You might not think of an outing to the Seneca Park Zoo as a winter destination, but not every animal is hibernating, and there's still plenty of animal activity. The indoor Aviary is still a cacophony of twittering, the scarlet ibises and roseate spoonbills providing an exciting splash of bright color after the snow outside. If you get there at feeding time, you might see them give small white frozen rats to the rescued red-tailed hawk.

All the animals in the main building are still on view, although the tiger is usually outside lounging in the sunbeams that grace his platform. Inside the building, the scent of the ocelot is almost overwhelming. Like most felines, he sprays his space to mark his territory. The little golden lion tamarins are a speedy complement to the sluggish sloths, which move only 1 mile per hour at their fastest sprint. (For a comparison, the average speed for a walking human is 15 minutes per mile.)

Beside the playground there are ponds where the bald eagles and geese splash and bathe. If you're lucky you may see the one goose that does somersaults in the water. The wolves, lynx, hyena, leopards, and cougars are all comfortable in the winter weather, although sometimes you might have to look into their dens or up to their platforms to find them. The otters are hibernating, but there are many other reptiles to see in their building, including frog-eating snakes. The frogs puff themselves up so they're hard to swallow, but the snake pops them with its teeth.

Down at the Rocky Coasts exhibit, the sea lions are still playful. If you take a glove or your hat and move it back and forth on the glass frame, the younger seal will chase it, like a kitten with a ball of string. The polar bears seem even happier than in the summer, and more active. The live reef tank is a wonder with its anemone and coral.

You can still see the elephants in the Elephant Atrium. They also let them outside each day, the keepers tossing bagels and greens for the pachyderms to scoop up. Unfortunately the penguins are from South Africa, and huddle in their nests for the winter. Still, there is much to see at the zoo in winter.

The Seneca Park Zoo is located at 2222 St. Paul Boulevard. Winter hours are daily 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission costs $3-$6, free for children under 2. For more information call 336-7200 or visit senecaparkzoo.org.