Lizards, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
Reptile, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
On our visit to Taronga Zoo in Sydney earlier this year I took a few good shots of various reptiles, including the lizards shown on this page. I am really floundering to identify these wonderful creatures. I wish I knew more about reptiles. If any of my readers can help me I’d be most grateful. Are they Chameleons?
Update: Thanks to one of my readers I can now put a name to these species. The top one is a Common Iguana from America, while the one below is one of the Fijian Iguanas.
Reptile, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
Topknot Pigeon, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
Topknot Pigeon, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
I find that zoos and wildlife parks are excellent places to hone one’s photography skills, especially those with walk through aviaries. On a few occasions, however, one can get the conditions just right and a good shot can be obtained even when shooting through the wire surrounding the aviary.
The above shot of Topknot Pigeon was taken through the wire of an aviary at Taronga Park Zoo. You can see the wire behind the bird, but the wire in front seems to have completely disappeared.
Topknot Pigeons are present along coastal eastern Australia, from Cape York peninsula down through to south eastern NSW. it can also sometimes occur in far eastern Victoria, near Mallacoota.
I have only ever seen this species once in the wild, nearly 30 years ago in Gibraltar Range National Park between Grafton and Glen Innes in north eastern NSW.
Banded Lapwing, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
Banded Lapwing, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
Many Australians are familiar with the Masked Lapwing (Spur-winged Plover) as they are very common around parks, ovals, school grounds and farmlands. I get many comments on these birds on my birding site when they are breeding; the birds can be very noisy and very aggressive when protecting the nest or their young.
Many people however, would not be aware of their quieter cousins, the Banded Lapwing shown in the photos on this post. This species is found throughout much of Australia in suitable habitat, except for the far north. Their preferred habitat is bare or ploughed paddocks, areas with short grass, near swamps and plains.
The photo above of a captive bird was taken recently in the Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney.
Further reading:
Banded Lapwings, Murray-Sunset National Park
Rainbow Lorikeets welcome us to Taronga Park Zoo
Rainbow Lorikeets, Taronga Park Zoo, Sydney
When we went to Sydney earlier this year we went with our son and grandson to Taronga Park Zoo. We had just entered the gates when we were welcomed by these two Rainbow Lorikeets feeding on some scraps of bread left on the walkway by someone.
I guess whoever left them the bread didn’t realise that bread is absolutely no good for feeding birds. Not only has it no nutritional value whatsoever for a bird, it can also swell up in the intestines causing blockages.
Meerkats at Monarto Zoo, South Australia
Meerkat at Monarto Zoo, South Australia
My local zoo, Monarto Zoo, has a small enclosure near the Visitor Centre which always attracts a lot of attention. The enclosure is on the way from the centre to the bus stop, and almost every visitor to the zoo passes by it. It is the Meerkat enclosure. This wonderful little animal is usually a crowd favourite.
The shuttle buses take visitors on guided tours of the zoo, as well as taking them to various stops along the way. Visitors can alight at any of these stops and walk along the numerous walking trails taking them to viewing platforms o see the animals.
On my most recent visit we thought that the Meerkats had gone to ground for the night. Sunset was not too far away and the zoo was about to close. Then one of them popped out to bid us goodnight, posing for photos – as they are wont to do.
Meerkat at Monarto Zoo, South Australia
Meerkat at Monarto Zoo, South Australia
Meerkat at Monarto Zoo, South Australia