has anyone here on the forum (interstate) heard the news? wildlife world has opened and in a big story covered by all the major news channels last week the war for customers between taronga and the aquarium/wildlife world is beginning to heat up.
i havent yet been to see it, hopefully ill get down there next week, so im not going to comment on any welfare concerns, etc...but id like to make a few points from the media coverage.
firstly, its only about $3 cheaper than taronga, even though taronga is a whole day experience and the aquarium is at best (and despite being australia's largest) only a few hours. in fact, the new wildlife park has been designed so visitors can 'do' australia's wildlife in less than 2 hours.
this is what annoys me. foreign visitors fine (as long as they dont want to see emus, kangaroos, dingoes or tasmanian devils which taronga has but ww doesnt), but domestic visitors i would like to see treated to a more thoughtful and contemplative wildlife experience. i havent seen the signage yet-i hope its educational. taronga's signage has received a massive overhaul in the last twelve months and i some of the new conservation messages are relatively 'hard-hitting' and focused on delivering meaningful messages-not just the 'how many egs does it lay'? variety.
the wildlife world immerses visitors in 9 'ecosystems'-all under glass. its already promoting its commitment to conservation breeding programs-does this include the single cassowary?
the new zoo, as well as the aquarium and sydney skywalk are all run by the publically listed sydney attractions group, so even though there is a conservation fund set up the zoo has to show a return to shareholders too. if push comes to shove, what will come first? theyve obviously done there market research but considering their construction budget has doubled there will certainly be alot of profits to remake.
critics of the elephant import have questioned the value of zoo conservation but at the end of the day, all of australia's zoos are non-profit, running to the world zoo charter, so you can be sure that their motivations remain alot more genuine and their efforts undoubtably more comprehensive.
my next observation is that the new park has opened, at full price, but its missing most of its animals who are still in quarantine. and finally, its promoted as having 6000 animals, 2000 more than taronga. but that includes ants and invertebrates!
this isnt the first wildlife attraction to threaten taronga of late. the boutique zoo is the latest in a string of wildlife attractions that have tried and then failed, including a lion safari park and australia's wildlife world at wonderland. the aquarium remains taronga's most enduring commercial rival, but they have an interesting relationship, as both cooperate on research projects and are both part of arazpa.
personally, i think taronga will come out on top. its currently preparing an elephantine sized promotional campaign to capture the public's attention on the elephant import, an issue which has a 90% approval rating here in nsw and enjoys widespread support from the major papers. they will be here in time for christmas and will arrive on the back of taronga's 90th birthday celebrations in october.
finally, taronga has a much more comprehensive native fauna collection, but i think the looming threat to the aquarium remains the 2008 opening of the southern oceans exhibit at taronga. with no delays or costly legal battles the new precinct looks set to open on time and when it does will possibly represent the biggest and best display of its kind in the southern hemisphere. with a huge capacity seal theatre, massive walkthrough aviares, underwater viewing stations for seals and penguins, leopard seals and the antarctic studies centre and i presume at least some small marine exhibits, all set against the backdrop of the harbour, i think this could challenge the aquariums niche.
taronga didnt want the wildlife world to open, perceiving it as a major rival. but taronga's director has since declared its time to get on with it. interestingly, the aquariums management have already conceded that taronga is a bigger threat to their organisation. we will all just have to wait and see...
i havent yet been to see it, hopefully ill get down there next week, so im not going to comment on any welfare concerns, etc...but id like to make a few points from the media coverage.
firstly, its only about $3 cheaper than taronga, even though taronga is a whole day experience and the aquarium is at best (and despite being australia's largest) only a few hours. in fact, the new wildlife park has been designed so visitors can 'do' australia's wildlife in less than 2 hours.
this is what annoys me. foreign visitors fine (as long as they dont want to see emus, kangaroos, dingoes or tasmanian devils which taronga has but ww doesnt), but domestic visitors i would like to see treated to a more thoughtful and contemplative wildlife experience. i havent seen the signage yet-i hope its educational. taronga's signage has received a massive overhaul in the last twelve months and i some of the new conservation messages are relatively 'hard-hitting' and focused on delivering meaningful messages-not just the 'how many egs does it lay'? variety.
the wildlife world immerses visitors in 9 'ecosystems'-all under glass. its already promoting its commitment to conservation breeding programs-does this include the single cassowary?
the new zoo, as well as the aquarium and sydney skywalk are all run by the publically listed sydney attractions group, so even though there is a conservation fund set up the zoo has to show a return to shareholders too. if push comes to shove, what will come first? theyve obviously done there market research but considering their construction budget has doubled there will certainly be alot of profits to remake.
critics of the elephant import have questioned the value of zoo conservation but at the end of the day, all of australia's zoos are non-profit, running to the world zoo charter, so you can be sure that their motivations remain alot more genuine and their efforts undoubtably more comprehensive.
my next observation is that the new park has opened, at full price, but its missing most of its animals who are still in quarantine. and finally, its promoted as having 6000 animals, 2000 more than taronga. but that includes ants and invertebrates!
this isnt the first wildlife attraction to threaten taronga of late. the boutique zoo is the latest in a string of wildlife attractions that have tried and then failed, including a lion safari park and australia's wildlife world at wonderland. the aquarium remains taronga's most enduring commercial rival, but they have an interesting relationship, as both cooperate on research projects and are both part of arazpa.
personally, i think taronga will come out on top. its currently preparing an elephantine sized promotional campaign to capture the public's attention on the elephant import, an issue which has a 90% approval rating here in nsw and enjoys widespread support from the major papers. they will be here in time for christmas and will arrive on the back of taronga's 90th birthday celebrations in october.
finally, taronga has a much more comprehensive native fauna collection, but i think the looming threat to the aquarium remains the 2008 opening of the southern oceans exhibit at taronga. with no delays or costly legal battles the new precinct looks set to open on time and when it does will possibly represent the biggest and best display of its kind in the southern hemisphere. with a huge capacity seal theatre, massive walkthrough aviares, underwater viewing stations for seals and penguins, leopard seals and the antarctic studies centre and i presume at least some small marine exhibits, all set against the backdrop of the harbour, i think this could challenge the aquariums niche.
taronga didnt want the wildlife world to open, perceiving it as a major rival. but taronga's director has since declared its time to get on with it. interestingly, the aquariums management have already conceded that taronga is a bigger threat to their organisation. we will all just have to wait and see...
