Hope absolutely loves learning all about animals and plans to share what she learns with our readers.

So, in the first of a long series of “Hope’s Animal Adventures,” Hope would like to teach you about some of the animals she observed at the Santa Barbara Zoo in California. She dictated her observations to Nicole.

We observed two Fennec Foxes from North Africa resting on a sunny ledge near the glass of their enclosure. Their thick fur looked super soft and their tails curled around their bodies like a pillow. Their large ears help them have excellent hearing. They also have an excellent sense of smell which is helpful since they are carnivores. They have tiny paws for quick movement and great agility. Fennec Foxes are so cute!

Snow Leopards live on snowy mountains. They can pounce from heights onto prey like deer. They have a good sense of smell and really good hearing. Their fur is so thick that they can even sleep in the snow! The Snow Leopards we saw were sound asleep near the glass wall of their enclosure.

The Amur Leopard we saw was very active mid-day — Hope wondered if maybe the zoo fed the leopard around that time of day. The Amur Leopard paced so much that the dirt had a well-worn path. It’s coat was “orangeish-yellow” with black spots.

The two elephants, Susie and Little Mac, are both 45 years old and have been at the Santa Barbara Zoo for more than 30 years! They are Asian elephants who were both born in India. Little Mac had been abandoned by her herd as a baby, probably because she has always had problems with her teeth. Little Mac and Susie have been best friends since they were raised together after Little Mac was found abandoned and Susie was exactly the same age.

The zoo staff works hard to keep Susie and Little Mac healthy and happy. They offer different foods, activities and even smells every day to keep the girls thinking and curious. They also give them a daily pedicure to keep their feet clean and working well.

Asian Elephants can be found in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and other parts of Asia. Asian Elephants have small ears that can lay flat against their bodies. African Elephants have much larger ears — up to 4 feet wide and they can be as tall as a grown man!

Finally, Hope wants you to know the Zoo has a penguin that wears a shoe! This penguin has a permanent foot disorder that made it hard to do all the normal things a penguin does — walk, hop, and swim! Teva shoes learned about the penguin and designed a special shoe. After several prototypes, they found the right design that was supportive, comfortable, and dries quickly. Teva has committed to providing this special penguin with it’s special shoes for it’s entire life! We forget what the penguin’s name is, but we would like to suggest it be called “Cinderella!”

A note from Nicole: The Santa Barbara Zoo is a great zoo for kids! It is not too big that little legs get tired. Plus there is a very fun playground and an ocean view. If you ever find yourself in Santa Barbara, Hope hopes you’ll have animal adventures at the zoo too!