TOMS & National Geographic Big Cats Collection

** A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free to review **

 
My kids have an affinity for"Big Cats" probably resulting from a combination of their dad being a passionate sports fan for two teams that have them for mascots (Detroit Tigers & Lions) and one of our favorite family activities is taking a walk through our local zoo to go see the lion exhibit.  So my daughter was pretty excited when a package from TOMS arrived the other day containing a sample of their new Nat Geo Big Cats Collection.  This collection includes sun glasses, a backpack, and of course what TOMS is known for, shoes that include design elements representing big cats and incorporate iconic photography from National Geographic's image library into their style.

While it is nice to be able to see lions, tigers, and other big cats at zoos wouldn't it be a shame if these creatures became extinct from the wild.  These animals have become symbols of adventurism and ferociousness for all of us so what would become of our own human nature if one day we find ourselves living on a planet where there aren't exotic natural spaces where majestic beasts roam in the wild.  Would some of our own instincts for imagination and exploration die off in a world with no wild animals and places?  Unfortunately this is a very real scenario.  Big cats in the wild are disappearing at an alarming rate.  In fact some zoologists are warning that within a generation wild lion and tiger populations may be extinct.

Fortunately there are efforts to try and avoid this scenario.  Since 2009, National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative has worked to reverse the decline of big cats through on-the-ground conservation and education projects in Africa, Asia, and North and South America. These projects include instituting patrols to prevent lion snaring and poaching and building livestock enclosures to protect endangered cats from retaliatory killing.  TOMS is joining in the effort to save these wild animals and their natural habitats by partnering with National Geographic to support its critical nonprofit work through the Big Cats Collection. National Geographic and TOMS hope that this special collection draws attention to the critical need to protect and preserve big cats in the wild.

Heather Mycoskie, the wife of the TOMS founder and "Chief Shoe Giver" Blake Mycoskie,  became inspired to start the TOMS Animal Initiative when she learned that wild lions are at risk of being extinct.  As TOMS "Chief Animal Lover", Heather reached out to National Geographic to partner with the nonprofit in creating the Big Cats Collection.  Through the TOMS Animal Initiative, TOMS is working with various nonprofit animal conservation organizations to drive awareness and funding for global animal protection.

My daughter received a pair of Nat Geo Tiny Jaguar Classics from the TOMS Big Cats Collection to wear on our next trek to the zoo, camping trip, or nature trail hike.  These shoes feature a jaguar-inspired paw print pattern on the outside and the inside is lined with Jaguar pictures from National Geographic's image library.  In addition to be stylish there are also useful components to these shoes that include an elastic V-notch for a secure fit; a latex arch insert for added support; and TOMS classic microfiber with cushion for comfort.  My little girl adores the style of these Nat Geo Tiny Jaguar Classics and can't wait to wear them out on our next big family adventure.

In addition to a pair of TOMS, my daughter also received some goodies from Opposite of Far which included a unique bobcat mask. Opposite of Far specializes in creating unique animal-inspired masks for kids that are made in the United States. Opposite of Far masks are made from layers of premium Merino wool blend felt and Eco-fi Felt sewn together to ensure a safe, durable high quality product that inspires children to enjoy hours of imaginative play. Opposite of Far has a line of endangered animal masks to help promote awareness for conservation and preservation efforts.

Some of the other items in the TOMS Nat Geo Big Cats Collection include Nat Geo Men's Lion Paseos, Nat Geo Women's Jaguar Classics, Nat Geo Leopard Sunglasses, and the Nat Geo Big Cats backpack.  CLICK HERE to view the entire TOMS Nat Geo Big Cats Collection.

National Geographic’s Big Cats Initiative was founded in 2009 with Dereck and Beverly Joubert—filmmakers, conservationists, and Nat Geo explorers-in-residence—as a long-term effort to halt the decline of big cats in the wild. The Big Cats Initiative supports efforts to save big cats through assessment, on-the-ground conservation, education, and its "Cause an Uproar" global public-awareness campaign. Since its inception the Big Cats Initiative has funded over 80 grants across more than 25 countries to help save big cats in the wild. CLICK HERE if you would like to make a direct financial contribution to assist the Big Cats Initiative. For more information about its mission and accomplishments, visit animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/big-cats-initiative

A Geek Daddy is a member of the National Geographic Kids Insider blogger program.  Insiders get a behind-the-scenes look at National Geographic’s resources, activities, content and projects for kids and families. They also review copies of books, magazines and toys, and other Nat Geo products plus are offered interviews with authors, explorers and editors. 

#NGKinsider

An Autumn Road Trip to the Potter Park Zoo

We decided to get out of town and take a family road trip to someplace we hadn't visited before on the last weekend in September traveling to our state capital to visit the Potter Park Zoo.  Lansing is centrally located in Michigan's lower peninsula about an hour and a half drive from our home in Metro Detroit on the state's east side and 1.5 hours from Grand Rapids on the state's west coast.  It was a nice sunny 75 degree fall afternoon when we arrive to take a 2 hour leisurely stroll through the zoo. Sunday's in autumn must be a nice time for a visit as we essentially had the place to ourselves as my family wandered around the exhibits and gardens that make up the zoo.

While the Potter Park Zoo doesn't have an extensive list of creatures to view or expansive grounds to wander, it does have a quaint scenic layout with enough animals to keep your attention for a few hours.  For a smaller zoo it also has an impressive array of larger creatures to view and admire including lions, tigers and rhinos.  While it may not have as many animals and amenities as larger urban zoos, I found that it provided a more intimate opportunity to observe those creatures by allowing people to get closer to the exhibits than they normally can get at larger zoological parks.  My kids and I were able to get much closer to many of the animals than we ever can at the Detroit Zoo which is just down the street from our house.

While I was impressed by the visual vantage points for watching the animals at the Potter Zoo, it wasn't the most ideal location for taking photos.  While glass walls and metallic cages allow for great views with your naked eyes they don't work as well for capturing the images you are enjoying with a camera.  In comparison, at the Detroit Zoo you can't get as close up of views to the animals but they have more displays that are buffered with trenches rather than fences to give unobstructed viewpoints for taking photographs.  As this was a special trip, we appreciated the differentiation and the chance to observe animals from a different perspective.

The Potter Park Zoo also differentiated itself from the Detroit Zoo, where we have an annual membership and visit frequently throughout the year, with some different animals on display.  Potter Park has a rare snow leopard, spider monkeys, ravens, and a moose which we can't see at our local zoo. In addition to the exotic animals, Potter Park Zoo also has many local animals for people to enjoy including a petting farm with goats, llamas, pigs and chickens and a duck pond where you can feed the birds.

The grounds of the zoo are filled with nice artwork that was fun to check out.  Plus they had numerous cutout photo ops for taking some zany pictures.

Other things to do, for an extra fee of course, are taking pony rides (or if you want to be more adventurous camel rides), feeding a room full of parakeets with a seed covered stick in "Wings Down Under" or taking an electronic train ride around the zoo's picnic area.  Prices for these extra activities aren't bad ranging from $1 to $3.  In fact, admission into the zoo was very reasonable costing us $5 for parking and $2 per kid and $10 per adult for entry.

The zoo is essentially a loop to follow that starts off going past river otters, bald eagles and a wolf leading up to the farmyard.  After passing the farmyard there is the impressive feline and primate exhibit area followed by rhinos, mongoose, meerkats and a display building filled with small mammals, birds, and reptiles.  The final lap takes you past magellanic penguins, the duck pond and some tufted deer.  Of course there are a few other animals filling in the gaps as the zoo is home to 160 species.

 

Now they warn people not to pester the animals, but it appears no one instructs the animals to be nice to us humans as the funniest part of our trip was watching a mandrill approach my daughter as she was quietly looking at it through the glass and start imitating and taunting her in a friendly way.

If you are going to be in the Lansing area, I give A Geek Daddy nod of approval to making an effort to stop by the Potter Park Zoo for an enjoyable family outing.  My family had a great time on what will be a memorable road trip to check out this very nice zoological park.

The Potter Park Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums and operated by the Ingham County Parks & Recreation Commission.  For more information, visit www.potterparkzoo.org

Winter is a great time to visit the Zoo

If you are willing to brave the cold and snow, winter can be a great time for a roadtrip to a zoo providing for closeup views of animals without the summer crowds.  Many zoos are open to the public all year long, but have limited attendance during the winter months.  Often there are multiple indoor exhibits to enjoy along with the chance to see animals outdoors who don't mind frigid temps.  Our family uses our annual pass to go on several winter visits each year to our local zoo.  Just remember to pick a somewhat mild day, dress warmly, and if you are taking children along play it safe by being observant to how they are handling to weather conditions.  Have some fun and go on an arctic expedition to the zoo.

At our local zoo, the DETROIT ZOO, the polar bears are active when there is snow on the ground.  The zoo provides multiple heated indoor locations where you can view the bears, as well as an assortment of seals that are also native to the arctic climates, and while these areas are often crowded when the weather is warmer my kids normally have the run of the place.  This exhibit always has docents staffing it who LOVE the chance to talk with people and it is a great opportunity to have some nice conversations with these volunteers who have received training on educating the public about the animals on display.

There are plenty of animals on display outdoors even when snow is on the ground.  We have seen our best views of the tiger at the Detroit Zoo on winter visits.  You wouldn't think that Lions from Africa or Kangaroos from Australia would be out in the cold, but we've seen them outside during winter trips as well.

If standing outdoors when the temps are low isn't your thing as long as you're willing to do a brisk walk between buildings there are often plenty of things to occupy your time and attention indoors at zoos.  Here are a few things to do inside at the Detroit Zoo:

The Giraffe House is heated, open and has benches to sit on.  You can get up close to these gigantic creatures with a much better view than what you can see outdoors during the warmer months.  You really don't understand how tall these animals are until you stand up right next to one.

I don't believe many people realize their is an indoor Rhino Exhibit at the Detroit Zoo as it is always empty when we visit.  It provides nice views of the animals from a heated gallery, plus some cool benches to sit down and take the load off.

The Reptile House is in the middle of the grounds and a nice break to get out of the cold between the long walk between the indoor exhibits at the rear of the zoo and those at the front.  It is normally empty of people when we have visited in the winter and kept at a tropical humid temperature making it a very comfortable place to be on a cold day.  The real bonus though is that the snakes are always very active when we've stopped in on our snow day visits compared to the summer months when the crowd noise tends to send them hiding in their exhibits.

Other warn and comfy nooks you can visit during a winter trip to the Detroit Zoo include the exotic butterfly and bird house, otter exhibit, amphibian center, chimpanzee/gorilla display, meerkat and leemur building, and the penguin display.

Going stir crazy in your house, maybe a winter roadtrip to a zoo is just the ticket to get out and about.  Make sure you contact the zoo before you go to confirm their winter hours (which normally are normally different than during the peak months) and that they are actually open the day you want to go.  Check to see if the zoo has any special events going on during the winter too as part of your trip planning.  For example the Detroit Zoo has several WILD WINTER WEEKENDS with special themed activities going on during those events.  

Best time to go to the zoo: try a winter road trip!

It wasn't a busy work week for me following the Easter weekend so I took a day off and decided to enjoy a trip to the local zoo with my kids on one of the nice Spring days we were blessed with.  I was surprised as we pulled into the zoo driveway to see the parking lots closest to the entrance crammed full of cars and to find ourselves parking in one of the outer lots with a trek to the entry gates.  I shouldn't have been shocked because as the weather becomes warmer and it is more enjoyable to be outside the zoo is a great family day trip.  It's just that our family has become used to having the zoo as our own private place the last few months because we regularly go during the winter and during those colder months we practically have the place to ourselves.

Yes, it may be a little cold out but not only are there no crowds to bump up against for a good view but without the noise and distractions created by all the human visitors many of the animals are much more comfortable and are more active while you watch them during a winter visit compared to a trip in the spring or summer months.  Going to the zoo with my kids has actually become one of my favorite WINTER activities. Most zoos are open to the public all year long - check with your local zoo and see what they have to offer during the months of November - March.

Here's a video from a trip we took to the Detroit Zoo in February that shows some of my kids favorite animals to view: lions, rhinos, lemurs, and meerkats:

We have an annual pass to our local zoo and go throughout the year.  The Detroit Zoo is actually open 362 days per year.  There are fun things to do in the warmer months that you can't do in the winter like riding an animal themed carousel, hand-feeding giraffes or playing on the kids playscape but there are a lot ot fun things that you can do in the colder weather too!

 

 

The Detroit Zoo's Reptile House (aka Holden Reptiles Conservation Center) is kept a warm tropical 80 degrees all winter long to keep its 250 residents happy and comfortable.  During the summer when the place is crowed with visitors it often seems as if the snakes, lizards, turtles, and alligators who call the reptile home hide out in their exhibits.  If you can brave a frigid run or walk through the zoo's grounds in the winter months you'll find without all the motion and sound created by crowds these animals are very active slithering and swimming around their display areas.  My kids really enjoy racing the turtles along the window in their tank everytime we go ... they aren't as fond of the snakes though. 

 

 



A visit to the Giraffe Encounter during the colder months is always a treat for the kids, and parents, because you can get closer to the animals than when they are outside.  You can walk right up to a glass partition and see the giraffes up close and wow does that really let you get a feel for how tall these animals are!

 

If you're going during the cold weather than that is the perfect time to stop by the Artic Ring of Life where you can see foxes, seals and polar bears.  While it is a little bit of a trek through the outside of the exhibit you eventually will be able to observe the seals and polar bears from indoors either through an underwater tunnel or a mock up of a north pole scientific exploration station.  We've seen the polar bears from the underwater observation area more often during the winter months than during the spring, summer or fall and the only times we've seen the artic foxes out on the grounds of the Ring of Life where we could get a good view of them has been in the fall and winter months.

 

 

You can also get out of the winter air and explore the National Amphibian Conservation Center ( aka Amphibiville ) at the Detroit Zoo which my kids love to go and look at all the multi-colored varieties of frogs they have on display.

 

 

 



Like the Reptile House, the zoo also keeps the Matilda Wilson Free Flight Aviary & Butterfly Garden at a nice tropical 80 degrees all year long and we can't go for a visit without stopping by to see the butterflys and parrots.

 

 







Other animals with indoor buildings where you can get out of the cold and observe them include the chimpanzees and gorillas in the "monkey house", the meerkats have their own building as well as the lemurs, the otters may be outside all year long but you can view them from indoors in the heated Mardigian Otter Habitat building, and you can even go indoors to view the rhinos up close.

 

 

Depending on the temperature outside you never know what might be outside roaming around during the winter months and you could get an upclose unobstructed view of a lion, tiger, kangaroo, or grizzle bear.

 



 

You can't leave the zoo without one final stop which is a visit the the Penguinarium, this building was the first facility ever built in the United States to specifically house penguins and has been a highlight of a visit to the Detroit Zoo since 1968. It is located right before you get to the exit and is always the last stop we make before heading back to our car to head home so we can enjoy a nice mug of hot chocolate to warm up with and discuss our adventures at the zoo over.

 

If you haven't taken a trip to your local zoo when it's cold outside I urge you to give it a try!

 

For more information about planning a zoo roadtrip visit the Association of Zoos & Aquariums at www.aza.org