Zoo Lights at the Phoenix Zoo has to be one of the most anticipated holiday traditions here in the Valley of the Sun.
Thank you to Sharon and Bennett for taking us along again this year. Wonderful evening!!
Zoo lights, presented by SRP, is held from November 21, 2018 to January 13, 2019. Love walking along the paths of the zoo to see millions of lights, sparkling displays, lakeside music-in-motion, a holiday tree and so much more.
The gates open at 5:30.
These balls are located at the entrance. Interesting how the reflection is darker.
Even the cacti have lights strung around them! The sun was just starting to set.
Snakes are not Michael's favorite.
It usually is too dark to see any of the animals but sometimes you are just in the right place at the right time. I'm sure most of the animals are sleeping or at least trying to.
An eagle in flight trying to catch dinner. Strings and strings of blue lights make up the water.
The eagle finally caught a fish
Big horn sheep
Roadrunners. Are the coyotes after you?
If you're on a highway and Road Runner goes beep beep. Just step aside or you might end up in a heap. Road Runner, Road Runner runs down the road all day. Even the coyote can't make him change his ways. Road Runner, the coyote's after you. Road Runner, if he catches you you're through. Road Runner, the coyote's after you. Road Runner, if he catches you you're through. That coyote is really a crazy clown, When will he learn that he never can mow him down? Poor little Road Runner never bothers anyone, Just runnin' down the road's his idea of having fun.
The coyotes did not catch those roadrunners!
How many strings of lights do you think each tree has? You have to have patience to string all these lights!
I like this color. It shows up against the sky.
Polar bears and penguins.
This is a new display with the alligators and turtles
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer with Hermey, an elf who ran away from Santa's workshop because he wanted to be a dentist instead of making toys, the Abominable Snow Monster and Yukon Cornelius. Did you remember all the names of the characters?
The decorated trees are an amazing sight!
Can you spot Bennett and Michael? Michael is the one in shorts!
How long did it take to string these lights? Do the strings ever get tangled?
Pretty hummingbirds
The dragon fly's wings moved
Peacock
The frogs never could catch the dragon fly
Orangutan
Dolphin or porpoise?
Dolphins tend to have prominent, elongated “beaks” and cone-shaped teeth, while porpoises have smaller mouths and spade-shaped teeth. The dolphin's hooked or curved dorsal fin (the one in the middle of the animal's back) also differs from the porpoise's triangular dorsal fin.
Jellyfish and stingrays
Bees were buzzing by the hive
Flamingos by the lake
I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
Don't want a doll
No dinky tinker toy
I want a hippopotamus to play with and enjoy
I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
I don't think Santa Claus will mind do you
He won't have to use
A dirty chimney flue
Just bring him through the front door
That's the easy thing to do
I can see me now on Christmas morning
Creeping down the stairs
Oh what joy and what surprise
When I open up my eyes
To see a hippo hero standing there
I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles
No rhinoceroses
I only like hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me too
Mom says a hippo would eat me up but then
Teacher says a hippo is a vegetarian
There's lots of room for him in our two car garage
I'd feed him there and wash him there and give him his massage
I can see me now on Christmas morning
Creeping down the stairs
Oh what joy and what surprise
When I open up my eyes
To see a hippo hero standing there
I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
Only a hippopotamus will do
No crocodiles
Or rhinoceroses-es
I only like hippopotamuses-es
And hippopotamuses like me, too
Did you try to sing the song? Don''t blame me if the tune sticks with you all day and night!
"I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" is a Christmas novelty song written by John Rox (1902–1957) and performed by Gayla Peevey (10 years old at the time) in 1953.
Peevey was a child star (born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), before her family moved to Ponca City, Oklahoma, when she was five. When released nationally by Columbia Records the song shot to the top of the charts.
A popular legend holds that this 1953 hit had been recorded as a fundraiser to bring the Oklahoma City Zoo a hippo; but in a 2007 radio interview with Detroit-based WNIC radio station, Peevey clarified that the song was not originally recorded as a fundraiser. Instead, a local promoter picked up on the popularity of the song and Peevey's local roots, and launched a campaign to present her with an actual hippopotamus on Christmas.
The campaign succeeded, and she was presented with an actual baby hippopotamus named Matilda, which she donated to the city zoo. The hippopotamus lived for nearly 50 years Peevey, by this point 73 years old, was again present when the Oklahoma City Zoo acquired a rare pygmy hippopotamus in 2017.
The planes coming into Sky Harbor Airport can see the lights at the zoo.
Light show with music. The music last year was better. The music had a faster beat.
The cats waving goodbye as we exit the zoo.
We all enjoyed Zoo Lights! Walking across the bridge to our car.
