Page 101 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Sydney

D ARLING HARBOUR AND SURR Y HILLS  99

3 WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo VISITORS’ CHECKLIST

WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo contains over 100 Australian land- Practical Information
dwelling species, including insects, birds, reptiles and Aquarium Wharf, Darling Harbour.
Map 4 D2. Tel 1800 614 069.
mammals. Together with the nearby aquarium, the complex Open 9:30am–5pm daily (last
comprises the world’s largest collection of native Australian adm 4pm) (Dec–Mar: to 6pm; last
animal species to be housed in one location. In the heart of adm 5pm). & 7 8 - =
∑ wildlifesydney.com.au
Darling Harbour, the undulating see-through mesh roof is
a sight to behold in itself. Although compact in size, the zoo Transport
@ Sydney Explorer. g Darling
contains ten different temperature- and humidity-controlled Har bour.  Town Hall.
habitats, and the experience is enhanced by soundscapes, v Paddy’s Markets.
graphics and interactive models.
Invertebrates
The Outback Adventurers
Café is home to all kinds of
creepy crawlies such as the
carnivorous praying mantis, the
giant rhinoceros cockroach and
the world’s most dangerous
spider – the Sydney funnel-web.
Koalas
A raised walkway under the
open-air mesh roof winds
through the koala and wallaby
habitats and allows visitors
to get closer to these cuddly,
iconic animals and even have
a photo taken with them. The
koala’s diet of eucalyptus leaves
Visitors can get close to kangaroos at WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo is so low in nutrients it has to
conserve energy by moving
Exploring the Zoo Butterfly Tropics slowly and sleeping a lot.
There are multi-attraction The butterfly tropics zone
passes available for WILD contains such spectacular Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby
LIFE Sydney Zoo and SEA LIFE species as the Zebra, Blue Bounding about on rocks in the
Sydney Aquarium and both Triangle and Ulysses butterflies, Wallaby Cliff habitat, this stripy-
sites can be visited in one day; the latter with its huge 14-cm tailed wallaby is perhaps the
another pass also includes (5.5-in) wingspan. There are most attractive of the kangaroo
Sydney Tower Eye (see p85). also frogs, turtles and species, so much so it
Exhibits are laid out over a green tree python. used to be hunted for
three floors with one kilometre its beautiful fur. Its huge
(0.6 miles) of enclosed walk- Frilled-Neck Lizard feet have strong muscles
ways. The habitats are climate Native to the dry landscape and a brush of stiff hairs
controlled and visitors largely of the Kimberley in north to help it get around
view the animals through Western Australia, this over rocky terrain.
vast viewing panels. bizarre-looking lizard
Throughout the day, feeds flares the folds of skin Southern Cassowary
and talks are given by the around its neck when This distinctive blue-
keepers, and visitors get the feeling threatened or Koala necked bird, a close
chance to get closer to the scared. It will also hiss relation of the emu, is
animals. Another good option and lunge to ward off considered the most dangerous
is to book a group or “VIP” predators. It used to feature bird in the world. It has powerful
guided tour. on the Australian 2c coin. talons and one spear-like inner
claw which can reach up to
Attractions Nocturnal Animals 12 cm (4.7 in) in length. This
WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo groups The Nightfall exhibit features heavy, flight less bird is capable
the animals by their natural animals that venture out in the of killing dogs and even
habi tats and houses a variety dark, such as possums, bilbies, humans if provoked. Around
of intriguing, often unique, bats, quolls, geckos, betongs half of the bird species in
species that are native to the and gliders, including the “false Australia are found nowhere
Austra lian continent. vampire bat” of Australia’s north. else in the world.

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