"They're just playin!"

The first zoo I ever went to was the zoo in La Crosse, Wisconsin. They were mostly State animals like the Badger, Prairie Dogs, I think a deer, and that was about it. I was only like 2 and I don't think we went to the zoo in Portland until I was maybe 5 or 6, and got to see Giraffes, elephants, etc. but that 2-year-old memory sticks with me: a bunch of caged animals, hot and miserable. I understand zoos' mission statement. They educate kids and adults, and in some cases help bring species on the brink of extinction away from the red-zone, but I still have something of a panic attack whenever I have to go to one.

I've always enjoyed Zoo Atlanta. They seem to take really good care of their gorillas.

Incase it's any consolation; I saw ostriches and baby giraffe's fighting constantly in Kenya, like every couple of days I saw this, so they're doing pretty much what they would be doing in the wild.

Most zoos in this country do a lot of conservation. Our local zoo breeds more red pandas than anywhere in the world, for example. They may seem depressing, but there's a lot of good in zoos too.

I would like to see how a samurai handles one.