Zoo sights in Pacific
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Taronga Zoo
A 12-minute ferry ride from Circular Quay or a short drive from Manly, Taronga Zoo has 75 hectares of bushy harbour hillside chock-full of kangaroos, koalas and similarly hirsute Australians. The zoo’s 4000 critters have million-dollar harbour views but seem blissfully unaware of the privilege. The animals are well looked after, with more natural open enclosures than cages.
Highlights include the nocturnal platypus habitat, the Great Southern Oceans section, the Asian elephant display, and seal and bird shows. Animal displays and feedings happen throughout the day; twilight concerts jazz things up in summer.
Tours include Nura Diya, where indigenous guides introduce you…
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Crocosaurus Cove
If the tourists won't go out to see the crocs, then bring the crocs to the tourists. Right in the middle of Mitchell St, Crocosaurus Cove is as close as you'll ever want to get to these amazing creatures. Six of the largest crocs in captivity can be seen in state-of-the-art aquariums and pools. You can be lowered right into a pool with them in the transparent Cage of Death (one/two people $120/160). If that's too scary, there's another pool where you can swim with a clear tank wall separating you from some mildly less menacing baby crocs. Other aquariums feature barramundi, turtles and stingrays, plus there's an enormous reptile house (allegedly the largest variety of…
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Wild Life Sydney
Complementing its sister and neighbour Sydney Aquarium, this large complex houses an impressive collection of Australian native reptiles, butterflies, spiders, snakes and mammals. The nocturnal section is particularly good, bringing out the extrovert in the quolls, potoroos, echidnas and possums, but the kids may be more interested in holding snakes and posing with koalas.
You'll save around $20 on a combined ticket with the Aquarium and there are often excellent deals if you book online.
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Royal Melbourne Zoo
Melbourne's zoo is one of the city's most popular attractions. Walkways pass through some enclosures; you can stroll through the bird aviary, cross a bridge over the lions' park or enter a tropical hothouse full of colourful butterflies. There's also a large collection of native animals in natural bush settings, a platypus aquarium, fur seals, lions and tigers, plenty of reptiles, and an 'am I in Asia?' elephant enclosure. In summer, the zoo hosts Twilight Concerts. Roar 'n' Snore allows you to camp at the zoo and join the keepers on their morning feeding rounds.
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National Zoo & Aquarium
Nestled behind Scrivener Dam is this wonderful zoo and aquarium, to which you should definitely devote a few hours. It has a roll call of fascinating animals, ranging from capuchins to sharks, and includes Australia's largest collection of big cats. Book ahead to cuddle a cheetah ($165) or take a tour behind the scenes to handfeed the lions and tigers and bears.
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Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park
Australia's original crocodile hunter matured into a passionate conservationist. Visit during feeding time. See also the Malcolm Douglas Wilderness Wildlife Park outside Broome.
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Wellington Zoo
Committed to conservation, research and rescuing wayward Antarctic penguins, Wellington Zoo is also home to a plethora of native and non-native wildlife, including lions and chimpanzees. The nocturnal house has kiwi and tuatara. Check the website for info on ‘close encounters’, which allow you to meet the big cats, red pandas and giraffes (for a fee). The zoo is 4km south of the city; catch bus 10 or 23.
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Hamilton Zoo
Hamilton Zoo houses 500-plus species (including NZ's only tapir) and takes part in conservation breeding projects. There are various guided-tour options available, plus daily ‘Meet the Keeper’ talks for interesting insights from the critters’ caregivers. The zoo is 8km from Hamilton city centre: take Norton Rd off Tristram St, then SH23 west towards Raglan, turn right at Newcastle Rd and then left onto Brymer Rd.
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Otorohanga Kiwi House & Native Bird Park
This bird barn has a nocturnal enclosure where you can see active kiwi energetically digging with their long beaks, searching for food. This is the only place in NZ where you can see a Great Spotted Kiwi, the biggest of the three kiwi species. Other native birds, such as kaka, kea, morepork and weka, are also on show.
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Auckland Zoo
At this modern, spacious zoo, the big foreigners tend to steal the attention from the timid natives, but if you can wrestle the kids away from the tigers and orang-utans, there's a well-presented NZ section. Called Te Wao Nui, it's divided into six ecological zones: Coast (seals, penguins), Islands (mainly lizards, including NZ's pint-sized dinosaur, the tuatara), Wetlands (ducks, herons, eels), Night (kiwi, naturally, along with frogs, native owls and weta), Forest (birds) and High Country (cheekier birds and lizards).
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Mansfield Zoo
A surprisingly good wildlife park with lots of native fauna and some exotics like a pair of lions. You can sleep in the paddocks in a swag (adult/child $65/45, including zoo entry for two days) and wake to the dawn chorus of wildlife.
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Adelaide Zoo
Around 1800 exotic and native mammals, birds and reptiles roar, growl and screech at Adelaide's wonderful zoo, which opened in 1883. There are free walking tours half-hourly (plus a slew of longer and overnight tours focussing on specific environments and species), feeding sessions and a children's zoo. Until Wang Wang and Funi – Australia's only Giant Pandas – arrived in 2009 (pandemonium!), the major drawcard was the Southeast Asian rainforest exhibit.
You can take a river cruise to the zoo from the Festival Centre on Pop-eye. Weekends only in winter.
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Altina Wildlife Park
Nearby at Darlington Point is 207 hectares of natural bush on the banks of the Murrumbidgee where the exotic residents, including giraffes, bison and camels, live in natural enclosures.
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Territory Wildlife Park
Showcases the best of Aussie wildlife in a state-of-the-art open-air zoo. Highlights include the Flight Deck, where birds of prey display their dexterity (free-flying demonstrations at 11am and 2.30pm daily); the nocturnal house, where you can observe nocturnal fauna such as bilbies and bats; 11 habitat aviaries, each representing a different habitat from mangroves to woodland; and a huge walk-through aviary, representing a monsoon rainforest. Pride of place must go to the aquarium, where a clear walk-through tunnel puts you among giant barramundi, stingrays, sawfish and saratogas, while a separate tank holds a 3.8m saltwater crocodile. To see everything you can either…
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Owlcatraz
Our fine feathered friends at Owlcatraz have obligingly adopted oh-so-droll names like Owlvis Presley and Owl Capone. It’s a 30-minute drive south from Palmerston North.
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Oxley Marsupial Park
Overfriendly cockatoos and other native animals live here alongside barbecues and picnic shelters. The park joins the Kamilaroi walking track.
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Oz E Wildlife
Sanctuary for sick and injured wildlife.
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Cairns Wildlife Safari Reserve
Lions, hippos and more; 9km west of Kuranda.
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Marshalls Animal Park
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Australian Venom Zoo
Won't take up much of your time, and is a no-go zone for arachnophobes.
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Brooklands Zoo
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Western Plains Zoo
With over 1500 animals, this is Dubbo's star attraction. You can walk the 6km trail, hire a bike ($15) or join the crawling line of cars. Guided walks (adult/child $10/5) start at 6.45am every weekend and Wednesday and Friday in school holidays. Book ahead (02-6881 1488) for special animal encounters: Wild Africa (adult/child $29/19, 10.45am), Big Cats ($59 per person, Thursday to Tuesday), Giraffes ($5 per person) and Meerkats ($39 per person).
Stay at a lodge within the zoo for private encounters or experience Roar & Snore camping. Book well ahead.
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Crocodylus Park
Crocodylus Park showcases hundreds of crocs and a mini-zoo comprising lions, tigers and other big cats, spider monkeys, marmosets, cassowaries and large birds. Allow about two hours to look around the whole park, and you should time your visit with a tour, which includes a feeding demonstration. Croc meat BBQ packs for sale!
The park is about 15km from the city centre. Take bus 5 from Darwin.
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Alice Springs Reptile Centre
It may be small, but this reptile centre packs a poisonous punch with its impressive collection of venomous snakes, thorny devils and bearded dragons. Inside the cave room are 11 different species of NT geckos, and outside there's Terry, a 3.3m saltwater croc plus a magnificent perentie, Australia's largest lizard. The enthusiastic guides will happily plonk a python around your neck during the handling demonstrations or let you pet a bluetongue lizard.
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Cairns Tropical Zoo
Just west of Palm Cove, this zoo offers an up-close wildlife experience with crocodiles and snakes, koala photo sessions and kangaroo feeding. Its Cairns Night Zoo experience includes a barbecue dinner and entertainment. Transfers are available from Palm Cove, Port Douglas and Cairns and the northern beaches.
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