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York’s Wild Kingdom ~ York, Maine

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There is nothing I like more than a great zoo, so where Cheryl from Heart to Heart at Home wanted to tell us about an amazing place all the way up in Maine, I was thrilled.  (Not often does this Momma have an opportunity to travel to Maine, y’all!) Cheryl also takes fantastic pictures as you can see below.  Makes me want to hop on a plane!

Spring, summer or fall, there’s nothing like a family outing to the zoo. Animals and nature capture our hearts and help us relax and enjoy life. Our family ventured off to York Zoo in Maine one very hot day last summer. 
 Although it’s a small zoo, it has a lot to offer. When we walked in the front gate there were 3 directions we could take; right to the birds & butterflies, left to the elephants & monkeys or straight ahead on a leisurely stroll next to a shaded canal with lots of ducks. We opted for straight ahead because it led to the main part of the zoo where the large animals were.

Lions, tigers, bears and crocodiles were all there, along with a few animals that you don’t usually see at a zoo, like the fallow deer with their soft velvety antlers. Although there is an enclosed area for the deer, the enclosure is actually to keep the visitors out, the deer roam freely going under or around the fence. They will follow you down the path hoping you will put a quarter in a food machine and offer them a hand full of tasty treats.
My family enjoyed visiting with the goats. The goat enclosure is quite large and you can go in, it’s like a barn yard, to feed, pet and play with the goats. There were quite a few babies when we were there and they are very curious and friendly. This is a great zoo for getting close up and personal with many of the animals.
After watching a show of exotic creatures and exploring every species in the main area we headed back to the front to see the birds and butterflies. There were parrots, peacocks, and other tropical birds in enclosures at the main part of the zoo, but the bird area was reserved for pheasants and flying birds that needed a bit more freedom.
A little further down the path was a large butterfly enclosure that also housed a few baby alligators and turtles, with lush landscaping and a waterfall. This was a cool and calm change from the heat outside. A wide variety of butterflies flitted from plant to plant, and one formed a strong attraction to my son. The butterfly kept landing on his bright green shirt and even tried to stick to him as we were leaving the enclosure.
Our last stop was the elephants and monkeys. Unfortunately we had just missed the show where the elephants created paintings, and it was too late in the day to ride them as they were being hosed down and fed. However a monkey family in a large enclosure decided to entertain us with some acrobatic tricks. I was entranced with the baby who clung to his mother no matter which way she swung, dropped or turned, as he learned the ropes of monkey life.
We had shared a picnic lunch before entering the zoo and now we were headed off to the beach before dinner. The zoo is located very close to York Beach; as a matter of fact there is another entrance via the amusement park on the beach side. The amusement park would have to wait for another day as the summer heat was pushing us toward the ocean for a quick swim.

Cheryl Roth
 I am a photographer, writer and graphic artist living in New Hampshire with my husband and 3 children. Author & creator of Heart to Heart at Home and Create A Beautiful Life, I am passionate about helping families create good relationships and a loving life. You can also follow her on Facebook & Twitter:

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