Two dozing Tasmanian Devils was not the most exciting image to create interest in a post, I agree but they are probably my favourite animal and they were the one subject I really wanted to photograph when my son and I visited the National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra during December 2020. Yes, 2020. If nothing else the current COVID lockdown in Canberra has allowed me to catch up on some of the backlogged images that I should have uploaded. I know that zoos can be controversial and that the image above could also be seen as a less than ideal daytime shelter for a primarily nocturnal animal, especially during a hot Canberra summer. However, zoos are also playing a role in conservation. At present a facial tumour disease is decimating the wild population of devils in Tasmania so zoos are important breeding centres to try to preserve this species while scientists work on a cure. Zoos are also places for people to go to have a safe encounter with wild animals. Sure, people can watch animals on TV but at a zoo they can see, hear, smell and even touch the animal with often not much between them. It can become more of an experience because more senses are brought into play during the encounter.