callistra | Zoo!

We went to the zoo. It had animals and some trees. Vincent talked to the water in the elephant enclosure quite excitedly for some time. And then just looked at things and was kind of tired and quiet the rest of the time. We walked a lot, and saw a lot of animals I can see at John's parents house by looking out the window. We saw tortoises having sex. Well, they would have been having sex if the female would just stand still for long enough.

:-)

It's weird, going to the zoo. I remember it being massive. But then, most of my memories are from when I was a bit smaller. I don't think Vincent saw most of the animals; I don't think he was all that worried/interested. However, I had a nice time with Mum and Dad and him, and he is a tired little bunny now. I am tired too, and I have the font on this window set to "MASSIVE" so it looks like kiddy drawn typing style hand writing. Weird sh*t.
:-)

Zoo costs $17 for adults, $8.50 for kids 4 - 16 (I think it was 16. Not sure now.) and kids under four are free. I'm thinking about getting a year pass for me and Vinnie, and making an effort to go in more often. Perhaps when he is a bit older and interested in animals might be a start. I bought some australian animal cards so I can show them to him and he has some idea about the animals of australia, plus I bought a wetlands activity book, which will be way beyond him, but will help me think of activities I can do with him which keep me awake and him .... well, he can smack the book while I point at things for him.

Now, I am tired. Do I break my budget and ask John to bring home dinner, or shall I go and find something in the freezer. I think option B will be the answer for today. And then I shall sit around feeling smug and virtuous and KFC free. And OMG it's 5:00pm. How the hell did that happen?

If I stop talking, then I have to go and fossic in my freezer. Um. Um. Um. *sigh*

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Liz and I are Friends of the Zoo, I think it's a good cause and it gets us into a bunch of other zoos FOC -- we got into Taronga that way (Taronga costs about $32).

I really am in love with zoos again now, and can't say too much about the fine work they are doing.

I didn't know it could get you into eastern states zoos as well. That *is* interesting. Plus there is a 20% discount for RAC members.

Well worth it. I think Liz got a discount for being a teacher on an excursion or something but you'd have to ask her. AFAIK Zoo Friends can get into Taronga, Western Plains (can't be much else to do in Dubbo!), and Melbourne.

$50 for all the otters and meerkats you can see! bargain!

I like penguins. Fairy penguins are very cute.
:-)

Otters! They're the best.

Oh! The otters!

There are four otters at the National Zoo, and three of them stick together and bop around the enclosure while the fourth does its own thing. So cute!

Last time I went, there was an otter at the Melbourne Zoo who carried a stone around with him, ready just in case there were crabs for dinner.

A tool-user! Brilliant!

Otters and the slow lorus!

Do you remember the squirrels?

When I was a kid, the squirrels in the park were the best ever. But they're gone now. I heard that someone poisoned them. I don't know if it is true or not, but I did not see any squirrels running around today, and I missed them.

The zoo poisoned them. Apparently they were poisoning rats and the squirrels copped it as well.

There was only one lonely sqrl last time I went to Perth zoo :(

And they never bothered to bring them back?
I thought they made the place unique and brought smiles to parent's faces and gave children something cute to chase.

The palm squirrels were released by what was then called the Acclimatisation Committee in 1898 soon after the Zoo opened. It was back in the old colonial days when Australian animals were bad, English (or in this case, Indian) ones good.

They were declared a vertebrate pest by the Dept of Agriculture a few years ago and it is illegal to keep them or import any more into the country.

Cute as they are, they're another example of an exotic species gone feral.

I thought it would be something sensible like that.
:-)
Were you there today? I was keeping my eye out but since I don't know what you look like I wasn't having much luck!
:-)

I love the idea of bub talking to the pond in the ele enclosure. 8-)

Yep, I was there. My office is at the other end (tradesmen's entrance) from the main gates, near the white-cheeked gibbons and elephants. AKA Asian Rainforest Zone.

Let me know the next time you're planning to visit and I'll try to catch up.

I was looking at the white cheeked gibbons and then looked to my right, at a longish road inside the zoo. Down there-ish?

Yep! There's a service road that goes past the gibbons with a No Entry sign painted on it. And very peculiar little speed bump. It was amusing watching the forklift with the life-sized replica of a Galap tortoise on the front trying to negotiate it!

If you continue down that road (not that you're allowed to. I can 'cos I've got a magic badge!) and follow it around to the left, there is a double story orange building.

And that's where I am!

The were in the unfortunate position of being both cute and a pest.

I'm not sure of their relative destructiveness to native flora and fauna. As much as I know various sqrls facts I don't know them that well...

I had a phone call from the curator of the golf club across the road asking if the palm squirrels have ousted the native birds from their nesting places as they haven't seen as many in recent years. I did a bit of research and advised the following:

Our free-ranging Palm Squirrels share the Palm trees with Rainbow Lorikeets and, as far as keepers are aware, don't pose a threat to the Lorikeet nests. The squirrels may opportunistically take over a nest hollow that the Lorikeet has created, however they don't dislodge the adults or babies. The Lorikeets have to build another one.

According to J.H. Seebeck in his book, Fauna of Australia:

"Palm Squirrels eat seeds throughout the year, leaves and soft fruits during autumn, and insects, particularly locusts, during summer and do not cache food.

Near human settlements, they feed extensively on kitchen refuse. In Perth, Sedgwick (1968) reported that they fed on refuse and food scraps (especially bread). Wright (1972) observed them in the Perth Zoo grounds feeding on the
following: fruits of Phoenix, Ficus, Morus and Melia; seeds of Brachychiton; cones of Araucaria and Pinus; buds, grass, insects and animal food. Scanlan et al. (1978) reported that Palm Squirrels eat fruit, leaves and food scraps.

Neither species has economic significance in Australia, except by causing minor damage to garden plants and as a tourist attraction (Palm Squirrels in Perth Zoo, formerly at Taronga Zoo, Grey Squirrels formerly at Ballarat gardens). The Palm Squirrel is considered a potential pest species in Western Australia and has been a Declared Animal (Vermin) in that State since 1973 (Agriculture
Protection Board of Western Australia 1985)."

Those blown-in Rainbow Lorikeets from the East are the ones that do the damage! Pretty but damn! they're noisy.

We did not poison the squirrels! There are plenty of them about - you only have to sit in the cafe to see them up and down the palm trees (appropriately). A few weeks ago we saw a family of four in the giraffe playing. I think squirrels play...

Well that's what I was told by a zookeeper when I made an inquiry on the lack of squirrels last year.

We saw squirrels running around near the rhinos last time we were there.

Livelurker and I got year memberships this year... Puggle _loves_ the zoo. We go to one section each time we visit, and spend a couple of hours there. We wander at his pace and he talks about it for weeks. (Well, we usually have to visit the elephants and pelicans each time.)

quite like the zoo. smallest child quite likes it too. I got a membership, because it means that when we have an hour to go when going to collect the others from school, and we are going past, we can go and just look at one thing, talk about it, which means no-one ends up tired and grumpy. Last time we managed to be there for a feeding time in the reptile house - very cool!

(and if you ever want company on a trip, let me know)

That was the other reason for getting a year's membership; so we'd go more, and we could spend more quality time in various areas rather than a rushed run to try and fit in as much as possible.

I was thinking of organizing a day trip for us mums. A picnic though, since $17 plus expensive food inside can be quite a shock for various budgets. :-)

BTW, are you aware you are hosting a lingerie party on Sunday?
:-)

I like giraffes. :)

Last time I went to the zoo was for friends' wedding, and before that has been a verrrrry long time. Last time the GirlChild went with my in-laws, she put her foot in the toilet. Long story:)

She liked the birds.

oops, that was me. Sorry:)

This is a relief, because I thought it was odd that I would have a stalker who just felt like posting that sort of thing.
:-)
Good to see you for a whole five minutes yesterday.
:-)

I love the zoo. Otters and Fennec foxes and fishing-cats and meerkats and pygmy hippos and echidnas and platypi...

Taronga is gorgeous, well worth visiting. It has these really cute feathertail gliders.

Last time I was there, the lions were playing soccer.

Last time Drhoz and I went to Taronga, the Fennec Foxes couldn't keep their paws off each other. We renamed them the fucking foxes.

of course, when we found a plushie fennec in the perth zoo gift shop, we just had to but it.

Paul Zac and I are Friends of the Zoo. We will join again next year as it has more than payed for itself. If you head to the Zoo again, Let us know. We are just around the corner and would love to tag along, maybe have a picnic or something :)

I *sooooo* want to catch up with you. I have a little list of people I need to see, and you're on it, but time just runs away with me!

Is ok - I understand how it is...trust me! Life gets busy sometimes, our time will come! But yeah if you find yourself in the area, dont be afraid to pop in :)