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Chlidonias

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Australia Zoo does its bit to tap into Indian tourists | The Reporter
30 November 2012

AUSTRALIA Zoo is the lone Sunshine Coast voice on a delegation of Queensland tourism businesses trying to sell the state to India's 1.2 billion people.

The Beerwah attraction's international business development manager Wayne Poole has joined dozens of other tourism representatives along with Queensland Premier Campbell Newman on a trip to Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai.

They will present the state's leading tourism destinations and a range of products including island resorts, wildlife and theme parks, hotel chains and rainforest retreats.

Mr Poole said Steve Irwin was still an icon in India.

"The people I meet here look forward to visiting Australia Zoo, the place where his legacy lives on," Mr Poole said.

"Over the past couple of years Australia Zoo has experienced growth from the Indian market, and I am confident this trip will only increase visitation to the zoo and the Sunshine Coast."

Mr Poole said the trip was perfectly timed with the zoo's major tourist attraction win at the Queensland Tourism Awards last week.

Tourism Minister Jann Stuckey said India was one of Queensland's fastest-growing international visitor markets and had strong growth potential.

"Queensland is a great state with great opportunity and the 'Queensland on Tour' sales mission gives participating businesses the chance to broker new deals and strengthen relationships with Indian travel representatives," Ms Stuckey said.

Tourism Queensland Acting CEO Leanne Coddington said Queensland welcomed 30,000 Indian travellers in the year ending June 2012, a 15% increase on the previous year.

"Indian visitors to Queensland have grown at a compound annual growth rate of 7.5% since 2010 and the market has great future growth potential," Ms Coddington said.

"Our research has also identified that the Indian growth market is keen to experience famous sites, nature, adventure and novel activities that they couldn't do in India.

"Young Indians are more likely to holiday abroad than their parents."

>> Participating tourism businesses include:
• Big Cat Green Island Cruises - Tropical North Queensland
• International Limousines - Tropical North Queensland
• Cairns Tropical Zoo - Tropical North Queensland
• Hamilton Island Resort - The Whitsundays
• Australia Zoo - Sunshine Coast
• Kingfisher Bay Resort Group - Fraser Coast
• Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort - Brisbane
• Village Roadshow Theme Parks - Gold Coast
• Dreamworld/White Water World/ Skypoint - Gold Coast
• O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat - Gold Coast
• Hot-air Ballooning - Gold Coast
• Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary - Gold Coast
• Whales of Paradise - Gold Coast
• Paradise JetBoating - Gold Coast
• Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort and Spa - Gold Coast
• Gold Coast Tourism
• Toga Hospitality Group - Queensland
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Cookies must be enabled | Herald Sun
30 November 2012

WEIGHING less than two grams, this bald wrinkly microbat is not about to save Gotham City.

But it may be a hero of the animal underworld, able to blend with the shadows and catch insects mid-flight.

A colony of 18 Little Broad-Nosed Bats were taken to Australia Zoo's Wildlife Hospital on Wednesday after becoming homeless.

Vet Dr Amber Gillett said they had been living in a hollow log on the Sunshine Coast which was either felled or fell over.

The five furry adults and 13 hairless babies - together weighing only 36.5grams - were admitted for a check-up.

Each was weighed on a miniature set of scales, with one baby so new it was still attached to an umbilical cord and weighed barely a gram.

Dr Gillett said it was rare for so many microbats to be admitted to the hospital.

"They're all going to be taken to a carer because they will all have to be fed (using the tip of a catheter)," Dr Gillett said.

"Some of the babies are not attaching to the mums."

Adult Little Broad-Nosed bats eat insects which they hunt along creek edges and waterholes, also skimming over the water surface for a drink.

They live in colonies of up to 20 in tree and fence hollows and occur in scattered regions of Queensland.
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Somebody started their holidays early!

:p

Hix
 
The zoo has announced that 'bindi's island' will open on December 26. This is the long awaited ring tailed lemur and tortoise island.

Also featured will be blue and gold along with scarlet macaws, alligator snapping turtles and Fijian iguanas.

More info here - Australia Zoo - Bindi's Island
 
I'm guessing that the macaws will be displayed in the "bird on a stick" method (ie. pinioned)? Or possibly walked around by keepers?

EDIT: Also interesting to note is that this will be the first time that Australia Zoo has displayed primates ever!
 
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