One of the quickest and easiest ways to get acquainted with the wildlife of Australia is to visit Taronga Zoo (“taronga” is aboriginal for water view), one of the country’s largest collection of native and exotic animals. As a bonus, it is superbly located on a hilltop position overlooking the city and the harbour.
From the ferry, the best option is to take the cable car or a bus up to the top entrance of the zoo and gradually make your way down. The cable car passes right over the elephants, so have your camera ready. Comprehensive guides to the zoo are available at the entrances.
As you make your way downhill, you pass koalas and native birds, including talkative cockatoos, before reaching Reptile World, where you see some of Australia’s most dangerous creatures.
Animals are kept in environments that are as similar to their natural habitats as possible, and this can be seen in many of the African and Asian animal enclosures that mostly populate the western half of the zoo.
Taronga has a strong reputation for wildlife conservation and an active endangered species breeding program. Be sure to see the gorilla rainforest, the chimpanzee park, and the Sumatran tigers. The seals are always fun, and the zoo has a large collection of marine mammals.
Australian animals hold the most interest for international visitors, and the eastern part of the zoo has large enclosures and walk-through areas to get up close to kangaroos, wallabies, emus, and other indigenous creatures. The Australia nightlife pavilion introduces nocturnal creatures, while the platypus pools and Australian rainforest aviary are other must-sees, The main koala enclosure features a walkway that winds up to the creatures in the treetops. Always a zoo favourite, you can book an up close encounter with these cuddly marsupials.
Children can see and touch farm animals in the Farm Playground. There is also a seal show that is as educational as it is entertaining, a bird show, and talks on Tasmanian devils, gorillas and the big cats, to name but a few.
The zoo offers guided tours with an emphasis on Australian wildlife, or you can camp out in upmarket safari tents to see the animals at night and wake up to spectacular sunrise views of the city.
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