Taronga Western Plains Zoo

[den]

A visit to The Zoo with thefoxaroo











Eland









White Rhino. Last week the female calved, bringing the total white rhino population in Dubbo to 4. The Zoo has 3 species of rhino in the breeding program, and export the black rhinos to Africa. The black rhino exhibit was being re-built and we couldn't get in.





Asian one-horned rhino - critically endangered species.





Asian small-clawed otter



Otter cub, about 1 month old.









Bongo, from central Africa





Lion cubs watch the human in the cage. (She is their keeper and is checking on their health from inside the cage.)



Simang apes brachiating.





Galapagos tortoise. These animals have produced 3 babies over the last 2 years. Which is nice. The little tortoise are in their own enclosure with lots of cover to hide under, which they do. So no photos.





The Zoo is a safe refuge for native birds to nest in. They grow used to people and come close. These photos were not taken in the aviary.

Superb blue wren - male in his mating colours.





Apostle bird



Black swan.



And a skink.




More photos here, which you can embiggen.

Comments

[frith]

Fat zeebs. ^_^ So many cape elands. Some trainer or other was amazed that our elands aren't aggressive. I used to go into the enclosure with our pair years back when they were in my section. They like getting scratched, but they also like to bump you with their horns when you back is turned. Cheeky. I got licked by a bongo once.

[den]

THe keepers love their elands and bongos, but they're frightened of the onagers and pzrewalski horses. They never enter those enclosures alone.

[frith]

That's hilarious! The 1.1.0 P horses that were in my section (there was a redistribution of work load in December) are keen for me to scratch them and I can go in with any time. They kick each other, they never kick me. The surplus P horse hasn't had that hands-on care and he might not lose the desire to be boss.