Sydney Zoo Feb 22

Although Monday was 34 C, Helen & I went to the Zoo! Taronga Zoo (home to 2660 animals) occupies the north shore point of Sydney Harbour across from the Opera House. When we got to Circular Quay Wharf 2 the ferry was already there. We were the last 2 passengers to board! A cool breeze off the sparkling water & a bus waiting to take us to the main gate – today would be great regardless of the heat! We visited the Aussie animals first: the emu, kangaroos, wallaby and koalas. The koalas were cute as expected as they napped and hung from their tree perch. They were the first & last animal we visited – just to see one with its eyes open! The kangaroos & wallaby were eating lunch on our ‘walk-about’, the Emu was giving us the eye; all were right at home with us nearby snapping a photo or two!
Among the more exotic species were komodo dragons, red pandas, Fennec Fox, snow leopards, wombats, and Meerkat. We searched for the platypus both in their cave and pool but all we saw was their picture! Shucks! We got up close to penguins, seals & sea lions; even sat through & enjoyed a seal show. We met the first elephant calf born in Australia (now 7½ months old) named Luk Chai in honour of his Thai heritage. We watched him play with a tire-wrapped hanging pole. When we got too close, the matriarch of the herd, also pregnant, and another pregnant elephant circled the little guy & hid him. We took in the QBE Free Flight Bird Show highlighting some of the 800 species of birds found in Australia. We sat with Sydney Harbour as a backdrop watching these birds and their unique talents: ‘Slammer’ the Black-Breasted Buzzard, ‘Billy’ the Brolga, ‘Jasper’, a rose-breasted Galahs and a flock of six Red-tailed Black Cockatoos. Absolutely beautiful! However I had the most fun & couldn’t resist holding out a ‘gold-coin’ (AUD $2) for ‘Stellar’, a Black Kite to collect and drop into the donation box! This bird flew inches over our head as he aimed for his intended target! The urge was to duck but the trainer told us not to bother because the Kite would just fly lower! Excited but nervous laughter filled the stands!
Other honourable members were: Kodiak bear, Aldabra Tortoise (a pair - the heat stirring up feelings in the old guy!), Himalayan Tahr, giraffes, Rhinoceros Iguana, lots of lizards and snakes! We had a great day! We lunched at the Zoo’s treetop cafe, sitting on a patio with the Sydney Harbour our landscape & a Kookaburra entertaining us from a branch overhead. We rode the Sky Safari cable car across the zoo grounds & to the pier for the ferry back to Circular Quay (no waiting & last ones to board). Great timing twice today.... our day what can I say!
Tom took the day off and spent it “his” way back at the condo. His first lone day since we left Toronto; needless to say he too enjoyed his day.