It’s Monday morning and you know what that means! It’s time for our last post for the summer series of Mystery Image Mondays at the Houston Zoo, our weekly photographic scavenger hunt! Yup- that’s right, our time together with TXU Energy presents Chill Out at the Houston Zoo edition is coming to an end and we sure have had some fun. Want to look back at the last thirteen weeks of scavenger hunt sleuthing we’ve shared? No problem- just click here!

Since it is last week of the summer series, we are going to be shaking things up a bit this week! Don’t worry- the basic rules are still in place. We will post a portion of a photo taken within the Zoo followed by clues as to the photo’s identify. These clues, along with your knowledge of the Zoo will lead you to post your guesses in the comment section. As always, return this afternoon between 3:00 and 4:00 pm to find out if you were right!

So what’s different about this week? There’s four times the fun! That’s right- we’re not just posting one photo- but four! We like to call this Mystery Image Monday Mania!

Are you ready? Good, then let the (scavenger) hunt begin! We are proud to present….

This Week’s Images, a.k.a #15 A-D

Image A

Image B

Image C

Image D

The Clues

Since they are four images this week, we will only be providing four clues- one clue per image. Well, five clues after I tell you that this week’s images are in honor of our awesome horticulture department.  Each year, they spend over 20,000 hours planting, pruning and caring for our lush landscapes in the middle of this bustling city! That’s some awesome flower power!

A. I have neither pillow nor a blanket- although I do have three sides.

B. If you have visited the Zoo- chances are you have enjoyed a snack near me!

C. If you can’t decide between birds, frogs and piranhas- come sit by me a spell!

D. I have an older brother at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

Okay, fine- six clues! All the photos are Chill Out-themed!

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The Answers

Image A- The Triangle Bed

The Triangle Bed is located just past the Cypress Circle Café, at the exit to The African Forest. Envisioned to serve guests seeking shelter from the scorching Texas sun, this garden area is home to a wide variety of fauna specifically planted for the shade they provide.

Image B- Duck Lake

Located just past Wortham’s World of Primates, Duck Lake is a favorite spot for guests to Chill Out and relax while grabbing a quick bite from the adjacent Cypress Circle Café. While the lake is full of waterfowl (hence the name!) these Red-eared Sliders have become quite popular with guests and can be seen competing for premiere sunbathing space daily.

Image C- Reflection Pool

The iconic Reflection Pool greets guests as they pass through the Main Entrance and walk toward Wortham’s World of Primates. The reflection pool is a favorite resting spot for many guests due to the relaxing fountains, ornate sculptures and decades old shade trees. Sitting along the stairs, families can quickly plan their next stop- all within eyeshot of some of the Zoo’s most popular destinations- The Tropical Bird House, The Reptile and Amphibian Building and Natural Encounters.

Image D- Butterfly Garden

Tucked away to the side of The African Forest and next to the Hoofstock run, the Butterfly Garden is one of the hidden gems at the Houston Zoo. Filled with colorful flowers and bushes that are designed to attract butterflies, this tranquil garden features a small walking path. That tower you see in the back? That would be a Chimney Swift Tower, a man-made structure that serves as home to dozens of Chimney Swifts- nature’s mosquito repellent!

We hope you’ve enjoyed the summer session of Mystery Image Mondaysat the Houston Zoo! If you’ve had fun these last several weeks during our TXU Energy presents Chill Out at the Houston Zoo and would like to relive the magic- click here and be sure to subscribe to our blog to stay up to date on our next session of Mystery Image Mondays at the Houston Zoo!

It’s Monday morning and you know what that means! It’s Week 10 of photographic scavenger hunt, Mystery Image Mondays at the Houston Zoo! If you want to brush up on your sleuthing skills, or just want to check out what you’ve been missing in our past nine installments, just click here!

The rules for the game are very easy: we are about to show you a portion of a photo- it may be of an animal, a habitat, or some other point of interest found on Zoo grounds. Your knowledge of the Zoo, partnered with the three clues that will follow the photo, will aid you in identifying the location and subject of the photo. Post your best guesses below and return this afternoon between 3:00 and 4:00 pm to find out if you were right!

Are you ready? Good, then let the (scavenger) hunt begin! We are proud to present…

This Week’s Image, a.k.a #10:

The Clues

1. While humans love me, I don’t think the small cats down the street do!

2. While I may seem large to humans, those who enjoy me tend to think of me as a wadding pool!

3. I bring a whole new meaning to the term “swimming trunks”!

Psst- here’s freebie hint: all the photos are Chill Out-themed!

The Answer

That’s right, you guessed it! This is a photo of Thai, one of our Asiatic Elephants, taking a dip in his pool.

Splish-Splash! He's a-takin' a bath!

For those who haven’t met him, Thai is our oldest male elephant at the zoo and proud father to baby Baylor who was born last May. Thai loves the water and can frequently be seen playing with his large barrel- dunking it under the water and watching it pop back up to the surface.  As for Baylor, the apple clearly doesn’t fall far from the tree based on his escapades with water, which have gone viral and become an international sensation!

We are hoping that our seven-member herd will continue to enjoy the water when they move into their new elephant expansion, which will add on the McNair Asian Elephant Habitat. This new enclosure, which utilizes the land that used to belong to the giraffe’s before they relocated to The African Forest, an unobstructed viewing area, a demonstration area and an 80,000 gallon pool! For more information, renderings, and to up-to-date information click here!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Mystery Image Mondays at the Houston Zoo! Come back next Monday, and every Monday throughout our TXU Energy presents Chill Out at the Houston Zoo.

Alright folks, it’s time to break out your best British accents and Deerstalker hats, because this week we are continuing our summer-long photographic scavenger hunt, “Mystery Image Mondays at the Houston Zoo”.

If you’re just joining us- don’t worry, you’ve only missed one installment! Feel free to use last week’s post as a practice round to see how this scavenger hunt works!

Just to review: every Monday you’ll find a portion of a photo — it may be of an animal, a habitat, or some other point of interest found on Zoo grounds — posted here. Using the three clues given, can you guess what it is?  How about where it was taken?

So if you’re ready to take on this week’s challenge- post your answer in the comment section below! We will be updating the post between 3:00 and 4:00 pm this afternoon with the answer so make sure to check back and see if you were right! This is a change from last week’s Mystery Image Monday- but ya’ll uncovered that one out so fast that we just had to raise the bar!

With that being said, we are proud to present…

This Week’s Image, a.k.a #2:

The Clues

1. I like being outside. I like being indoors. May favorite, though? Doing both!

2. I can sometimes smell the tasty food served at the Cypress Circle Café.

3. If you don’t visit my home at the Houston Zoo- your trip may be ruined!

Psst- here’s bonus hint: all the photos are Chill Out-themed!

Good Luck Everyone! Come back this afternoon to check your answers! Happy (Scavenger) Hunting!

The Answer

That’s right, you guessed it! These decorative carving can be seen in the open-air portion of the Tropical Bird House, along the roof of some Rainforest Ruins. (How’s that for some alliteration!?) Located just alongside the Reflection Pool, the Tropical Bird House is one of our three habitat areas that is home to 800 specimens, belonging to approximately 250 different species.

Our Tropical Bird House is where you find many of our rare avian friends, like the Micronesian Kingfisher from the Western Pacific Marianas Islands. The subspecies from Guam is completely extinct in the wild, due to the accidental introduction of the Brown Tree Snake on the island, and survives only in captivity in a select number of zoos around the country.  The Houston Zoo belongs to the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for this kingfisher and has raised a number of these birds over the years.

The relaxing atmosphere in the Tropical Bird House combined with the cool air conditioning make this one fly place to visit during your next trip to the Zoo. Hope to see you soon!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this second installment of Mystery Image Mondays at the Houston Zoo! Come back next Monday, and every Monday throughout our TXU Energy presents Chill Out at the Houston!