Australia So Much to See

Animals are mostly in paddock style enclosures, surrounded by an electric fence, then a higher viewing bank which helps to hide the fence, giving the look of animals roaming free. Taronga is home to over 4,000 animals from over 350 species in a 300 hectare site. This site was an army base during world war two, with the zoo being established here in 1977, and has been undergoing constant development and improvements. It is also a breeding environment for many of these animals.

With one ticket covering two days, this is needed to see everything. There are also very good keeper talks at feeding time for some animals, which are well worth going to if you can get to them in time. A site map and details of keeper talk times are obtained from the visitor centre. List of keeper talks and daily timetable

Entrance gates are open between nine am and four pm. Tickets can now also be purchased on line. Concessions apply for eligible card holders including Seniors Cards, Health Care Cards and Pension Cards, and there is a family rate. Tickets are for two consecutive days, and we spent a full first day working our way around the loop, noting those animals which we hard to see due to their sleeping times. First thing on the second day went to those we most wanted to see before continuing the loop where we had left off the preceding day.

There is a six kilometre circuit road with lots of parking spots to get out and walk to the various animal enclosures on well defined paths. With so many, be sure to keep your map handy to find the animals you most want to see, and to navigate back to your parking spot. You may take your own vehicle or bicycle around the circuit. Drive the loop clockwise. Bicycles and electric buggies can be hired. There is an area near the gate when trailers and caravans can be left.

We found one advantage of taking our own vehicle was that we had access to drinks, lunch and snacks from our car fridge. It was October, and the days were quite hot. There was a café about half way round, but we found this closed on our second visit in 2017 when we were looking forward to an ice-cream. There is now only a drink vending machine at this site. There are also picnic areas and barbecues around the grounds. There is a café at the visitor centre.

Toilets are in several locations, and water fountains in two places.

There are even overnight options with a lodge, self catering cabins, and fixed safari tents on site.

They have an unusual breeding culture, where all the males are related, and all the females are all related, but males not to females. To prevent inbreeding, females always leave their birth group and find another pack.

Litters can be as high as 21 pups, bit only the strongest males and females of the pack breed as it takes a whole pack to feed a single litter. In the wild, only half the pups will survive.

African Wild Dog are another species once widespread which is rapidly declining in the wild. African Wild Dogs have a complex culture and feeding is permitted in a strict order. The animals were fed a kangaroo carcass, and their strict order of eating by the pack was explained. These dogs hut as a pack in the morning and early evening. They can chase their prey at speeds of up to sixty kilometres per hour, and maintain a single hunt for up to an hour.

I'm so hungry could eat a horse, but I could make do with you until lunch time (above left).

Listen; I can hear our Keeper’s Hilux coming.

Male Cheetahs live in groups of two or three and together defend their territory. Females live alone except during mating or when they have cubs.

Cheetahs purr to each other in greeting, but also communicate by chirps and yelps. Some yelps can be heard up to two kilometres away.

Check also times that animal feeding and keeper talks are given throughout the day. Our favourites included Meerkats, African Wild Dogs, Elephants and Giraffes. For a $5 ticket, you can feed the Giraffes. I note that the African Wild Dogs are no longer listed on the current timetable.

Interacting with their keeper (below). Where did he hide that ball?

Cute and mischievous little Meerkats are entertaining family favourites.

Fully satiated (at right) and enjoying the sunshine.

Resources

Signage at the sites

Taronga Dubbo Zoo

National Geographic on Meerkats

There is always someone on guard duty watching the skies for birds of prey, such as hawks and eagles, that can snatch them from the ground. A sharp, shrill call is the signal for all to take cover. A meerkat can spot an eagle in flight more than 300 metres away.

Lionesses resting in the shade.

How dare you wake me – I have been up all night.

Cheetahs waiting for breakfast early next morning, as they hear their Keepers car coming.

Like a domestic cat, a lion enjoying a roll in the sunshine (above right).

There is an early option of a guided tour commencing 6:45 am which includes seeing animals fed. As many animals are nocturnal, getting in as early as possible gives better viewing of these species.

Follow our continuing pages of our visit to Dubbo Zoo