We arrived at the park and decided to ride the tram around first.  The tram had no windows and the animals, especially the larger ones, could stick their heads right inside the vehicle and sniff, lick or bite you if they so desired.  This became most evident when we drove past a herd of bison but luckily, although they did get rather close and we were a bit anxious, they didn’t get too close.  We drove around the park and saw many different types of animals as well as learned a lot of facts about animals from a very good tour guide.

After the tram ride, we were able to take a walk around in a different area of the park where most of the animals, although “caged” were behind low fences.  The only thing seperating us from the animals, such as the grizzly bear, were very deep, wide ditches that were dug around their area.  This gave us the impression that there was nothing but a mere waist high, chain link fence between us. 

Because there were many families with kids about, Kristine and I decided to go on ahead so that we could view some of the animals in peace and quiet.  This turned out to be a smart decision when we found ourselves at the wolf cage.

Naturally the wolves were in an enclosure because a ditch probably would not have kept them in and frankly, because I know that wolves are very skittish animals, I did not expect to see any.  We walked up and waited, remaining very quiet, only whispering to each other every once in awhile.  We stood there for about 2 minutes before wolves started poking their noses out of their hiding spots.  Regardless of how quiet we were, (not even moving, barely breathing), they were very aware that we were there but because we were so quiet, I guess they decided that we posed no threat and all of them came out and went about their business.  Of course they kept an eye on us but we were allowed to watch these beautiful creatures and to be quite honest, it felt like a priveledge.  I can’t speak for Kristine, although I’m sure she felt the same way, but I almost forgot I was in a park because I was so taken in by these animals; so absorbed watching them, feeling like I was being given a gift by them that they would feel comfortable enough with the two of us there to let us gaze upon them.  It was probably one of the most peaceful moments I’ve ever experienced in my life.  The park was big enough that we could not hear anything nor anybody else aside from the gentle breeze that gave trees cause to creak and the slight rustling of leaves underneath the wolves paws.  We just stood there and watched them walking around, watching us.  It was as if there was only us and the wolves and the forested area.  A moment of tranquility in a hectic and often time violent world.

Suddenly this slice of utopia was shattered by the screaming and stamping of running children.  The second I heard this my shoulders sagged and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kristine’s do the same thing.  We knew what this meant and sure enough, a second later, the wolves were gone, back in hiding.  It was like having a precious gift ripped from your very hands and even though I knew I would eventually have to leave the park and the wolves behind, I had not been ready to give that up just yet.  If only I could have had another minute or two with them.

We looked at each other and sighed.

The kids came running up to the wolf exhibit, yelling to their parents, who had not caught up yet, that they couldn’t see anything.  They climbed on the logs of the deck where we stood to watch, complaining loudly that this specific site was boring.  The parents finally arrived and told them to look, some pointing out logs thinking they were wolves.  We tried to inform them exactly, precisely why they were not seeing the wolves.  We tried to educate them, let them know that they weren’t going to see a single wolf with all that screaming and loud noise.  We tried to encourage the parents to shush their kids so that the kids could maybe experience what we had just experienced. 

Unfortunately the parents were fools.  Instead of embracing the idea that if they kept quiet and were patient, instead of them listening to us relay what we had just witnessed because we had been quiet and patient, they turned on us as if we were jerks.  They told us that this was a park and the kids were allowed to be noisy.  When we tried again to explain that wolves were not going to show themselves with all that racket, they told us that their kids could be as loud as they wanted to because we were outside.  They looked at us as if we were stupid.

For almost ten minutes before this, my friend Kristine and I were staring at my favorite animals who trusted us enough to come out of hiding.  For almost ten minutes before this, my friend Kristine and I had the best experience at that park.

But we were the stupid ones.

There is not only a place for certain behaviors but a time as well.  It’s not enough that the kids were outside.  It had to be the time and the place and when people take their kids to the zoo or the wildlife park, I’m always astonished at how they let their kids behave around these animals.  I’ve seen little girls almost get their fingers bitten off by emus because they stuck their hands through the fence even though there is a sign explicitely stating not to do that very thing but the parents aren’t watching.  I’ve seen kids tapping on glass when they aren’t supposed to and the parents don’t stop them.  I’ve heard kids screeching in the nocturnal exhibits that ask people to please be quiet while walking through the facility and the parents do nothing to stop them.  I’ve seen so many different types of bad behavior by kids and the parents do nothing to correct it.  I do not blame the kids.

The parents’ job is to teach kids to respect things and other humans.  The parents’ job is to watch their kids so that the kids don’t get bitten because they think that big ostrich looking bird is cute and they want to pet it.  The parents’ job is to see that the kid experiences as much about this world as possible, including taking them to see animals in the zoo or wildlife parks or even aquariums.

However, a zoo, an aquarium or an animal park is a place to educate kids and if you are not going to educate kids about the animals they are seeing, what is the point in taking them there in the first place?