Wildlife in the Wild

    This rooster seems to be strutting proudly with his showy tail feathers.  We saw many, many chickens roaming freely in both Ybor City in Tampa and in Key West.  Rooster crows are common sounds in both of those cities.

    A cayman was resting in a shallow pond at the Cocao Plantation in Costa Rica.  A cayman is a small species of alligator that lives in Central and South America.  I'm pretty sure they still have razor sharp teeth!

      There were so many colorful macaws at the port in Cartagena Colombia.  They have a bit of a tropical habitat there, with macaws, loads of peacocks, flamingoes, and monkeys.

       Here is a peacock with attitude -- but then, don't peacocks always seem to be showing attitude!

There were peacocks on top of the roof, peacocks all in the trees, peacocks perched on poles, peacocks strutting around the grounds -- I've never seen so many peacocks in one place ever!!

    There were lots of monkeys high in the trees at the port terminal.  I learned that these cute little things are actually quite naughty (or, downright mean!).  Not far from where I was standing, a deluge of liquid poured down from the tree.  It was one or more monkeys peeing on unsuspecting people below.  I was shocked, never having been around monkeys outside of a cage.  I tried to be very careful walking under the trees after that!

         My most favorite picture I took is of this sloth with her baby clinging to her chest.  As we walked back to the terminal in Cartagena, this sloth was very slowly climbing a tree just on the other side of a small ditch.  We stood there and watched for several minutes and it was such a delight to see this gentle animal in motion (slow-motion)!

          No, this is not a picture of an animal, but I do consider it "wildlife," because it's alive and it also looks quite wild.  This is some sort of spiky tree that grows in Costa Rica.  The entire trunk of this tree is covered in these sharp-looking spikes.  I didn't even know there was such a tree -- guess I just don't get out enough!  Travel is definitely educational on a variety of levels.

          All of this very varied wildlife - from roosters, cayman, monkeys, macaws, peacocks and sloths, to this alien looking tree trunk -- all of it points to the great creativity, sense of humor, and attention to detail that's part of Almighty God.  I am in awe of His abilities, which are, of course, limitless in every way.

           Several verses come to mind when I consider God's wonderful gifts to us:  

        "He has made everything beautiful in its time," Ecclesiastes 3:11. 

        "What a wildly wonderful world, GOD!  You made it all with Wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations," Psalm 104:24 the Message.

        "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created," Revelation 4:11.