Please don’t wake the tiger
Tiger, Taronga Zoo, Sydney
During our visit to Taronga Zoo in Sydney last year we had good views of the tiger shown in the photo above. I was carrying my 19 month old grandson at the time and he delighted in growling like a tiger while pointing at the animal – much to the amusement of the many people nearby. I was amazed at how low his growl was, considering his age. We had a good laugh about it. Fortunately the tiger slept on.
On my trip to Nepal in 2006 I went on an elephant safari ride through the jungle in Chitwan National Park in the south of the country. Although there are tigers in this area, sightings are quite rare. By way of compensation for not seeing one, we had excellent views of several rhinos, as well as many other animals and birds.
Further reading:
- Travels in Nepal – an archive of articles about my time in Nepal
- Tigers in Nepal
Himalayan Tahr, Taronga Zoo, Sydney
Himalayan Tahr, Taronga Zoo, Sydney
One of the animals featured on exhibit at Taronga Zoo in Sydney is the Himalayan Tahr, a close relative of the wild goat. I like seeing these animals for they remind me of the wonderful experiences I had when I trekked in Nepal a few years ago. I was fortunate to be able to see this animal in its wild state in the mountains there.
Further reading:
Himalayan Tahr, Taronga Zoo, Sydney
Elephants, Taronga Zoo, Sydney
Old Elephant house, Taronga Zoo, Sydney
On our visit to Taronga Zoo in Sydney earlier this year we walked past the old historic elephant house. It is a beautiful building with very ornate decorations. It is no longer used to house the elephants because they now have a much more suitable house nearby. The new elephant enclosure is also much more suitable and is shown in the photos below.
Elephant enclosure, Taronga Zoo, Sydney
Elephant enclosure, Taronga Zoo, Sydney
A room with a view at Taronga Zoo, Sydney
Giraffes at Taronga Zoo, Sydney
I guess most people enjoy seeing giraffes in zoos or in the wild. I know I do because they are something special in the animal kingdom. I suppose the attraction comes from their extremely long necks. The view from up there must be interesting.
The giraffes at Taronga Zoo in Sydney have another advantage. Not only are they able to easily look over the large crowds of people, but they also have a magnificent view of the harbour, the CBD and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Most people would envy the view from their place.
Giraffes at Taronga Zoo, Sydney
Reptile, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
Red-bellied Black Snake, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
While I am not an expert on reptiles, this is one species with which I am familiar. The Red-bellied Black Snake is one of the most easily identified of Australia’s snake species. It can be quite aggressive and quite venomous.
I am happy to report that I’ve only ever seen this species on a handful of occasions. Probably the most dramatic was one that slithered over the top of my boot while I was engrossed in bird watching. I’m not sure if my feet touched the ground for several metres as I leapt away in fright. I guess the snake received just as big a fright. It sure shook me up for a few minutes. I prefer to watch snakes in the safety of zoo enclosures, like this one at Taronga Zoo in Sydney.