Thoughts on 135 DC as zoo lens?

This might be a strange request, but has anyone used this lens as a zoo lens?

I currently use D200 with grip, 80 200 2.8 and 300 F4, and as back up camera I take along a F100 with B&W film, and wide lens is either 24 120 vr or 17 50 2.8 Tamron
all in a back pack [mini trecker] now this "puppy" gets heavy on warm days.

I 've done some reading on the 135 and wonder about the ability to control focus, many zoos have cages and wires between animals and patrons, glass is a no-no unless its very clean and not scratched up,exhibits that are wide open, such as the big cat exhibit at St Louis zoo no problem.Zoos provide a wide range of subjects "street" people, abstracts, colors- waving flags, great children opps.

A day at zoo can reveal hundreds of photo opps, and all this equipment gets heavier each time I pack it, of course I don't every time, and wondered if the 135 would be a good substitute for the 80 200, on occations.
Thanks for any response.

Rubicon: