The hundredth flamingo

Ever get the feeling your parents/teachers/bosses are constantly hovering over you -- and in a very judgmental kind of way?
Then imagine how this six-day-old flamingo chick must feel.
We don't know if the looming adult flamingos are his actual parents, or just fellow residents of the flamingo community at the zoo in Hanover, in central Germany.
Perhaps they are members of the flamingo neighborhood watch, or on the screening committee determining if the little chick will be allowed in the Flamingo Club.
I don't know if it's the look in the adults' eyes, the downward frown-like turn in their beaks, or the perpetual question marks their necks form, but I'm not getting a proud parent vibe.
It's more like, did you eat all your peas? Did you turn off that video game? Your teacher called today. Didn't we tell you to clean that nest? Where do you think you're going?
Then again, I'm once again making the mistake -- fun as it might be -- of applying human values and attributes to animals, which is what we often tend to do, especially when they're those in zoos.
So we'll just tell you that the birth of this little fella brought the zoo's flamingo population to a nice even 100.
(Photo by Getty images)







Comments
Actually, it's rather obvious that the guy on the right is the husband. See the look he's giving his wife on the right? Dollars to doughnuts that little fella looks like the next door neighbor.
Posted by: jl | July 19, 2008 9:53 AM