Taronga Zoo

[Martin Hash]

Zoos in modern, enlightened nations become more art than exercise. Taking a ferry just to visit already makes the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia elite, but the live concerts, clothes stores, and oozing haute couture really takes it over the top. The pretension extends to exhibition itself: patterned brick walkways, designer enclosures, and glass instead of wire meshes for the animals. This formula certainly attracts swarms of eager onlookers but the animals are probably unimpressed. In fact, the gorillas seemed unaware of the large crowds ogling them. The pendulous breasted female and her playful youngling were the main actors in a daytime soap opera, and the occupants of the Lemur Walkthrough were more entertaining by the children playing on climb toys than visa versa.

Momma Gorilla.jpg

There were not a lot of animals, just 1 or 2 of the famous species, and even Australian inhabitants are few in number, though unique: a tree kangaroo, platypus & Tasmanian Devil. The zoo is also notable for uniqueness: not only is the beautiful view of Sydney Harbor a stunner, but there was an amazing overhead rope climb that I can't imagine being insurable in the States, walking among free kangaroos & emus, and a fantastic children's area. My wife, Gwynne & I, were attracted to the “Koala Interaction” where 6-year old Ruby snuggled in our hair from her perch on a eucalyptus tree.

Martin & Gwynne With Ruby 2.JPG

[TheReal_ND]

PROTEVT THE GYWNE

BURN THE KOALA