Photographer’s journal: The young giraffe from Fort Worth

by Brody Mulligan of Brody Blog

They walk with a commanding view, towering African savannas sporting an unmistakable thatch of patterned brown, keeping a watchful eye on the horizon, a luxury afforded and reserved: Giraffes are the tallest of all animals living on land.

But for many Americans, an opportunity to see such an elegant giant among warm, grassland breezes a continent away will never come.

There are certain aspects of the natural experience that cannot be expressed through words, images, sound, or film; and for the appreciation of the pure beauty of wild animals, there remains no substitute to bearing witness to a truly remarkable creature in real life.

Recently, the Fort Worth Zoo--enjoying a surge in new construction thanks to generous donors--debuted its newest crown jewel, Katie, a young, playful giraffe bursting with energy, bred in captivity.

Born in mid January, and only recently placed before the public, Katie's appearance has attracted a throng of patrons that, on a sunny spring break day, anxiously crowded the railing to feast eyes upon the beauty of youth that pays no mind to rising gas prices, crime, or race, and--if only for a few moments--allows those present to escape into similar dreams of a life just as carefree.

Jumping on the couch until the feathers all come out.

Galloping valiantly within the confines of the exhibit among her mother and others, showing a bounty of energy and enthusiasm--perhaps feeling a tingle of Los Angeles fame a thousand miles away--Katie did not disappoint the crowd--and, despite my instinct to keep my camera raised endlessly, I let it hang round my neck as I watched her merrily stroll along, getting lost somewhere else.

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To learn more about visiting the Fort Worth Zoo, visit www.fortworthzoo.com. For the frugal: Wednesdays feature half-price admission.