Western Plains Zoo » Western Plains Zoo

Western Plains Zoo
25-05-2008

I went to a conference at Western plains Zoo last weekend and have just got time to write a report. Unfortunately we got little little time to spend around the zoo and I had to leave as soon as it finished.

We had breakfast there both Sat and Sun mornings so got to spend a bit of time watching the Spider monkeys and Ring Tail Lemurs while eating breakfast. The Ring Tail lemurs were interesting as soon as the sun came out they all faced it and exposed their bellies to warm themselves. As soon as the sun went behind a cloud they curled up or went about their business until the sun came out again.

On Saturday night we were having dinner at the zoo and a night time tour before. The group was split into two buses for the tour and they went in opposite directions. Everyone on the other bus said it was great but on my bus we were very disappointed. To start with our bus driver left the lights behind. We saw the hippos in the dark and if they were not just through the fence we would have not known they were there. I asked if they were breeding their hippos and was told they are trying to at the moment, but had not for 8 years. I expressed an opinion that it was a pity they had not bred more as it would not be good if they went the way of the Pigmy Hippo in Aus where the population is probably not going to last long. I then got a lecture about how they don't have Pigmy Hippos at Dubbo and have not been breeding them because they were not endangered so I did not continue with the topic.

Next we went past the Giraffes and saw one for a second in the headlights before we stopped and got a very basic talk on Giraffes while unable to see anything. We then had to detour to get the lights.

The Lions were next and were the best part of the tour. A child with the group ran to the night enclosures in front of the group and and the predatory reaction of one of the Lionesses was amazing. As he ran back and forward she followed him and the speed of her turns and the focus she had only on the child was intense. The male had not come out of the day exhibit so only the females where there. As our group had not looked around in daylight one person comented that it was a small enclosure, not knowing about the daytime exhibit. The woman doing the tour then, instead of just saying there is a bigger daytime enclosure, started going on about we have small bedrooms and this was like the lions bedroom and totally humanising the animals.

Next we went to the Galapagos Tortoises. I asked if the zoo had bred any as we were told those were 50 an 80 years old. She told me they can not be bred in captivity. I now know this is untrue and many places seem to be able to breed them.

Last we went to the Wombat who was very active unlike how wombats usually are in daytime.

Overall I was pretty disappointed with the tour and was glad I did not pay for it.

The dinner we had at the Zoo afterwards was terrific. It was one of the best meals out I have ever had so I would recommend eating there if you have the chance.

On Sunday we had 45 minutes of free time to look around the zoo. I went with a bloke who is in training to do the Kokoda track and we saw almost everything and did the hole 7 km (I was told) circuit in that time. The only animals we missed were the Elephants and White Rhinos. This was not sufficient time, but all we had. Next time I go I will spend all day there and actually stop a while at each enclosure. We did stop a while at the Siamangs as they were swinging an running about while calling out which was impressive. I am hoping to take my kids next time and camp there for the Roar and Snore. This would include a night tour (Hopefully better than this one) and a early morning tour as well as all day at the zoo.

25-05-2008

poor Monty, i know how u feel. i stayed at WPZ as part of a TAFE excursion in 2006 and was horrifed by how dumb our tour leader was.
one thing that stands out in my mind in particular was her answer to a question I asked about how long it would be (in pre-Kua times) before a female Indian Rhino would arrive in Australia to commence the breeding program.
the tour leader replied with something along the lines of it will be a long time because they are endangered in the wild and its "not easy to get animals out of the wild anymore".
she then derided the transfer or a sumatran tiger to Zoos SA in exchange for a guanaco as unfair and a bum deal and went on to disseminate a whole lot of other untruths. at the end i found out she worked in the office.

26-05-2008

All this shows that you really need people who know what they are talking about. Personally I would have thought that they would need some training so that they didn't pass on wrong info. The ignorance of the guides that your two experiences have shown is amazing. On the other hand I had a great time with a zoo volunteer at Melbourne last time I was there. She really knew what she was talking about.

27-05-2008

Every now and then the tour guide jobs are advertised in the papers here (all three local papers beinf run by the same company and all printed out of dubbo) They tend to look for people woith an RSA, and other hospitality experince. There is rarely anything in the ads about knowledge of animals and these were for positions of tour guides that were to stay the night at the zoo to conduct night and early morning tours as well as provide food and grog jusging by the RSA requirement. It is not surprising when all NSW government jobs are only given if they comply fully with ALL selection criteria. If a more than qulaified knowledgeable animal person who knew how to communicate with the public wanted the job they could quite easily be knocked back due to a lack of hospitality related experience.

27-05-2008

As Western Plains Zoo is a zoo, i think its guides should have animal knowledge; as an education centre it is important that the right information is given out.
having worked in the liquor industry for years now I think advertising for someone with animal knowledge and then tacking the mandatory RSA on to their training package would result in better quality guides. Perhaps even putting the guides through a more comprehensive training package to try and eliminate the un-truths these 'guides' often pass on.

22-09-2008

Western plains zoo have announced a new $7 million dollar entrance facility, which should be complete by 2010.
This year will see improvements to the African wild dog, white rhino and siamang exhibits, as well as an off show facility for the Tasmanian devils.
$7m to be spent on zoo entrance - Local News - News - General - Daily Liberal

22-09-2008

That's good to here because hopefully they will be able to hold and breed more tassie devils.
And I have a question...I was looking on Isis and it said that TWPZ hold 27 male blackbuck and 47 female blackbuck. I know Isis can be a little unreliable but this number is quite staggering and I was wandwering if anyone could verify it for me?

22-09-2008

the isis figures are correct.

22-09-2008

Well then that is a hell of a lot blackbuck. No wonder how most small zoos got them. And another question...Do they breed them or are the sexes kept seperate

22-09-2008

they actively breed. i imagine some bachelors are out-back but they have at least three black bucks out with the main herd, plus offspring

22-09-2008

Thanks Glyn...again.

4 Days Ago

Upgrades to zoo exhibits put on hold - Local News - News - General - Daily Liberal

Major upgrades are on the backburner, which has also become a concern in many North American zoos.

4 Days Ago

snowleopard, not sure if you know whats going on in NSW at the moment but the state is in economic meltdown. we have our third premier in less than 4 years, and are currently losing $90 million a month as our state slips further into an economic meltdown.
if you want a bit of a laugh, just check out any of the ridiculous scandals that have plagued the party in the last twelve months. in short, WPZ is lucky to be getting any money at all, particularly because they have been experiencing a visitor shortfall for some years