Hi everyone,

I think this international Mother's Day is a perfect opportunity to celebrate the birth and arrival of animals. While I usually end with talking about zoos and animals, and start with something more serious, I think this is the perfect occasion, what with it being full-mode Spring as well, to turn things around.

As you may know by following these journals, or perhaps reading the descriptions accompanying the photos I submit, you know that I now have three zoos I frequent: Natura Artis Magistra, which I basically just call Zoo Artis, Zoo Dierenrijk and a new one, Animal Park ZieZoo.
Today, I bring you news about the first two, excepting the latter. I do plan to visit ZieZoo this week, probably on Thursday, but as their website doesn't really post news about the animals, such as you'll find down here, I won't be able to tell you much just now. If there happens to be something exciting worth mentioning, I'll probably fit it in here, with an EDIT.

I'm starting off with the largest amount of news, which was brought by Zoo Artis. Spring time has been very prosperous for this zoo, with lots of flowers budding (though the sudden night-time frost probably killed off a good portion as it did in my backyard) and yes, baby animals making their debut.

In July my review of Natura Artis Magistra will be featured by , which you might know if you watch the group/ are a member, too. Anyway, if you happen to visit this zoo before that, you'll probably still be able to see some of the animals born from mid April to this past week, in a small/ young phase.

So far, the Savanna holds two Scimitar Oryx calfs, born to different mothers. Both of them were born with the crowd looking on, and their births are most significant, as they have become extinct in the wild.
They are accompanied by three Grévy's Zebra colts, who are milling about the Savanna and it's other inhabitants such as Giraffes, as well. These youngsters are all from different mothers, and faring pretty well.
The Pampa has brought forth a new member as well; after last year's Malaysian Tapir calf, this year has produced a South American or Brazilian Tapir calf. This is the one who will grow out of his flecks and spots to have one color entirely, instead of its Malaysian counterpart, who'll lose its flecks and spots also, only to get a sort of white blanket from shoulders to hips, bisecting the brown.
Mid April, three Patagonian Maras were born right in front of the crowd. Maras are one of the largest rodents, but their babies are utterly adorably small.
After having been born a while ago, the two Red-Necked Wallabies stuck their heads out of their mother's pouch about a month ago, but have not gained enough courage to spend a reasonable amount of time out on their own.
Meerkats can be found at two places in this zoo, but to watch the three young additions, you'd best not go to their enclosure at the Small Mammal House, because you won't find them there. Don't ask me where you can, because honestly, I didn't even know there was another one, until my sister (who has subscribed to this zoo, living in Amsterdam, with whom we visit the zoo rather often) that she couldn't find any young ones at the place we knew to look.
Near the entrance, you can find a large pond filled with a number of birds. One of them is the Black-Necked Swan, of whom five little grey balls of fluff have been added to the Spring joy. From the Nẽnẽ or Hawaiian Goose, four goslings joined in at the party.
The latest addition to the number of young animals, came from the Red-Ruffed Lemurs, of whom one female gave birth to twins. These funny creatures can be found on the island across from the African Lions (who still have two teenage female cubs, at least, as far as I know, they haven't gone anywhere yet). The young twins however, will be either on their Mom's back, or inside their house. No need to panic on that account, because it has glass you can look through. And my experience with it is great, as they had twins probably two years ago as well, and they were very inquisitive, though careful to stay on the other side of the glass.
Sadly, I only just found that the mother of the mid April born youngsters, passed away suddenly May 7th. They most probably found tissue of a tumor in her stomach. Their big sister has taken over care of the two babies, acting as their surrogate mother.
Then, last but not least, a different kind of addition. After an absence of 74 years – while it was in fact the first zoo to showcase these animals – the Komodo Dragon is back. I believe there are two, and they're still young, so they're not at all at their largest frame. They're believed to still be able to add another half a meter, or perhaps a whole one, to their current length.

That's zoo one, on to the next, Zoo Dierenrijk. You probably remember this being the zoo closest to my home, so also the one I frequent most. Unfortunately, it has a whole lot less news to tell.
As of yesterday morning (+1 hour from Greenwich) we now have at least one Reeve's Muntjac. This enclosure first belonged to a couple of Marmots – which I've never seen there – and to the Arctic Foxes. The enclosure was then entirely demolished, only with the window and lookie-look into the night box left. They have now renewed it, into an enclosure fit for a Deer, so it's no surprise that's what we got.
In front of the entrance, so technically before you enter the zoo, an enclosure is made ready – and is shaping up pretty well and soon – for a couple of Meerkats. That would be fun; I've always like those animals.
Now, I'm sure you'll be pleased to hear the Raccoon Dogs have been most active. Perhaps two weeks ago, it was announced they had a new litter of pups. I went to the zoo last Thursday, but didn't see any, which was expected, as they're newborn, still very small, and most of all, blind and senseless. Where a couple of months ago, nearly all Raccoon Dogs – eight in total – were still around, Thursday we saw only two. I can't be sure whether they are the same parents as last year, though I can only presume they are, or it would be most incestuous.
Next, as I've mentioned before, the Griffon Vulture lady is still most attached to her nest. The others, Dad and the chick from last year, stay close, but don't meddle. I'm definitely hoping for at least two chicks this time, but honestly, I don't know if that's even possible.
And as a last pointer, the Red Panda and Corsac Foxes are acting most suspicious.
Last year, there was rumored to have been a Red Panda cub, even a sign put up at the enclosure. However, the cub never showed, and presumably didn't make it, as the sign was taken down again. This past Thursday, one of the Red Pandas was invisible – we assumed she'd disappeared into the only nest box left (there formerly were two). This meant to me – or perhaps I was just hoping and wishing – that a cub could be on the way once more. Let's hope it'll make it this time, if that is the case.
The Corsac Foxes had four kits last year. They had their very own hole dug into the ground, and Thursday, they were popping in and out again. This could mean they just want to steer clear of the Asian Black Bears, or, that they have been making a nest in their hole. And with kits on the way – last year they weren't born till June, so there's still hope!
Just found out some bad news on the Dierenrijk front; after having visited the zoo a couple of times and not spotting the Pallas' Cats, I just read on Facebook that both Pallas' Cats had suddenly died. Section proved that the cats suffered from an infections cats aren't normally receptive to, so they're doing some more tests. And well they should, because their enclosure is right next to that of the European Wild Cats. It's bad enough to lose those two sweetheart Pallas' Cats, it'll be even harder to also lose the Wild Cats, and perhaps the Lynxes, or even the Siberian Tigers as well, as all of those are felines, too. And then there's the ordinary Zoo Cat walking around, so I'm definitely hoping it would lead to more animals dying.

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You know I was talking about the book I started reading in my last journal, Jane Austen's "Pride & Prejudice"? I hate to admit it, but that is now turning out to be the longest I've ever taken in reading a book. Normally, I need about 1 day spent entirely reading to finish a Dutch book. I think I need about a day and a half of full reading to finish one in English.

And to take this long about a classic like "Pride & Prejudice", while I've seen both the series and movie, and have been well prepared by the Mouselemur, who's a big fan of Jane Austen… Well, it's kind of embarrassing. Then again, I have been busy with a school project – I have to make a course of five lessons about Angels (or that's the subject I chose) – and with writing for fun.

I have to say, I'm thoroughly enjoying it even though I'm only at page 248 of 420 in total. I'm not wholly sure anymore if Sir William Lucas has said "capital" yet – his trademark word – but I did notice some other things.
For example, in the series – as I'm best acquainted with that one – Mr. Collins shows Elizabeth and Charlotte's family who've come to visit them in Kent, around his house after their marriage. Here he shows them a closet which Lady Catherine advised him to put up with shelves. However, in the book, he mentions this at his first dinner at Longbourn, and not during Elizabeth's visit.
Then, Colonel Forster, one of the regiments officers, in the series is already married to Mrs. Forster, who's swiftly become – or already is, as a matter of fact – a dear friend to Lydia. Yet, he's proclaimed his want to marry not halfway through the book, and his wife is not mentioned until Elizabeth returns from her six week visit to Charlotte. And here it is said that Lydia and Mrs. Forster have been friend for 2 out of 3 months.
If you're familiar with the book, series or movie, you might know there are five Bennett sisters: Jane, Elizabeth (also called Lizzy, mostly by her father and sister Jane, and Eliza by her friends), Mary, Kitty and Lydia. However, I was kind of confused to read about a Catherine – this actually is Kitty, and the name most frequently used in the book, instead of Kitty, which is the only one in the series and movie, as far as I recollect.

Perhaps you also know that "Pride & Prejudice" doesn't stray too far from the sort of books I normally read. It's not very romantic, as ~japangirl615 once mentioned in a reply to my thread "Who could persuade YOU?", but it's more so about society, and the environment Jane Austen lived in, the ways and in some way reasons, for a woman to marry. At least, I'm pretty sure that's what it was.

Anyway, I do have a lot of historical romances in my bookcase. These are written, however, by current modern authors, who actually try to empathize as best as they can in their historical setting. But they're looking back in time, while Jane Austen was to her, actually writing a contemporary novel. Never mind that it has become a pace-setting novel people have to read in school, and she an author admired by many.

I've noticed that, while authors of historical novels do their best to make the words and sentences as old-sounding as possible, it's not resembling of Jane Austen's.
At first, I noticed questions: "is not it beautiful?", where it's normally "isn't it beautiful?".
Then, a strange word came about: "shew". I was thinking, what? But then I understood, as it was written: "she was shewn into the room". It was a different writing style for "show".
And the funniest words are "thither" and "whither". I know how to use "whether", but those two were astonishing. They mean "there" and "where". Cool, huh?

I'm still going to finish it, and next, I still plan on reading her "Persuasion". But after that, some fun and easy reading, with a Dutch translation of Nora Roberts' "Hidden Riches". Then I plan to reread Rachel Gibson's "Daisy's Back in Town". My first time reading it wasn't too positive because of one turn of events, wasn't too positive, so I want to see if I can get past that, and understand it better. I do understand it – I've explained that in my last journal – but I didn't feel the same way, so I want to see if it leaves the same expression this time around.

I've already ordered the book I want to read next, but I don't have it yet, which is Sherrilyn Kenyon's "Inferno". Now, for after that, I'm going to order some new books. Don't know which ones, though I have a long wish list to choose from.

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I hope you have enjoyed Mother's Day if you are a mother, and that you have spoiled your mother if you're closed. My Mom still owes some spoiling, though we did take her shopping the other weekend, which was still for her birthday in February… So, I need to think about that. Maybe a nice bouquet of flowers .

Love, Mouselemur & Me