Taronga Visit » Taronga Zoo

Taronga Visit
30-10-2008

Spent the morning at Taronga today - jeez I love the joint! It's like no other place and no other zoo!
I know I knock it from time to time, but it really is a cornerstone of my existence (and if that's a bit pathetic, so be it.)

As usual, there is much building work progressing. The new bull elephant complex is well under construction, and it is BIG! I don't know if the barn is to my taste - looks like a 2 storey factory to me, but it will certainly do the job. Checked out the elephants, who all looked healthy and interested in life. Gung, the randy little devil, was closely following one of the cows around with his, shall we say, masculinity well on display.

Despite the fact that it was a damp morning, there were lots of school kids and other visitors. Zoofriends volunteers were well set up with leopard skins, tiger skulls etc. and had a lot of people around them.

Having had a look at Sim's mate the crimson chat, I then went and paid my respects to the Taronga oldies which are not likely to be there much longer and which I try to see each visit - namely Bethel the kodiak bear and the Victoria crowned pigeons. The pigeons, two males, are Taronga's last and are accommodated separately, one in the general pigeon aviary opposite the red pandas and the other housed just up from the (now closed) Asiatic cats exhibit, near the kangaroos.They are both quite ancient (about my age.)

Poor Bethel looks very worn out, just laying in the sun and warming her old bones. Compared to her, the sun bears were a ball of activity, running around and ripping up some sacks which looked like a great game.

The renovated Moore Park aviary (is this the oldest structure in the zoo?) looks good, and now houses several Amherst pheasants, some Mandarin ducks and the zoo's striped squirrels.

Great Southern Oceans is, simply, great! I spent 20 minutes resting my weary legs and watching one of the leopard seals gliding around its pool - hypnotic, particularly the way it kept coming up to the window and looking out to see who was watching it.

Nothing's perfect, though. Taronga being Taronga, there were sections of the zoo closed for no apparent reason. (I have spoken before about the way my daughter has brought her family down from Brisbane twice, and never yet been able to see the gorillas.) Plenty of gorillas today, but the walk-through Birds of Asia aviary, next to the elephants, was locked up with no explanation and the nocturnal house was closed with an "animals not on display today" sign outside.

39 bucks is a bit steep to get in. Fortunately, I'm a life member of the Royal Zoological Society and so I get in for nothing. (Can't beat that!)

30-10-2008

Ara were there any word about a possible baby Pygmy Hippo on the way?

30-10-2008

Nice review Ara. Does anyone know what is happening to the Asiatic cats display? Also, when is the bull elephant habitat opening to the public? Carpark almost done?

30-10-2008

The Asiatic cats area is just sitting vacant at present. Landscaping (logs, plants etc.) have been removed but nothing else has been done.
The bull elephant habitat will not be ready for a few more months. Internal work in the house is being carried out at present. Fencing (massive steel posts) is under way.
The carpark likewise won't be ready for at least a month or two, by the look of it.(A lot of work still to do there.)
Couldn't find anyone to ask about the pygmy hippo pregnancy theory, but the hippos were separated, so hopefully that's a good sign.(Not too satisfactory I know- sorry about that.)

30-10-2008

Has the father and son African lions been castrated? As surely they would have begun starting to fight for dominace over the pride yet, as well as access to the females? Are there any plans to re-breed off the mum and dad, or send the youngsters off to other zoos for breeding purposes?

01-11-2008

I was silly enough to go to the zoo yesterday. The temperature at 4pm as I got in my car was 38. It was hot. Not much going on. Most of the animals were sitting in the shade. I don't blame them.
At 2o'clock my wife and I decided to have a look at the seal show. We have been to the zoo a few times since the GSO opened but we hadn't seen the show. As we walked into the theatre area, because we had our daughter in a pram, we were asked to leave our pram up the back of the seated area. Our daughter was sleeping so we had to sit up the back with the pram. There was around a dozen other people with prams in the area.
I have no problem with staying up the back, but the shade sails are only in the front section. The whole of the back area is uncovered. I think the zoo should look at putting some shade in the rear area for the people with prams.
p.s sorry for having a whinge

02-11-2008

Boof I don't think it is a whinge at all. If prams with small babies are limited to that area than the zoo should provide adequate facilities. I'm especially on the look out for these sorts of issues as I usually visit a zoo with an elderly relative with limited mobility. If he has trouble getting around then I know that things are not good enough. I have also travelled with small xhildren and prams and know how you must have felt, on a hot day cooking in the sun.

02-11-2008

When I was there the week before last I was told February or March.

How did you become a life member?



Hix

02-11-2008

Well, Hix, I'd like to be able to tell you that I became a life member of the R.Z.S.for my glorious achievements in zoology, but I cannot tell a lie.

The truth is that I became a life member simply by shelling out $70 for life membership.

What you should realise is that this was about 30 or more years ago, when $70 was a lot of money to me; but there was no Zoo Friends organisation then and it was the only way I could get unlimited admission to Taronga.

Looking back, it was the best $70 I have ever spent! (You can't buy life memberships any more.)

02-11-2008

I remember hearing you could buy them back then. Unfortunately, when I learnt about them in the late 80's, they weren't still available. Pity.

Is your card metal?



Hix

03-11-2008

Nah, just cardboard, and they send a new one out each year.

In those far-off days, Taronga was operated by the R.Z.Society.
Now it's the State Govt. (I'm glad they still honour the old "life membership" provisions.)

03-11-2008

just answering some questions, the jungle cats exhibit is going to become a tasmanian devil facility after a few issues are cleared up down there. The barn is not going to be two story, it's like the current barn at wild asia, just extremly tall and open.