Taronga Zoo zoo update

glyn said:
btw werribee has opened a new exhibit for hunting dogs; an all female group from monarto.
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Hi Glyn actually the exhibit will not be open till around xmas day. They will also be breeding hunting dogs at werribee. and they have aproval to do this.
 
went to the zoo today, was absolutely packed....heres the update.
new koala complex is underway. rather interesting design but i quite like it and will be interested to see the finished product.
cassowary finally on display in their 'jurrasic park' exhibit which looks great. just like a real rainforest. for the moment the bird's exhibit has hessian matting across the front to get them used to the exhibits perimiter....after they settle in electric fences will keep them in.
tasmanian devil breeding complex under construction
old aviaries, seal theatre and penguin pool completely demolished and gradually being landscaped with native plants.
central seal pools.....having seen them for myself now I quite like the fountains. whether they will remain empty forever remains to be seen. pygmy hippo holding area maybe?
Gung is in his new barn.....im sold. the barn looks horrible in photos but when seen in real life it is actually interesting, functional and quite aesthetically pleasing. vines planted on the high wall garden, I suspect, are meant to grow over the steel 'shades' and create a living canopy.
two noticably pregnant female elephants.
both leopard seals in together...amazing sight.
Monifa growing up fast.
red pandas have not yet taken up residence in their new exhibit.
Tiquie the Brazillian Tapir still at taronga....when does she move to WPZ? what is the plan for her?

some species not on display...tree shrews removed from the moore park aviary and crested porcupine has been off display for some time. if she is still alive i think she would go great in Gungs paddock moat.
 
Went in myself on Wednesday. Arrived at opening to avoid the crowds, but by 10am there were crowds throughout the zoo, and absolute swarms by midday when I had to get out of there!

Caught up with some friends so didn't get to see everything I planned on seeing.

Looked for the Cassowary (only one in new the enclosure I'm told) but apparently he is very timid and I couldn't see him - think he was in the building where he spends the night.

Gung was wandering around his new yard.
http://www.zoochat.com/34/new-bull-elephant-yard-74204/

You can see Gung in the above photo just to the right of the fourth post from the left. Gives you some idea of the size of the exhibit.

Finally got a decent shot of a Corroboree Frog
http://www.zoochat.com/34/corroboree-frog-74209/

and a nice close-up of a Broadheaded Snake
http://www.zoochat.com/34/broadheaded-snake-74203/

and pics of two colour phases of the Fierce Snake (Western or Inland Taipan)
http://www.zoochat.com/34/fierce-snake-74215/
http://www.zoochat.com/34/fierce-snake-74216/

The Palm Aviary had, for some reason, all the Nicobar Pigeons roosting in the sun (as opposed to deep in the undergrowth where they normally are), the sun showing off the mettallic sheed on their wings.
http://www.zoochat.com/34/nicobar-pigeon-74225/

Red Pandas had just been given some bamboo.
http://www.zoochat.com/34/red-panda-74231/
http://www.zoochat.com/34/red-panda-74230/
http://www.zoochat.com/34/red-panda-74229/

And although the city has been very hazy due to high levels of dust in the air the last few days, the day I visted the air looked crystal clear so I took some scenic shots of the Harbour.
http://www.zoochat.com/34/sydney-harbour-view-74233/
http://www.zoochat.com/34/sydney-harbour-view-74234/
http://www.zoochat.com/34/sydney-opera-house-viewed-taronga-74238/

I could even see the people doing the Bridge Climb on the Sydney Harbour Bridge
http://www.zoochat.com/34/sydney-harbour-bridge-viewed-taronga-74237/

I'll wait until after the School Holidays finish before returning.

:p

Hix

Almost forgot - the new multi-storey carpark is now open, and the zoo admission has gone up in the last few weeks:
http://www.zoochat.com/34/admission-february-2009-a-74249/
http://www.zoochat.com/34/admission-april-2009-a-74248/
 
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I had a conversation yesterday with a neighbour who had not been to a zoo in nearly 40 years; in fact the only zoo he had ever been to was Taronga, visited a few times when he was young.

Recently he went back to Taronga with his grandson, who was staying with him from the U.K. It was interesting to get his impressions.

I asked him what he remembered of the "old" Taronga of 40 years ago. He mentioned elephant rides, watching the seals being fed, and the fact that he saw the polar bears from the ferry as it approached the zoo. He also mentioned that the lions and tigers used to be kept, quote, "in great deep pits."

They had an enjoyable visit this time, although a little shocked by the steep entrance fees. His favourable comments concerned the fact that "all the animals are in nice grassy yards and cages. In the old days everything was kept on concrete," and "wonderful seal pools everywhere!" (so G.S.O. got a tick from him.)

His main adverse comment was "there's not a lot of animals now - you seem to do an awful lot of walking to see not much."
The cost of admission also got another mention. When I asked how much admission should be I was told, after some thought, "about the same as a movie ticket." I pointed out that it was rather unrealistic, as it costs a lot more to maintain hundreds of animals than it does to show a movie.

Over all, he and his grandson enjoyed their visit, and he assured me that he was looking forward to visiting again in about another 40 years time!
 
Ara said:
. When I asked how much admission should be I was told, after some thought, "about the same as a movie ticket." I pointed out that it was rather unrealistic, as it costs a lot more to maintain hundreds of animals than it does to show a movie.
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It has to be said Sydney zoo is way above average price for a city zoo. As is being discussed elsewhere here.

How they get away with it l don't know!

It is now more than ever going to become a place only visited by the "rich".

I wonder if they lowered the price. It would actually increase income as it would be more accessible to more.
 
zooman said:
It has to be said Sydney zoo is way above average price for a city zoo. As is being discussed elsewhere here.

How they get away with it l don't know!

It is now more than ever going to become a place only visited by the "rich".

I wonder if they lowered the price. It would actually increase income as it would be more accessible to more.
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Taronga doesn't need more visitors, though. They're the best attended zoo in Australia, I'd imagine, and increasing attendance much more would put the property under a fair bit of strain.

A general rule of thumb is to increase prices from Melbourne to Sydney, across the board, by about 25%. So going by Melbourne Zoo's $23.60, Taronga "should" be in the vicinity of $29.

Mind you - the public zoos in Australia don't really seem to follow cost of living indices at all - Adelaide is at $22, which again if you take Melbourne as a benchmark is more or less correct. But Perth is at $19, which is way, way behind where it should be. I would presume that this is due to distortions caused by differing levels of government grants to the different public zoos.
 
CGSwans said:
Taronga doesn't need more visitors, though. They're the best attended zoo in Australia, I'd imagine, and increasing attendance much more would put the property under a fair bit of strain.
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Very good point, it is always very busy there. Did not realize they were the highest attendance.

There must be a way to let the average family in. I know allot of breeders :p that could not afford to take the family. These kids and families are missing out.
 
That's very disappointing. I was there the day Zoo Friends was founded. I have photos, taken with real film! I'll have to find them one day and upload them. Little pieces of history.

Something in the article - a quote of Guy Cooper refering to "the Northern Territory Hairy-nosed Wombat in Queensland" - is obviously incorrect. I checked the Annual Report and it correctly states "the Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat in Queensland".

:p

Hix
 
so all of a sudden we will have a 'breeding program'. just remembering an old thread, but how good will this be all the same....
 
good to hear about the possible pregnancy. I hope all goes well, if it is true.:):)
 
Hopes high for the suscess of a world-first Leopard Seal birth...

Just some quick questions:
Where are all the Andean Condors?

Isis says they have 1.2 and Beerwah 1.0
Since when did Beerwah have this animal & is it on display?
 
there should be a total of 2.3 in the country, at least if adelaide's bird died.
the young male in QLD has been there for a few years now
 
If Taronga & Beerwah hold some animals,
Who holds the others, Does Adelaide still have any?

Why does the exhibit at Taronga currently only have 1 bird on display?
I remember 1 being trained for the QBE Bird Show but what happened?

Cheers :)
 
thorney_devil said:
Why does the exhibit at Taronga currently only have 1 bird on display?
I remember 1 being trained for the QBE Bird Show but what happened?
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There were two on a display a few days ago. And I know the guys at the bird show have trained at least two condors - Megan and Lesley - but I don't know where they are now.

:p

Hix
 
"so all of a sudden we will have a 'breeding program'. just remembering an old thread, but how good will this be all the same.... "

Yah. I remember a previous thread on this too LOL!
 
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