Who doesn't love a bouncing baby elephant, a freeze-frame meerkat or a roly-poly panda?
These are the sights that make zoos eternally popular with people of all ages.
This summer was no exception. Zoos have been awash in visitors.
Although final figures aren't in, attendance is reportedly up nationwide, said Steve Feldman, spokesman for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
New exhibits or high-profile births -- such as that of baby elephant Beco at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium -- boost crowds.
So does a sluggish economy.
"Zoos are affordable," Feldman said. "They're close to where people live."
Unfortunately, zoos are often seen as just warm-weather venues. Now that Labor Day has passed, crowds will thin. People start thinking about scouting colorful leaves or visiting favorite haunts.
But now is an excellent time to visit a zoo.
I realized that truth in mid-July, when I spent an afternoon baking at the National Zoo in Washington. The zoo, which admits visitors at no charge, was teeming with people.
It was a bright, humid day with temperatures in the high 80s, the kind of day that saps energy. Children -- and some adults -- moved in packs from one misting station to the next.
The zoo itself is wonderful, with a number of animals we don't have at our own fantastic zoo. But getting near the railing at some animal enclosures was almost impossible with the crowds.
And then all that heat. Temperatures in the high 80s are bad enough on the average tank-top-and-shorts-clad tourist. What about the poor animals wrapped in thick fur coats?
One of the big cats stalked down to its water-filled moat for a short swim.
But most of the animals that didn't originate in Africa were sacked out under trees or in cool dens, oblivious to all of the attention.
As the temperatures begin to drop, animals will become a little more frisky. Last year, the National Zoo began reporting in mid-September that its giant pandas were becoming more active.
Reports through winter describe them playing together, eating bamboo and simply going about life as pandas.
When I saw them, all three were sacked out on rocks. And the red panda, which had just given birth, was not on display at all.
Zoos, however, are far more than the outdoor exhibits. Most house a number of animals such as reptiles and birds undercover.
At the Columbus Zoo, for example, the 100,000-gallon Discovery Reef -- with its saltwater fishes, rays and small sharks -- is a great place to while away more than a few minutes. Our zoo has a number of other indoor exhibits as well: manatees, Asia Quest, gorillas, reptiles and more.
The National Zoo has a small mammal house with meerkats and other small creatures. Another fascinating indoor exhibit was the Bird House, with a variety of unusual birds, many tropical.
Just last month, the small burrowing owls hatched two chicks, the first hatching of that species in 30 years at the zoo.
The Bird House also has a flight room in which birds fly free among the lush plantings.
Virtually any zoo has similar indoor activities, perfect for inclement days.
So just because summer is winding down, don't rule out a visit to a zoo.
Cindy Decker is Dispatch travel editor. Reach her at 614-461-5027 or by e-mail.
cdecker@dispatch.com
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