Los Angeles, CA

Not the band Gorillaz, I mean the animal gorillas. And they’re back at the L.A. Zoo after an extended trip to the Denver Zoo! They were originally sent away because their habitat was being remodeled, and though it was only supposed to take a year, the usual red tape and bureaucracy made a one year project into a four and a half year project. But now they’re home again, with new two year old Glenda in tow, to their awesome habitat.

The gorillas new home cost $19 million — more than it costs to build a home in Beverly Hills, according to the L.A. Times — is much better suited to gorillas than any other habitat they’ve had before at the zoo. Set higher than the walkways, the gorillas can look down on us watching them like they usually would in the wild, since they don’t ever live in pits like they do at the zoo. They have ficus trees to snack on, as well as a pomegranate tree and a papaya tree for fresh fruits. They get a third of an acre of grass, which I bet they’ve never had before, and even a hidden retreat so they can hid from us gawkers any time they want.

This habitat was the first of many that’s being rebuilt by the zoo. A space for golden monkeys from China is currently being built, as well as a new elephant habitat. The Campo Gorilla Reserve just opened yesterday, so get down there and meet Glenda and her family before they get mobbed!

You can read more about Glenda and her new home through the L.A. Times, and meet the gorillas through the L.A. Zoo website.

Glenda

The brushfire in Griffith Park that started yesterday has burned over 600 acres now, with no sign of containment in sight. At dusk, it seemed like the fire was dying down, but it sparked up fiercely again, sometimes with flames 50-100 feet in size. There’s been over 300 mandatory evacuations, and about 1600 people are without electricity right now due to the blaze knocking out power lines. Animals such as deer and coyotes have been fleeing the fire and running the streets of Los Feliz. Thankfully there have been no casualties, but the excessive smoke and ash has caused difficulty in breathing and burning eyes and throats to many people.

The “historical garden” of Griffith Park, Dante’s View, was reported to have been destroyed at around 9:30PM last night.

As stated in my last entry, mandatory evacuations of the L.A. Zoo(save for the animals, which at present I understand have been “secured” within the zoo), Autry Museum, and Griffith Park Observatory, as well as surrounding establishments and residential areas have all been put in place. For a full list of evacuated areas, see here.

All evacuees are being told to report to Marshall High School at 3939 Tracy Street, Los Angeles, CA 90027. The current word is pets are being accommodated here as well.

Even if you have somewhere else to go, such as a friend’s house, other family, or hotel, authorities encourage everyone to check in at the high school to be accounted for.

And if you know someone in the evacuation area and can’t get a hold of them, be sure to check with the high school.

If you’re in the area, please stay inside and away from the fire. Not only can the smoke and ash can really do a number on you, but scared wild animals are running amok, which is a whole other kind of danger. Stay safe out there folks, and my best wishes to the evacuees and those fighting the blaze. I hope they get this contained soon.

For more Information and Pictures, please check the following sites:
bloggin.la
LAist.com
CBS2 News
NBC4 News

It’s telling me that the Spider City at the Los Angeles Zoo opened a few days ago, and needs some arachnid lovers to come check it out. ^_~ That is, if you’re not arachnophobic, of course.

What better a time to open Spider City than when Spider-Man 3 is in theaters? Coincidence?

I think not.

But that’s not really the point here.

In Spider City, you’ll find at least 25 different species of spiders, including the Cobalt Blue Tarantula, Brown Recluse, Goliath Birdeater, and Chilean Rosehair. It’s a temporary exhibit, located in the old koala house. The exhibit will only be open for viewing until October 31st, so if you wanna check it out, be sure to mark your calendars so you won’t be too late.

The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is home to well over 200 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and invertebrates. Amongst the many animal exhibits throughout the park, the zoo features a number of shows featuring trained animals, such as the Worlds Bird Show. The zoo is located at the northeast corner of Griffith Park, at the Junction of the I-5 and I-134 freeways. Open everyday but Christmas, the zoo hours are from 10AM-5PM. Ticket prices are $10 for Adults (13 and up), $7 for Senior (62 and up), and $5 for Kids (2-12 years old). Kids under 2 get in free.