As the distant dawn beings to break over the horizon, the chorus of crickets and birds slowly grows in the background. Nearby three cougars emerge from their den and leisurely stretch with their front paws outstretched and a brief chatter of teeth. Slowly, they move out into the grass and begin exploring their realm.

Pure cat by nature, they eye the rocky ledges around them and move toward higher ground. Effortlessly, first one and then the others jump to the rocks above them. Slowly, they jockey for position and then settle into their respective spots. Always in proximity to each other, but not too far away; just enough space to provide a perfect balance and allow each cat room to stretch out.

In the distance, a porcupine begins moving about and taking in its surroundings. A nearby bobcat goes on the alert in response to the movement. Its ears rotate to take in the activity and pin the movement of the porcupine down to the nearest inch. Ever watchful, its eyes are wide in anticipation.

Higher up in the rock face, a red tailed hawk stretches its wings as it takes note of a field mouse in the grassy cover below. Slowly it stirs and then in an instant, it swoops down onto the mouse and breakfast has become a foregone conclusion. It rotates its head into a higher position to take note of the songbirds nearby and dismisses the activity after a few moments of intense study.

Another day has started in the Elm Creek Backyard exhibit series at the Abilene Zoo. This remarkable zoogeographic biome is a slice of Texas, profiling the best examples of animals that are native to the Big Country of West Texas. This is a rare opportunity for our patrons to one day meet face to face the animals that remember from their childhood.

Childhood and history are important aspects of what the Abilene Zoo is about these days. We may be moving ahead with an incredible amount of growth to better meet the needs of conservation, but that shouldn’t be at the expense of the past. We believe that Texans should always remember their roots and the ties that bind.

Part of this is insuring that we can tie the past to the present, so that your children will remember what it was like when you stood by Elm Creek for the first time. And they’ll remember when you listened to the mournful cry of a coyote in the distance as the sun slowly slipped beyond the horizon with rippled colors of red and gold against the indigo colors of the approaching night sky.

Thanks to the community’s support of the 2006 bond initiative and the pledged support of the Grover Nelson Foundation, this project will soon be a reality for us. You can be a part of this too when your philanthropic organization supports the Foundation.

Bill Baker is the director of the Abilene Zoo.