Honolulu Zoo and the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a

Earlier this week I decided it was time to go to the zoo, so I booked us on the Twilight Tour. Eve wanted CRH to go and CRH wasn't so keen on just going. I apparently had to organize an event. Anyway, we learned a lot and got to see some of the more nocturnal animals and had a tour guide, Ray, that fed the hippos and the elephants. There are tiger cubs at the zoo too...born this week. We didn't get to see them, but they will be on exhibit around Thanksgiving. Overall, we enjoyed the experience.

I have to say that one of the coolest parts of the whole evening was before the tour. We got to Honolulu early because it's Friday and there is always an astonishing amount of traffic downtown. To kill time before the tour started, we walked along the beach in Waikiki on this sort of beach walk area. We are walking along and CRH announces that he sees a Humuhumunukunukuapua'a (only he shortens it like everyone else to Humuhumu). Sure enough, there in the water is in fact a Humuhumu. He has amazing eyes and can spot things that I would never in a million years see for myself. It was so freaking exciting. We had only seen one before at the Waikiki Aquarium. So, we stalked him a little and took some pictures. Then we are walking back and there is an area that juts out into the water (sort of like a pier, but not really). We were able to spot 2 more from this viewpoint and some reef fish. The Humuhumu is the official state fish of Hawaii. It's name translates to "triggerfish with a snout like a pig", according to Wikipedia. Anyway, here are a few pictures of it.