June 20th

Map of the Wild Animal Park. Click on it to enlarge

Waiting for the Journey into Africa truck-train

San Diego Wild Animal Park

We set out today for the Wild Animal Park located in the San Pasqual valley inland from Escondido about 35 miles north from San Diego. It is surrounded by hill slopes in dry country and the major theme for the Park is animals of Africa. Despite this focus there are several notable conservation programs carried out within the Park, mostly involving captive breeding, with the specially significant program involving the recovery of the critically endangered California Condor. today was very hot, in the high 30s (C), and we did not venture out to see some of these displays. however we took the 'train' journey circling the Park to offer James the best overall view of big African mammals and then slowly cruised round the region described as Heart of Africa. A mid morning break at the Okavango Outpost for drinks and a snack and lunch at the Mombasa Island Cooker. By mid afternoon we were exhausted from the heat and decided that we had seen enough for the day returning to our motel in La Jolla. As always there are lots of interesting animals and birds to discover at this place with plenty of photo opportunities, however, labelling is as frustrating as usual when not all species are clearly identified. Some surprises were encountered including the magnificent Cock-of-the-rock and a Madagascan Crested Ibis. Other faithfuls, such as Shoebill and Southern Bald Ibis, were good to seen again.
The following is a selection of my impressions captured digitally, but many more pictures are available at the web sit: To be added shortly!

Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus - aloof as ever!

Female Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus (W African form?)

White (Grass) Rhino Ceratotherium simum (southern population)

Flank of a Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis
(One of the southern forms?)

Bongo Tragelaphus euryceros
(lowland form?)

Drake Cape Shelduck Tadorna cana

Nesting Green Heron Butorides virescens
Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus
Chilean Flamingo Phoenicopterus chilensis
Gerenuk Litocranius walleri
Sunbittern Eurypyga helias
Andean Cock-of-the-rock Rupicola peruvianus
Drake Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis performing 'bubbling display'
Shoebill Balaeniceps rex
Black-crowned Night-heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Great Egret Egretta alba
Having trouble from a Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo (lucidus form)
Coscoroba Swan Coscoroba coscorobaSwan Goose Anser cygnoidesAmerican Coot Fulica americana in confrontationSouthern Bald Ibis Geronticus calvus
Madagascar Crested Ibis Lophotibis cristata
James with Grandad at the Wild Animal Park