These are not ugly ducks. I repeat, not ugly ducks. They are swans, and frankly, they’re pretty darn cute.

These little guys live in England. You should hear their accent, it’s charming.

This post is part of UpTake’s Friday Family Series. If you would like to see your family vacation photo here please submit it via the contact link in the sidebar, subject line: Family Photo.

Photo: antaean via Flickr

The herd is on the move! It doesn’t matter if you see black stripes on white bodies, or white stripes on black bodies, the one thing we can all agree on is that zebras are awesome. If you don’t agree you can take your post reading elsewhere (like the next post for instance, it’s zebra-free!).

Besides, this post isn’t about zebras, per se, but rather where they are running. That’s the Okavango Delta in the Republic of Botswana, you can’t miss it. Botswana, for those of you playing along  at home, is landlocked, claims one of the stronger economies in the world, and has a democratic government. Also, it’s hot.

The Okavango Delta is the largest inland delta in the world. It is produced by seasonal flooding from the Okavango River and, fun fact, instead of draining to the sea, the majority of the water is taken by plants and evaporation.

The delta is home to a variety of wildlife which has developed into a fairly lucrative tourist attraction. In addition to our zebras (above) you can find (from Wikipedia):

African Bush Elephant, African Buffalo, African Wild Dog, Hippopotamus, Lechwe, Topi, Blue Wildebeest, Giraffe, Nile crocodile, Lion, Cheetah, Leopard, Brown Hyena, Spotted Hyena, Greater Kudu, Sable Antelope, Black Rhinoceros, White Rhinoceros, Warthog, Chacma Baboon and over 400 species of bird.

I’m pretty sure it’s where they filmed the Lion King.

If you are planning on taking a safari vacation in the area, consider one of the many lodges with environmental-friendly policies. It’s a nice touch.

Tell the zebras I said hello.

Photo: Okavango Delta by Balfour/Getty courtesy of Life Books

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a living museum located in the saguaro-filled outskirts of Tucson, Arizona.

The mission of the museum “is to inspire people to live in harmony with the natural world by fostering love, appreciation, and understanding of the Sonoran Desert.”

There is something for everyone, be it educational, inspirational or interactive. They also offer a number of events each month like plant sales, pancake breakfasts and a festival of flight. There is quality dining on the premises.

The Desert Museum is just a few minutes from another Tucson treasure, Old Tucson Studios. If you make the drive via Gates Pass (roughly 30 minutes from downtown Tucson), make sure to allow for a sunset viewing along one of the many designated parking areas in the hills between the museum and the city — that will put everything in perspective.

This post is part of the UpTake Monday Museums & Monuments Series.

Photos: DrStarbuck (quail) and contemplicity (bobcat) via Flickr

Two species of gibbons at the Gibbon Conservation Center

First of all, what are Gibbons?  No, they’re not a BeeGees cover band, and you don’t actually have to sing with them if you don’t want to.  Gibbons are tree-dwelling apes native to rainforests, which according to gibbon activists, are being destroyed at the rate of 32 acres per day.  Luckily, somehow there is a gibbon sanctuary in the dry mountains north of Los Angeles! Read More »