Taronga Zoo: Sydney

Taronga Zoo is the city zoo of Sydney, Australia officially opened on October 7th, 1916. It is located on the shores of Sydney Harbour in Mosman. Taronga is linked to Dubbo’s Western Plains Zoo in terms of breeding programs and such.

History

The first public zoo in New South Wales opened in 1884 at Billy Goat Swamp in Moore Park. After returning from Germany in 1908, Albert Sherbourne Le Souef, the secretary of the zoo, envisioned a new zoo based on the bar-less concept he saw at the Hamburg Zoo.

After realising that the Moore Park site was too small, the NSW Government granted 43 acres of land north of Sydney Harbour. A further 9 acres were later granted in 1916.

Exhibits

The Early Exhibits
The Giraffe House was completed in 1923
The Aquarium in 1927
Floral Clock in 1928
Tahr Mountain in 1932
The Tiger Pits in 1939

Under the directorship of Edward Hallstrom in the 1940’s - 1960’s several new exhibits were built including those for larger cats, koalas, apes and gorillas.

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.

Current Modifications

Taronga is continually undergoing redevelopment to close the old cramped animal enclosures and replace them with larger, more natural enclosures.
Currently, Taronga is planning to acquire eight Asian Elephants from Thailand Zoos for breeding purposes, education, long-term research and involvement of conservation programs.
In February, 2003 it became the second zoo in Australia to breed the platypus.
A scenic cable car allows the visitor to get a good picture of the zoo and its magnificent surroundings.
An Asian Wildlife section at Taronga has opened in 2005.

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 elegible to volunteer to help at the Zoo. More details at http://www.zoofriends.org.au

Animal Listing

Taronga Zoo has about 340 species and over 2600 individual animals. Some include:

Australian Wetlands
Black-Necked Stork
Little Pied Cormorant
Brolga
Australian Pelican
Pacific Black Duck
Plumed Whistling Duck
Water Whistling Duck

Australian Walkabout
Red Kangaroo
Western Grey Kangaroo
Swamp Wallaby
Agile Wallaby
Red-Necked Wallaby
Emu

Serpentaria
Boa Constrictor
Freshwater Crocodile
Fierce Snake
Komodo Dragon
Chameleon Dragon
Coastal Taipan
Matamata
Arafura File Snake
Green Tree Python
Rhinoceros Iguana
Red-Bellied Black Snake
Desert Death Adder
Cunningham’s Skink
Blue Tongued Lizard
Coastal Bearded Dragon
Agamid Skink
Land Mullet
Short Tailed Monitor
Green Iguana
Cane Toad
Green and Golden Bell Frog
Giant Tree Frog
White’s Tree Frog

The African Waterhole
Dromedary Camel
Scimitar-Horned Oryx
Barbary Sheep
Giraffe
Bongo
Common Zebra
Black Rhinoceros
Pygmy Hippopotamus

Wild Asia
Asian Elephant
Oriental Small Clawed Otter
Fishing Cat
Malayan Tapir
Golden Pheasant
Green Peafowl
Chukar Partridge

Seals and Sealions
Australian Fur Seal
New Zealand Fur Seal
Leopard Seal
Californian Seal Lion
Australian Seal Lion

Big Cats and Bears
Lion
Tiger
Snow Leopard
Sun Bear
Kodiak Bear

Backyard To Bush
Southern Hairy-Nosed Wombat
Red Kangaroo
Emu
Lace Monitor