One of the things that I love about this zoo is how close you can get to the animals. It’s a hot day, so the lions are napping in the shade, but often in the morning as I run by, the male will stand on his rock and roar like crazy. So cool to hear that sound in the middle of the city. The zoo itself also has one of the largest zoo-based conservation and science programs in the country. They’re helping to lead the way in protecting both wild and zoo populations of endangered species.