Let the little terrors go wild
Sun Herald
Sunday March 27, 2011
Animal encounters could be just the thing to tame your pack, writes Jason Mountney. If there's one thing kids can be relied upon to find interesting, it's animals.From the scary to the friendly, they're usually only too happy to get up close and personal with our furry, scaly and feathered friends. And these holidays, that's exactly what they can do at a range of venues across the city and state."For the holidays, we've got additional animal encounters such as dingo walks and farmyard feedings," Doonside's Featherdale Wildlife Park marketing manager Kellie Ames-McDermid says.Featherdale will also be highlighting its bilby display over the Easter break. The bilby, a native marsupial whose habitat has been plundered by introduced pests such as rabbits, has been adopted as an indigenous symbol of Easter to draw attention to its perilous plight.The specially made enclosure is the centrepiece of the park's fundraising scheme to aid the animal's return to sustainable populations in the wild.In keeping with the Easter theme, a black-breasted buzzard will also be breaking eggs. Ames-McDermid says the extra displays and experiences help the park cope with the influx of visitors over the holidays."It's just crazy with our locals coming in," she says. "We get thousands each week, which is double or triple the normal numbers."The park has Australia's largest captive population of native animals and its mix of fun activities and teaching about conservation is being replicated all over town during the school holidays.As well as a big collection of native animals close to the city, Sydney Wildlife World has a large Lego exhibition for young builders. The venue is run by the same company that runs the neighbouring Sydney Aquarium, with ticket packages to visit both and access to the Lego display from either.The aquarium, which last year opened a new shark display, will have mermaid-themed activities during the Easter break. It also has many dugongs, another endangered Australian mammal.Taronga Park Zoo will be running its popular Zoo Adventures program. Participants spend the day exploring behind the scenes at the zoo, as well as learning about conservation and the animals on display.Tours specialise on one area of the zoo, such as the seals, insects or big cats. One day is dedicated to following the work of the zoo's team of veterinarians. A toddler-friendly series of concerts has also been planned for the holidays.Taronga Park's stablemate Dubbo's Western Plains Zoo, has its own Zoo Adventures series, with hands-on interaction encouraged. The program also includes a day shadowing a zookeeper for kids interested in a career in that field.Mogo Zoo, on the NSW south coast, will be running special holiday tours and educational programs over the school break.The Zookidz workshops will study meerkats, the zoo's famous white lions and its reptiles and amphibians on three separate days. Zookidz costs $30 a child, per workshop.
© 2011 Sun Herald
