zookeeper had me stand up on a raised stage area with my arms straight out & fruit in my palms. Both lemurs scaled the walls around me...then JUMPED ON MY HEAD & climbed out on my arms to the fruit!!! They just sat on my shoulders eating, then jumped back off, and then jumped back on me, like I was their play tree! It was INCREDIBLE!!!

They land so lightly - it seems like a lemur flying at your head from high off a wall would make a substantial impact, but nope. We all got to take turns being their play tree.

Pure magic:

I also got one extra bonus: the zookeeper showed me how to have one take a piece of cantaloupe out of my mouth! :-D

Next on the docket were two wolf cubs, Dakota & Montana. One was a timber wolf & the other a black wolf. They were so fun & snuggly!!! The only reason they weren't "so amazing" is b/c they were JUST LIKE dog puppies! Super sweet, but until they get bigger, they didn't seem exotic. :-P

Our last playmate was, though: we were told to sit still & let this animal come to our laps. Tigger, the tiger cub came in squawking for milk! We got to feed her a bottle...and then she promptly fell asleep on LaLa's lap! We cuddled till our hearts' content, and when she woke up, we all got pics holding her. :-) HUGE paws!!!

A.Maz.Ing.

After our hour-long private encounter, we got a private tour of the zoo! Again, nothing fancy, but the animals there are happy & doted upon. :-)

With as seriously as our family is obsessed with animals, this was a perfectly mind-blowing experience!!! I hope I never forget the feel of lemur feet on my shoulder... ♥