Looking at the thread about Sunbears at Canberra. I didn't even know until recently that Canberra had a zoo -its certainly not well known outside Australia like Melbourne, Adelaide or Taronga. Any impressions, anybody? Is it Good, bad, indifferent? Small or large? Urban or Country? Looking on their website probably would'nt give me that sort of info...
its average very modern zoo, well designed enclosures, and it is also an aquarium, australias only zooquarium is its slogan. nice zoo, dont hear much from it. privately owned, and family run i beleive, but with a big budget. recently got a land package from the govt, 60 ha to create an open safri like experience, but really no details have emerged. anyone else got stuff to add to my very shabby post lol
There's a couple of photos in the gallery from the zoo - doesn't show much though. http://www.zoobeat.com/forums/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/513
I personally love Canberra Zoo. It's not crowded and easy to walk around and you have the opportunity to get up-close-and-personal with the animals. Over a period of about 5 years, I have pretty much done every tour (including WOW tour on my birthday this year). They do not have a huge array of animals, but they are building and I'm sure the land grant will help with that. I was also told that the website was being updated. Rayles
the new website is now finshed and looks good, with clear links to partner conservation agencies and good species/individual animal profiles. check it out.
The website for the zoo was updated recently... new page (same with cairns wildlife safari reserve). I like canberra. try to go to the zoo once or twice a year.... rarely overcrowded. Was moving to canberra just to be able to volunteer at the zoo... I'm currently doing some work with Greening Australia and one of the ladies I'm working with (a herpetologist) was in the Education Team. Loved her job but said the Keepers were regularly being replaced. Volunteers apparently make up a large percent of keepers are volunteers. she worked there two years ago and things may have changed. I have learnt a few interesting facts as to why the zoo was built and purchased but if interested you'll have to contact me personally.
THE SUN BEARS aparently they have 2??? i have been there 2 times like a year ago and in january ??? i didnt see them???? saw there "cave" but no bears??? help?
Sun Bears at Canberra Hi there Danale, The female wouldn't have been there last January, but the male would have. The bears enclosure backs onto the catwalk (where you can see the lions and the tigers) and the front of it can be seen from walking up the top (sort of across from the barbecue/park area and the native animal area). Hope that helps! Rayles
a great new colour map with some better detail than the last map has been added to the website in a visitor info section. just put national zooquarum in to a search engine like google! i liked the National Zoo and Aquarium very much, though not much of an aquarium, though i loved the lower floor, when i was there the sun bear was meant to be in the bear cave. i thought this was such a great idea to ahve such a interactive feature. at the time, the bear had an eye condition, so that meant he was in side all the time, and an ostich had taken residence in his enclosure!
