Malie with Trainer.JPG
It's not politically correct for animals to perform at circuses any longer, and certainly not at the trendy, prestige $40+ tickets Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia. My wife, Gwynne & I, were enjoying the zoo; it was a beautiful day, and there were lots of children, when we walked by a huge crowd around the water enclosure. Peering through, I was able to make out a full-fledged seal show, with costumed animal trainer, props, and a performing seal. I hadn't seen anything like it since I was a kid, and the old excitement came back. The seal balanced a beach ball on its nose, climbed stairs, and high-diving off a platform after answering questions from his trainer. I Googled the zoo: turns out, it wasn't a seal, it was a rare Australian Sea-lion named Malie, who had a pup, Nala, born January 31, 2009, to mother Kira, and that they all get fish tree-shaped popsicles for Christmas.Malies Pup.JPG
It was fabulous, as good as any animal performance in supposedly Third World zoos, and I was even more delighted when walking by a souvenir shop, we found out that not only did Malie perform, but he painted too.Malie The Australian Seal Painting.JPG