I'm in that state of satisfied exhaustion you reach after having a big day doing something you love. Australia Zoo was amazing!
It's very commercialised but being a privately owned zoo I can forgive it for that. They have to make money to maintain, expand, pay wages and feed animals. When I say commercialised I'm not referring to prices. Although the admission price of $59 per adult is expensive, I thought the souvenir and food prices were very reasonable. The smart money comes from animal encounters and photo opportunities.
They have handlers and photographers wandering the zoo with a variety of animals ready to snap you if you so choose. They also have a permanent photo shoot store set up. I love the wandering handlers especially. They don't pressure you to have a photo taken but are happy to share info about the animal and answer questions. Some of you know that I'm a volunteer at Taronga Western Plains Zoo and that I'm a bit of an animal and conservation nut. From my stand point, anything that helps educate the public on either topic is a good thing.
It's very commercialised but being a privately owned zoo I can forgive it for that. They have to make money to maintain, expand, pay wages and feed animals. When I say commercialised I'm not referring to prices. Although the admission price of $59 per adult is expensive, I thought the souvenir and food prices were very reasonable. The smart money comes from animal encounters and photo opportunities.
They have handlers and photographers wandering the zoo with a variety of animals ready to snap you if you so choose. They also have a permanent photo shoot store set up. I love the wandering handlers especially. They don't pressure you to have a photo taken but are happy to share info about the animal and answer questions. Some of you know that I'm a volunteer at Taronga Western Plains Zoo and that I'm a bit of an animal and conservation nut. From my stand point, anything that helps educate the public on either topic is a good thing.
Scott and I both love reptiles and birds,(snakes and birds of prey in particular) and this zoo sure satisfied our interests. The Aussie snake display was great and both the main show in the Crocoseum and the bird of prey show were really interesting and informative. Wedgetails Eagles make me ooh and ah and their two beautiful specimens had me google eyed and drop jawed. We also parted with some cash to have our photo taken with a reticulated python. At four years of age she still had plenty of growing to do but made our two pet pythons look like earthworms! I'm pretty sure this was the highlight of Scott's day :)
If I really had to pick a negative, I think it would be to do with signage on exhibits. For most visitors it was probably enough but for curious visitors like me, I would have liked to have seen more information.
For a $2 donation, you could visit the wildlife hospital which we did on the way out. I tried to focus on the good work they do and the number of animals they save, but after watching them operate on a koala that had been mauled by a dog, seeing the pain and stress on the face of another koala recovering from major injuries and looking at the display of fishing hooks and line removed from injured marine animals, I left in tears. Humans have so much to answer for. Be it in terms of habitat destruction, cruelty or just plain carelessness, we really are the most dangerous animal on the planet.
I've always been a big Steve Irwin fan. Yes he was out there and over the top but his love of animals and passion for wildlife conservation is unquestionable. He did so much work to educate people and raise awareness of the plight of all kinds of animals. I think he would be very proud of the legacy he has left behind.
I've always been a big Steve Irwin fan. Yes he was out there and over the top but his love of animals and passion for wildlife conservation is unquestionable. He did so much work to educate people and raise awareness of the plight of all kinds of animals. I think he would be very proud of the legacy he has left behind.
Apart from the sad ending, crikey we had a good day!
I have a lot more photos on my camera which I'll upload to the gallery when we get home but I hope you enjoy the few posted here for now.
I have a lot more photos on my camera which I'll upload to the gallery when we get home but I hope you enjoy the few posted here for now.
Back at camp the turkeys have returned and we're surrounded by noisey teenagers. I don't care. I'm enjoying a scotch and coke and concentrating on the fact we hit Fraser sand tomorrow. Phone signal will be sketchy so I'm not sure when's next post will be but I'll get to it as soon as I can.
Til then, Glenyse xo
Til then, Glenyse xo