So, because I volunteered at the ghastly hospital this summer from 8 in the morning to 5 in the evening about 3-5 days a week for about 2-3ish months (gag), I was given two free passes to the zoo for "beaumont zoo days". I guess the zoo does this this in the summer for all of the beaumont employees where they can go and eat lots of free food and be with other employees. For free.
Yeah-no. I took the "Good-any-day-from-september-to-december 31" tickets.

So I asked my mom to take me today, and she did
I got some really pretty shots, mostly in the butterfly house. Not many animals were out, but I mainly wanted butterflies, anyway. Nice scenery.

There are these really pretty butterflies. I dont know what they're called, but the underside of the wings looks like bark, and it's got the camoflauge "eye". But when it opens it's wings its this brilliant, vibrant color of blueish-purple. Unfortunately, you only see that color when it's flying, and when it lands it folds its wings together to show the camo.
I tried to get a shot of the blue wings for a majority of the time. It was a pain in the ass, let me tell you. They flew too fast to get a good shot of. I waited when a few landed at the feeder for them to spread their wings, but they did it too quickly for my camera shutter. Damn. I wanted those shots!

There was also a mother and baby snow monkey together on a ledge. But the lighting was awful, and the mom didnt look at me for long enough before turning her head.

A final complaint:
THE LION.
OMG IT MOVED.
Usually the lions just laze around you know? Not today. The male lion was sitting on a ledge, and i took a picture of it yawning (will post later). Then, another male lion came out from the wall, and the first male got up, and jumped down the ledge to go to it. Then they started rubbing necks like in the lion king or something. it was so cool to see that sort of interaction, and i wanted to capture it, but there were tree branches blocking my shot. Then, the first lion started walking straight towards me. It was the neatest thing...I could see into it's yellow cat eyes and the golden maine. Way cooler than on TV. But, my MEMORY WAS FULL. I raced to delete any bad pictures, as the giant cat started rubbing its head on the side wall, facing me and as close to me as it could get. But by the time i deleted them, it turned and went away.

Damn. A head on, CLEAR shot of a lion would be one amazing and rare photograph. if only i hadnt taken so many pictures of those damn peacocks. so unfair.

but that's life.