Portrait of a Toddler

Apparently, a youngster in any species is prone to pouting. Perhaps this is something we as humans learned from our ape ancestors. Maybe its just something we all do when we are not exactly getting our way.One year old Kasih was born at the Phoenix Zoo last year. In all of the time I have spent observing her, she seems to be a pugnacious and precocious "child". Even when she was only a few months old, she would try to push her limits and explore- yet always found mom reaching out for her when she ventured a few feet away.

Even today, it seems nothing has changed. As she attempts to independently conquer the enrichment obstacles placed within her habitat, mom is right behind watching her every move and pulling her back when she has ventured too far.

You can clearly see the disappointment in her young face.

Like a toddler who learns to walk and attempts to escape mom to go exploring, Kasih makes her displeasure known.

Attentive mother soon goes back to watching carefully from underneath her palm frond. After all, who could say no to a pout like that?