I was kind of a nerdy kid. My childhood dream was to become a zoologist and travel to the Galápagos Islands to study the massive tortoises who live there. As I got older my commitment to this dream faded. However, my fascination with these amazing reptiles remains, and I recently had the opportunity to meet a few of them at the Austin Zoo.
The Austin Zoo is not your typical zoo. Nearly all the animals are rescued from various circumstances, some more precarious than others. This relieves me of some of the guilt associated with gawking at animals in cages. My sister was in town last weekend and, as she is an animal lover, it seemed like the perfect time to visit.
Two tortoises were eating when we arrived, munching on a snack of lettuce and some melon. The third was basking nearby in the afternoon sun. To my surprise, they seemed eager to interact with us. One of the tortoises took a break from his veggies to come over and say hello.
Meeting these giants was a special experience, and I’m sure I’ll be back to the Austin Zoo again soon. In addition to marveling at the tortoises, we spent several hours visiting the other animals who live there. Learn more about the Austin Zoo here.
Tip: If you want to see the tortoises, be sure to go when the temperature is consistently above 60 degrees.
Jackson Atkins 