It was a bright Sunday morning when little Rohan clutched his mother’s hand tightly, excitement bubbling in his chest. His elder sister, Aanya, walked ahead, holding the tickets to the zoo.
“Mom! Are we really going to see real lions and elephants today?” Rohan asked, eyes gleaming with wonder.
“Yes, Rohan,” his mom smiled. “This is the zoo—a place where animals from different parts of the world are looked after, and where we can see and learn about them.”
As they stepped through the large entrance gates, a whole new world opened before them. Trees shaded the walking paths, families moved around with maps in hand, and far in the distance, a peacock let out a sharp cry.
Just a few steps in, Rohan stopped in his tracks, his jaw dropping.
“Mom! Look!” he pointed. “That giraffe is sooo tall! It’s eating leaves from the top of the tree!”
The giraffe, elegant and calm, stood munching leaves with slow, graceful movements. Its long neck stretched high into the canopy.
Aanya knelt beside Rohan. “Did you know, giraffes use their long necks to reach food from the highest branches where no other animals can? That’s how they survive in the wild.”
Rohan’s eyes sparkled. “That’s amazing! I wish I had a neck like that during lunch so I could eat from the fridge without standing on a stool!”
Everyone laughed, and they moved ahead, the path now leading to a large enclosure made of strong metal bars. Inside lay the king of the jungle—a mighty lion, his golden mane swaying as he rose to his feet.
The lion let out a deep, echoing ROAR that made Rohan jump back a little.
“Whoa! That lion looks so strong and scary! Why is it behind those bars?” Rohan asked.
Mom explained gently, “Well, Rohan, it’s to keep both the lion and the people safe. Zoos are designed to care for these animals, especially ones who can’t survive in the wild anymore. And the barriers protect visitors while still allowing them to learn and appreciate nature.”
Rohan looked at the lion again, a bit more thoughtfully now. “So the zoo is kind of like a safe home for them?”
“Exactly,” said Aanya. “And zoos also help endangered animals live longer and teach us why we need to protect wildlife.”
Their next stop was the bird section, which was alive with color and sound. Bright green, blue, and red parrots chirped and fluttered inside the aviary.
“Look at those parrots, Rohan!” Aanya pointed. “They can mimic sounds. Try saying ‘hello’—maybe one will talk back!”
Rohan stepped closer and waved. “Hello!” he said in a cheerful voice.
For a moment, there was only chirping. But then, a parrot tilted its head and softly replied, “Hello!”
Rohan burst out laughing, “It spoke! Did you hear that? This is the best day ever! I want to live in the zoo!”
His mom chuckled. “We can’t live here, but we can come back often. The more we visit, the more we learn.”
As the sun began to set, they sat on a bench near the duck pond, watching ducks paddle by and monkeys swing from tree to tree. Rohan looked up at the orange sky and said, “I learned so much today, Mom. Animals are so cool. We should take care of them always.”
Moral of the Story
Curiosity opens the door to learning, and when we learn with love, we begin to respect the world around us. Every creature, big or small, has something special to teach us. When we care for animals and understand their lives, we grow into kinder, wiser humans.
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