Taronga Zoo

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Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo Logo
Taronga Zoo Logo
Location Sydney, New South Wales, AUS
Land area 21 hectares
Coordinates 33°50′36″S 151°14′28″E / -33.84333, 151.24111
Number of animals 2,600
Number of species 340
Website
Taronga Zoo entrance

Taronga Zoo is the city zoo of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Officially opened on October 7th, 1916, it is located on the shores of Sydney Harbour in the suburb of Mosman. Taronga Zoo is managed by the Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales under the trading name, "Taronga Conservation Society", along with Dubbo's Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

Divided into eight zoogeographic regions, Taronga Zoo is home to over 2,600 animals on 21 hectares, making it one of the largest of its kind.

Contents

[edit] History

The first public zoo in New South Wales opened in 1884 at Billy Goat Swamp in Moore Park, on a site now occupied by Sydney Boys High School and Sydney Girls High School. Inspired by a 1908 visit to the Hamburg Zoo,[1] the secretary of the zoo, Albert Sherbourne Le Souef, envisioned a new zoo based on the bar-less concept.After realising that the Moore Park site was too small, the NSW Government granted 43 acres (17 ha) of land north of Sydney Harbour. A further 9 acres (3.6 ha) were later granted in 1916.

Giraffes in front of Sydney's skyline.

Taronga is an Aboriginal word meaning beautiful view. [2]


[edit] Later additions and changes

A critical review in 1967 led to a new emphasis on scientific conservation, education and preservation. New exhibits were built starting with the Platypus and Nocturnal Houses, waterfowl ponds and walkthrough Rainforest Aviary. A Veterinary Quarantine Centre was built as was an Education Centre (funded by the Department of Education). Previous attractions such as elephant rides, miniature trains, monkey circus and merry-go-round gave way to educational facilities such as Friendship Farm and Seal theatre.

In the mid-1980s, a cable car was installed that allows visitors to view the zoo and Sydney Harbour. It runs from the bottom of the park close to the ferry wharf, and transports passengers to the top end of the zoo.

[edit] 2000 Masterplan

In 2000, TCSA commenced a 12-year $250 million master plan, the majority of which is being spent at Taronga Zoo. The first major master plan item was the Backyard to Bush precinct. Under the plan, the Zoo received five Asian elephants from the Thailand Zoological Park Organisation for breeding purposes, education, long-term research and involvement of conservation programs. The plan has met opposition from environmental activists in Thailand, who blockaded the trucks hauling the elephants to Bangkok International Airport for their flight on June 5, 2006.[3] The elephants along with other Asian rain forest specimens are housed in the "Wild Asia" precinct which opened in 2006 and aims to immerse visitors in an Asian rain forest environment.

A marine section, Great Southern Oceans, opened in April 2008. [4]

[edit] Recent activities

  • In February, 2003 it became the second zoo in Australia to breed the platypus.

[edit] Zoo Friends

Zoo Friends is an organisation which offers support in form of volunteers and fund raising for both Taronga and Western Plains Zoo. It's a good way of getting behind the scenes at the Zoo and offers its members free Zoo entry. Members are also eligible to volunteer to help at the Zoo. More details at http://www.zoofriends.org.au

[edit] Animals and exhibits

Taronga Zoo has about 340 species and over 2600 individual animals. They are housed in a large variety of exhibits, including:

[edit] Wild Australia

[edit] Australian Wetlands

[edit] Australian Walkabout

A Peacock displays to puzzled Red Kangaroos, 2007.

[edit] Koala Encounters/Koala Walkabout

[edit] Platypus House

[edit] Australian Nightlife

[edit] Australian Rainforest Aviary

[edit] Australian Bush Birds

[edit] Creatures of the Wollemi

[edit] Helmore Parrot Aviary

[edit] Backyard to Bush

[edit] Other Wild Australia

One of the Dingos at Taronga (2007)

[edit] Great Southern Oceans

[edit] Moore Park Aviary

[edit] Serpentaria

[edit] Amazonia

[edit] South American Aviaries

[edit] African Waterhole

[edit] Chimpanzee Park

[edit] Gorilla Forest

[edit] Wild Asia

[edit] Tree Shrew House

[edit] Himalayan Mountains

[edit] Cats of Asia

Fishing Cat in Taronga (2007)

[edit] "Dog Row"

[edit] Orang-utan Rainforest

[edit] Bear Canyon

[edit] Giant Tortoises

The Taronga Zoo ferry wharf

[edit] Transport

The Taronga Zoo ferry services are, for many tourists, the preferred mode of travel to the zoo.[citation needed] Passengers disembarking at the ferry wharf, located on Bradley's Head Road, can enter the zoo via a cable car or connect with local State Transit bus services. Sydney Ferries offers combined "ZooLink" tickets covering ferry fares, park entry and cable car ride.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ adb online
  2. ^ The Book of Sydney Suburbs, Compiled by Frances Pollen, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia ISBN 0-207-14495-8, page 181
  3. ^ National Multimedia
  4. ^ Daily Telegraph staff (July 25, 2008). "Taronga Zoo's new seal and sea lion show has a messages", The Daily Telegraph. 

[edit] External links

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