This is a statue commemorating the bear that inspired Winnie the Pooh. There are two such statues – one in London, where the bear became famous, and one in Winnipeg, where the bear was from.

I’ve seen them both.

The London Zoo has the best signs

Like this one, that isn’t so much warning you against specific action as just informing you of certain risks you take by being alive.

One interesting thing about going to historical zoos is how seldom the buildings, built to house animals, gave any consideration to the animals at all.

Decimus Burton, the first architect of the zoo is on record as being quite upset that his brilliant designs, made so people can appreciate the animals, were being thrown away because, as it turned out, they were also killing the animals that lived there.

While not as bad as that, this aviary has also reached the end of its useful life and there were signs up about how the zoo planned to replace it soon.

The more we learn, the more we realize just how wrong we were when we thought we knew what we were doing. I think this is true in all fields, but more apparent in the world of zoos.

I seldom post other people’s photos, much less photos of other people’s photos.

However, I have to mention that a little over 100 years ago, the largest lizard – with a massively infectious, poisonous, *and* venomous bite (to the point that a bite is often a death sentence, even with modern medical technology, with people dying of infection even years after the bite) came to the London Zoo … and small children got to pet it.

These spiders have gathered together on the 265th* anniversary of the Weenen Massacre to discuss the complexities of colonization and how seldom those in power personally feel the impact of their decisions.

* in base 8, of course.