Australia Zoo
Encyclopedia
Australia Zoo is a 100 acres (40.5 ha) zoo located in the Australia
n state of Queensland
on the Sunshine Coast
near Beerwah
/Glass House Mountains
. It is a member of the Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA), and is owned by Terri Irwin
, the widow
of Steve Irwin
, whose wildlife documentary
series The Crocodile Hunter
made the zoo a popular tourist attraction. The zoo is run by Director Wes Mannion
.
Australia Zoo was opened by Bob
and Lyn Irwin on 3 June 1970 under the name Beerwah Reptile Park. Their son Steve
, had helped his parents since childhood to care for crocodile
s and reptiles and to maintain the growing number of animals in the zoo. In 1982 the park was renamed to the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park and the area was doubled with the purchase of another 4 acres (1.6 ha). Steve and Terri changed the name of their now growing wildlife park to Australia Zoo. As filming generated extra funds, Steve and Terri put all money raised from filming and merchandise into conservation and building new exhibits.
Australia Zoo won the Australian Tourism Awards for 2003–2004 in the category Major Tourist Attraction. In 2004, the Australian Animal Hospital was opened next to the zoo to help with animal care and rehabilitation. More recently, the zoo was a finalist in two categories for the 2010 Queensland Tourism Awards. Visitors will see a wide variety of birds, mammals, and reptiles, and can view crocodile feedings, hand-feed elephants, and have hands-on animal encounters.
and Lyn Irwin on 3 June 1970 under the name Beerwah Reptile Park. Bob is a world renowned herpetologist
, who is regarded as a pioneer in the keeping and breeding of reptile
s, while Lyn was one of the first to care for and rehabilitate sick and injured wildlife in southeast Queensland. Bob and Lyn passed on their love and respect for wildlife to their three children: Joy, Steve
, and Mandy. Steve has helped Bob and Lyn since childhood to care for crocodile
s and reptiles and to maintain the growing number of animals in the zoo. In 1982, the park was renamed to the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park and the area was doubled with the purchase of another 4 acres (1.6 ha). In 1987, the Crocodile Environmental Park was opened in an effort to aid saltwater crocodile
protection. By the 1990s the Crocodile Environmental Park had become very popular and was seen as unique for its display of crocodile feeding within the park. The area was mainly used to house adult saltwater crocodiles that had been captured and relocated from the wild.
, Queensland, while Steve and Terri
changed the name of their now growing wildlife park to Australia Zoo. As filming generated extra funds, Steve and Terri put all money raised from filming and merchandise into conservation and building new exhibits. Their philosophy was that the zoo animals came first, the zoo team came second, and the zoo visitors came third. The zoo also expanded with the creation of a management team and hiring around 50 staff. Australia Zoo won the Australian Tourism Awards for 2003-2004 in the category Major Tourist Attraction. Australia Zoo Retail has also won the Tourism Retailing Award from Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in 2006. In 2004, the Australian Animal Hospital was opened next to the zoo to help with animal care and rehabilitation. The facility was built in an old avocado packing shed, and was dedicated to Lyn. The facility had a single operating room, and with a staff of 20 full time workers and 80 volunteers, it cared for up to 6,000 animals per year.
made a land deal involving giving a parcel of land from the Beerwah State Forest to Australia Zoo in return for land near Peachester State Forest which was transferred to the government for forestry. The swap permitted the development of a open-range safari attraction, allowing the zoo to expand to a world-class standard. In 2008, a new $5 million animal hospital, claimed to be the largest wildlife hospital in the world, opened next to the packing shed. The new 1300 square metres (13,993.1 sq ft) facility is built of mud brick and hay. It contains two operating theaters with viewing areas for student veterinarians, two treatment rooms, intensive care units for mammals, birds, and reptiles, a CAT scan room, and public areas including a drop-off area, pharmacy, nursery, and waiting room. A conference room in the building will be rented out to help generate operating funds.
On 15 March 2008 the Brisbane
-based newspaper, The Sunday Mail
, claimed there are plans to sell Australia Zoo to Animal Planet
and create a $100-million Disney-style wildlife theme park. However, Terri has publicly announced that she has no plans to sell the zoo, but is looking to expand the park. Despite rumours that she intended to return to the United States, Terri denied the claims and became an Australian citizen on 20 November 2009.
. The Australia Zoo business is owned by Australia Zoo Pty Ltd, but the land on which the zoo is located, and most of the surrounding area, is owned by Silverback Properties Pty Ltd. Food courts and merchandising at the zoo are operated and maintained by Muscillo Holdings Pty Ltd.
The Crocoseum
The 'Animal Planet Crocoseum' stadium at the zoo has a seating capacity of about 5000. At the time of its construction, it was the first in the world where snake, bird and crocodile shows were conducted. Australia Zoo calls these shows 'Wildlife Warriors 101'. This is also where the zoo presents concerts, such as the Summer Down Under series.
Africa
On 17 September 2011 Australia Zoo opened it's African Safari exhibit, a multi-species replica of the Serengeti ecosystem, showcasing Zebra
, Rhino
, Giraffe
interacting as they would in the wild. Cheetah
are also on display. The exhibit includes Queensland Bottle Trees reflecting the native African Baobab tree and mock kopjes.
Tiger Temple
Opened in April 2005, this exhibit houses both Sumatran
and Bengal tiger
s. The exhibit was built to resemble the Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia. It is enclosed on two sides by glass, and includes an underwater viewing area.
Elephantasia
Elephantasia is a 12 acres (4.9 ha) Asian themed exhibit that opened in 2006, and is the largest Asian elephant enclosure in Australia. It includes a wading pool with a fountain, and tropical gardens with shaded areas for the zoos three elephants. Visitors can feed the elephants here in the afternoon.
South-East Asian Precinct
Other Asian animals have been moved into exhibits close to Tiger Temple and Elephantasia that have been designed to mimic their native environments. Animals in this precinct include Komodo dragon
s, red panda
s, Asian small-clawed otters
, and Burmese pythons
.
Rainforest Aviary
The Rainforest Aviary is an outdoor walk-through aviary with about 150 birds, most of which are native to Australia. Adjacent to the Rainforest Aviary is the Birds of Prey aviary, which holds various species of raptors
and other predatory birds.
Visitors can eat at the open air upper story "Food Court" of the "Taj Mahal" building (which seats up to 1,500), at the Dingo Diner, or at several food vending stands around the zoo.
Transport
To get around the zoo, visitors can take Steve's Safari Shuttle, a 'modified trailered bus' that operates on a bitumen (asphalt) roadway circuit. Visitors can also hire a caddie to drive them around the zoo for the day.
Playgrounds
The zoo includes two shaded playgrounds.
There are 4 walk-through enclosures that visitors can enter and feed kangaroos
, wallaby
s, and koala
s, and there is often an opportunity to pet a koala when staff are in the exhibit.
The zoo also offers a roving animal team that walks around the grounds throughout the day with various animals such as alligator
s, bird
s, snake
s, and lizard
s. Visitors may have their photo taken with the animals and can purchase professional copies from the zoo's photo lab.
Wildlife Warriors
Wildlife Warriors
runs a rescue operation and care station for any native wildlife which may be injured in accidents outside the zoo.
This effort is now supported by the 1300 square metres (13,993.1 sq ft) Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital next to the zoo, which can care for up to 10,000 animals per year, with two operating theaters, two treatment rooms, intensive care units for mammals, birds, and reptiles, and a CAT scan room. The hospital is named in honor of Steve Irwin's mother Lynn Irwin, who died in a car accident in 2000.
International Crocodile Rescue (ICR)
The zoo also runs International Crocodile Rescue, which helps capture and (if necessary) relocate "problem crocodiles." The organization currently has five locations in Australia and another five worldwide, all equipped to handle capture and relocation. The zoo has taken in many of the captured crocodiles when it was deemed that they could not be relocated and released. The Crocodile rescue unit runs a rehabilitation facility on the grounds of Australia Zoo that can house full grown male saltwater crocodiles.
Croc One
Croc One is Australia Zoos research vessel that is used around Australia to conduct marine and land based research. Its most notable usage is for the "Crocs in space" program led by Professor Craig Franklin of the University of Queensland
. Croc One is also the vessel on which Steve Irwin died after his heart was pierced by a stingray barb. Croc One is moored at Mooloolaba wharf.
Whale One
Whale One is a custom built commercial usage vessel owned and operated by the Australia Zoo for whale watching at Mooloolaba. It is moored along with Croc One at Mooloolaba wharf.
This 135000 hectares (333,592 acre) property was acquired with the assistance of the Australian government as part of the National Reserve System Programme. It is located on the Cape York Peninsula
in Queensland
, and contains spring fed wetlands that provide a water source to threatened habitat and the Wenlock River.
Iron Bark Station (Blackbutt)
Australia Zoo purchased the 3500 acres (1,416.4 ha) Iron Bark Station located at Blackbutt
, Queensland in 1994. It is part of the great dividing Range, where the East coast meets the dry West. An additional 325 acres (131.5 ha) was purchased in 1994 to save a dwindling koala population, with fewer than 12 koalas left in the area. Management immediately commenced reforestation, including 44,000 eucalypt
trees for Koalas. In 1998, another 325 acres (131.5 ha) was purchased. In 1999, a 5 acres (2 ha) release facility was established to rehabilitate native marsupials the area. Another 1000 acres (404.7 ha) was purchased in 1999 with funds from the Lynn Irwin Memorial fund (now Wildlife Warriors Worldwide), and another 1800 acres (728.4 ha) was added in 2002. In 2007, Bob Irwin became full time manager of the station.
Heathland
The zoo purchased 250 acres (101.2 ha) of Australian heathland in 2002 to help preserve endangered flora and fauna of the area. Animals that can be found on this property include black cockatoos (red-tailed
, yellow-tailed
, and glossy), species of glider including greater gliders
, sugar glider
s, squirrel gliders
, and feathertail glider
, acid frogs, echidna
s, antechinus
, Richmond birdwing butterflies
, and platypus
.
Westbore (St. George)
The 84000 acres (33,993.6 ha) Westbore property, located outside St George in the Southwestern corner of Queensland, was purchased to help conserve the semi arid ecosystems and wildlife in that part of the country. It is located on the edge of acacia woodland in what is known as the "Brigalow Belt".
In January 2009, a senior keeper was attacked by a male Bengal Tiger
. The keeper suffered a deep bite wound to his left calf muscle tearing part of it, requiring 18 stitches. Australia Zoo no longer keeps that particular animal, which now resides at Cairns Wildlife Safari Reserve
in Cairns.
A second incident two months later involving a Sumatran Tiger
also saw a keeper taken to hospital. This attack was only minor, and the keeper only required two stitches.
Construction of an artificial island (to represent the island of Madagascar
), began in 2006, which will accommodate African animals such as tortoise
s, lemur
s and other species not yet represented, will be completed during stage two of the Zoo's Africa exhibit.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n state of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
on the Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast, Queensland
The Sunshine Coast is an urban area in South East Queensland, north of the state capital of Brisbane on the Pacific Ocean coastline. Although it does not have a central business district, by population it ranks as the 10th largest metropolis in Australia and the third largest in...
near Beerwah
Beerwah, Queensland
Beerwah is a town on the Sunshine Coast hinterland in Queensland, Australia. It is situated north of Glass House Mountains, approximately 80 km north of Brisbane, and just south of Landsborough. The main road through Beerwah is called Steve Irwin Way. It was formerly known as the Glasshouse...
/Glass House Mountains
Glass House Mountains National Park
Glass House Mountains National Park is a national park in Queensland , north of Brisbane. It consists of a flat plain punctuated by rhyolite and trachyte volcanic plugs, the cores of extinct volcanoes that formed 27 million to 26 million years ago. The mountains would once have had...
. It is a member of the Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA), and is owned by Terri Irwin
Terri Irwin
Theresa Penelope "Terri" Irwin, AM is an Australian-based, American-born naturalist, author, the widow of Australian naturalist Steve Irwin and owner of Australia Zoo at Beerwah, Queensland, Australia...
, the widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
of Steve Irwin
Steve Irwin
Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin , nicknamed "The Crocodile Hunter", was an Australian television personality, wildlife expert, and conservationist. Irwin achieved worldwide fame from the television series The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series which he co-hosted...
, whose wildlife documentary
Nature documentary
A natural history film or wildlife film is a documentary film about animals, plants, or other non-human living creatures, usually concentrating on film taken in their natural habitat...
series The Crocodile Hunter
The Crocodile Hunter
The Crocodile Hunter was a wildlife documentary television series that was hosted by Steve Irwin and his wife Terri. The show became a popular franchise due to its unconventional approach and Irwin's approach to wildlife...
made the zoo a popular tourist attraction. The zoo is run by Director Wes Mannion
Wes Mannion
Wes Mannion is best known from the series The Crocodile Hunter as Steve Irwin's best friend and director of Australia Zoo.-Early life:...
.
Australia Zoo was opened by Bob
Bob Irwin
Robert "Bob" Irwin is an Australian naturalist, animal conservationist, and a pioneering herpetologist who is also famous for his conservation and husbandry work with apex predators and reptiles...
and Lyn Irwin on 3 June 1970 under the name Beerwah Reptile Park. Their son Steve
Steve Irwin
Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin , nicknamed "The Crocodile Hunter", was an Australian television personality, wildlife expert, and conservationist. Irwin achieved worldwide fame from the television series The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series which he co-hosted...
, had helped his parents since childhood to care for crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
s and reptiles and to maintain the growing number of animals in the zoo. In 1982 the park was renamed to the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park and the area was doubled with the purchase of another 4 acres (1.6 ha). Steve and Terri changed the name of their now growing wildlife park to Australia Zoo. As filming generated extra funds, Steve and Terri put all money raised from filming and merchandise into conservation and building new exhibits.
Australia Zoo won the Australian Tourism Awards for 2003–2004 in the category Major Tourist Attraction. In 2004, the Australian Animal Hospital was opened next to the zoo to help with animal care and rehabilitation. More recently, the zoo was a finalist in two categories for the 2010 Queensland Tourism Awards. Visitors will see a wide variety of birds, mammals, and reptiles, and can view crocodile feedings, hand-feed elephants, and have hands-on animal encounters.
1970–1992
Australia Zoo was opened by BobBob Irwin
Robert "Bob" Irwin is an Australian naturalist, animal conservationist, and a pioneering herpetologist who is also famous for his conservation and husbandry work with apex predators and reptiles...
and Lyn Irwin on 3 June 1970 under the name Beerwah Reptile Park. Bob is a world renowned herpetologist
Herpetology
Herpetology is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians and reptiles...
, who is regarded as a pioneer in the keeping and breeding of reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s, while Lyn was one of the first to care for and rehabilitate sick and injured wildlife in southeast Queensland. Bob and Lyn passed on their love and respect for wildlife to their three children: Joy, Steve
Steve Irwin
Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin , nicknamed "The Crocodile Hunter", was an Australian television personality, wildlife expert, and conservationist. Irwin achieved worldwide fame from the television series The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series which he co-hosted...
, and Mandy. Steve has helped Bob and Lyn since childhood to care for crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
s and reptiles and to maintain the growing number of animals in the zoo. In 1982, the park was renamed to the Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park and the area was doubled with the purchase of another 4 acres (1.6 ha). In 1987, the Crocodile Environmental Park was opened in an effort to aid saltwater crocodile
Saltwater Crocodile
The saltwater crocodile, also known as estuarine or Indo-Pacific crocodile, is the largest of all living reptiles...
protection. By the 1990s the Crocodile Environmental Park had become very popular and was seen as unique for its display of crocodile feeding within the park. The area was mainly used to house adult saltwater crocodiles that had been captured and relocated from the wild.
1992–2006
The 1990s brought many changes: Bob and Lyn retired and moved to RosedaleRosedale
- Australia :* Rosedale, New South Wales* Rosedale, Queensland* Rosedale, Victoria* Rosedale, South Australia. The former Rosenthal.- Canada :* Rosedale, British Columbia* Rosedale, Calgary* Rosedale, Manitoba, rural municipality in the province of Manitoba....
, Queensland, while Steve and Terri
Terri Irwin
Theresa Penelope "Terri" Irwin, AM is an Australian-based, American-born naturalist, author, the widow of Australian naturalist Steve Irwin and owner of Australia Zoo at Beerwah, Queensland, Australia...
changed the name of their now growing wildlife park to Australia Zoo. As filming generated extra funds, Steve and Terri put all money raised from filming and merchandise into conservation and building new exhibits. Their philosophy was that the zoo animals came first, the zoo team came second, and the zoo visitors came third. The zoo also expanded with the creation of a management team and hiring around 50 staff. Australia Zoo won the Australian Tourism Awards for 2003-2004 in the category Major Tourist Attraction. Australia Zoo Retail has also won the Tourism Retailing Award from Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in 2006. In 2004, the Australian Animal Hospital was opened next to the zoo to help with animal care and rehabilitation. The facility was built in an old avocado packing shed, and was dedicated to Lyn. The facility had a single operating room, and with a staff of 20 full time workers and 80 volunteers, it cared for up to 6,000 animals per year.
2006–present
In 2007, the zoo and the Government of QueenslandGovernment of Queensland
The Government of Queensland is commonly known as the "Queensland Government".The form of the Government of Queensland is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1859, although it has been amended many times since then...
made a land deal involving giving a parcel of land from the Beerwah State Forest to Australia Zoo in return for land near Peachester State Forest which was transferred to the government for forestry. The swap permitted the development of a open-range safari attraction, allowing the zoo to expand to a world-class standard. In 2008, a new $5 million animal hospital, claimed to be the largest wildlife hospital in the world, opened next to the packing shed. The new 1300 square metres (13,993.1 sq ft) facility is built of mud brick and hay. It contains two operating theaters with viewing areas for student veterinarians, two treatment rooms, intensive care units for mammals, birds, and reptiles, a CAT scan room, and public areas including a drop-off area, pharmacy, nursery, and waiting room. A conference room in the building will be rented out to help generate operating funds.
On 15 March 2008 the Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
-based newspaper, The Sunday Mail
The Sunday Mail (Brisbane)
The Sunday Mail is Brisbane's only Sunday newspaper. The Sunday Mail is published in tabloid format, comprising several sections that can be extracted and read separately.-Publishing:...
, claimed there are plans to sell Australia Zoo to Animal Planet
Animal Planet
Animal Planet is an American cable tv specialty channel that launched on October 1, 1996. It is distributed by Discovery Communications. A high-definition simulcast of the channel launched on September 1, 2007.-History:...
and create a $100-million Disney-style wildlife theme park. However, Terri has publicly announced that she has no plans to sell the zoo, but is looking to expand the park. Despite rumours that she intended to return to the United States, Terri denied the claims and became an Australian citizen on 20 November 2009.
Management
The zoo is managed by Director Wes MannionWes Mannion
Wes Mannion is best known from the series The Crocodile Hunter as Steve Irwin's best friend and director of Australia Zoo.-Early life:...
. The Australia Zoo business is owned by Australia Zoo Pty Ltd, but the land on which the zoo is located, and most of the surrounding area, is owned by Silverback Properties Pty Ltd. Food courts and merchandising at the zoo are operated and maintained by Muscillo Holdings Pty Ltd.
Animals
The zoo contains a wide range of birds, mammals and reptiles.Aves
- Australasian Darter
- Green-Winged Macaw
- Scarlet MacawScarlet MacawThe Scarlet Macaw is a large, colorful macaw. It is native to humid evergreen forests in the American tropics. Range extends from extreme south-eastern Mexico to Amazonian Peru, Bolivia and Brazil in lowlands up to up to...
- Blue-and-yellow MacawBlue-and-yellow MacawThe Blue-and-Yellow Macaw , also known as the Blue-and-Gold Macaw, is a member of the group of large Neotropical parrots known as macaws. It breeds in forest and woodland of tropical South America from Trinidad and Venezuela south to Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay...
- Gouldian FinchGouldian FinchThe Gouldian Finch, Erythrura gouldiae , also known as the Lady Gouldian Finch, Gould's Finch or the Rainbow Finch, is a colorful passerine bird endemic to Australia. There is strong evidence of a continuing decline, even at the best-known site near Katherine in the Northern Territory...
- Blue-faced Parrot Finch
- Red-browed Firetail
- Chestnut-breasted Mannikin
- Star FinchStar FinchThe Star Finch is a species of estrildid finch found in Australia. It inhabits dry grassland and dry savanna habitats.-Subspecies:It has three subspecies:...
- Regent HoneyeaterRegent HoneyeaterThe Regent Honeyeater, Xanthomyza phrygia, is an endangered bird endemic to Australia. It feeds on nectar and insects within eucalyptus forests. Recent genetic research suggests it is closely related to the wattlebirds.-Distribution:...
- Lewin's HoneyeaterLewin's HoneyeaterThe Lewin's Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii, is a bird that inhabits the ranges along the east coast of Australia. It has a semicircular ear patch, pale yellow in colour.The name of this bird commemorates the Australian artist John Lewin....
- Glossy IbisGlossy IbisThe Glossy Ibis is a wading bird in the ibis family Threskiornithidae.This is the most widespread ibis species, breeding in scattered sites in warm regions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Atlantic and Caribbean region of the Americas...
- Laughing KookaburraLaughing KookaburraThe Laughing Kookaburra, Dacelo novaeguineae, is a carnivorous bird in the kingfisher family Halcyonidae. Native to eastern Australia, it has also been introduced to parts of New Zealand, Tasmania and Western Australia. Male and female adults are similar in plumage, which is predominantly brown and...
- Blue-winged KookaburraBlue-winged KookaburraThe Blue-winged Kookaburra, Dacelo leachii, is a large species of kingfisher native to northern Australia and southern New Guinea.Measuring around 40 cm , it is slightly smaller than the more familiar Laughing Kookaburra. It has cream-coloured upper- and underparts barred with brownish markings. It...
- Golden-shouldered ParrotGolden-shouldered ParrotThe Golden-shouldered Parrot is a rare bird of southern Cape York Peninsula, in Queensland, Australia. A small attractive parrot related to the more common Red-rumped Parrot, it is considered to be a superspecies with the Hooded Parrot The Golden-shouldered Parrot (Psephotus chrysopterygius) is a...
- Princess ParrotPrincess ParrotThe colourful Princess Parrot, Polytelis alexandrae, is an Australian bird of the parrot family. Its name was given in honour of Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who later married the Prince of Wales Edward VII and eventually became the Queen of England...
- Superb ParrotSuperb ParrotThe Superb Parrot , is a parrot native to southeastern Australia...
- Eclectus ParrotEclectus ParrotThe Eclectus Parrot, Eclectus roratus, is a parrot native to the Solomon Islands, Sumba, New Guinea and nearby islands, northeastern Australia and the Maluku Islands...
- Red-collared LorikeetRed-collared LorikeetThe Red-collared Lorikeet is a species of parrot found in wooded habitats in northern Australia . It is sometimes considered a subspecies of the Rainbow Lorikeet, but today most major authorities consider them as separate species...
- Red-tailed Black CockatooRed-tailed Black CockatooThe Red-tailed Black Cockatoo , also known as Banksian- or Banks' Black Cockatoo, is a large cockatoo native to Australia. This species was known as Calyptorhynchus magnificus for many decades until the current scientific name was officially conserved in 1994. It is more common in the drier parts...
- Major Mitchell's CockatooMajor Mitchell's CockatooThe Major Mitchell's Cockatoo also known as Leadbeater's Cockatoo or Pink Cockatoo, is a medium-sized cockatoo restricted to arid and semi-arid inland areas of Australia...
- Sulphur-crested CockatooSulphur-crested CockatooThe Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita, is a relatively large white cockatoo found in wooded habitats in Australia and New Guinea. They can be locally very numerous, leading to them sometimes being considered pests...
- Australian King ParrotAustralian King ParrotThe Australian King Parrot is endemic to eastern Australia. It is found in humid and heavily forested upland regions of the eastern portion of the continent, including eucalyptus wooded areas in and directly adjacent to subtropical and temperate rainforest...
- Crimson RosellaCrimson RosellaThe Crimson Rosella is a parrot native to eastern and south eastern Australia which has been introduced to New Zealand and Norfolk Island. It is commonly found in, but not restricted to, mountain forests and gardens. The species as it now stands has subsumed two former separate species, the Yellow...
- Red-winged ParrotRed-winged ParrotThe Red-winged Parrot , is a parrot native to Australia and Papua New Guinea.-Description:The Red-winged parrot is typically about 30 to 33 cm in length. Both sexes have bright red wings and a bright green body. The male birds have a black nape, lower blue back and rump with a yellow tip on their...
- Rainbow PittaRainbow PittaThe Rainbow Pitta, Pitta iris, is a bird with a velvet black head and underparts, green upperparts, pale blue shoulder and olive green tail. It has a black bill, pink legs, brown eye and reddish brown streak along each side of its crown...
- Andean CondorAndean CondorThe Andean Condor is a species of South American bird in the New World vulture family Cathartidae and is the only member of the genus Vultur...
- Wedge-tailed EagleWedge-tailed EagleThe Wedge-tailed Eagle , sometimes known as the Eaglehawk in its native range, is the largest bird of prey in Australia, but it is also found in southern New Guinea. It has long, fairly broad wings, fully feathered legs, and an unmistakable wedge-shaped tail...
- Peregrine FalconPeregrine FalconThe Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
- Barking OwlBarking OwlThe Barking Owl , also known as the Barking Boobook or Winking Owl, is a nocturnal bird species native to mainland Australia and parts of Papua New Guinea. They are a medium-sized brown owl and have an extremely characteristic voice that can range from a barking dog noise to a shrill woman-like...
- Hobby Falcon
- Australasian Grass-owl
- Whistling KiteWhistling KiteThe Whistling Kite is a medium-sized diurnal raptor found throughout Australia , New Caledonia and much of New Guinea . Also called the Whistling Eagle or Whistling Hawk, it is named for its loud whistling call, which it often gives in flight...
- CassowaryCassowaryThe cassowaries are ratites, very large flightless birds in the genus Casuarius native to the tropical forests of New Guinea, nearby islands and northeastern Australia. There are three extant species recognized today...
- EmuEmuThe Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia...
- Bush Stone-curlewBush Stone-curlewThe Bush Stone-curlew or Bush Thick-knee is a large, ground-dwelling bird endemic to Australia...
- BrolgaBrolgaThe Brolga , formerly known as the "Native Companion", is a bird in the crane family. The bird has also been given the name "Australian Crane", a term coined in 1865 by well-known ornithological artist John Gould in his Birds of Australia.The Brolga is a common gregarious wetland bird species in...
- Black-necked StorkBlack-necked StorkThe Black-necked Stork is a tall long-necked wading bird in the stork family. It is a resident species across South and Southeast Asia with a disjunct population in Australia. It lives in wetland habitats to forage for a wide range of animal prey...
Mammals
- Rufous Bettong
- GiraffeGiraffeThe giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
- CheetahCheetahThe cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
- DingoDingoThe Australian Dingo or Warrigal is a free-roaming wild dog unique to the continent of Australia, mainly found in the outback. Its original ancestors are thought to have arrived with humans from southeast Asia thousands of years ago, when dogs were still relatively undomesticated and closer to...
- EchidnaEchidnaEchidnas , also known as spiny anteaters, belong to the family Tachyglossidae in the monotreme order of egg-laying mammals. There are four extant species, which, together with the platypus, are the only surviving members of that order and are the only extant mammals that lay eggs...
- Asian ElephantAsian ElephantThe Asian or Asiatic elephant is the only living species of the genus Elephas and distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east. Three subspecies are recognized — Elephas maximus maximus from Sri Lanka, the Indian elephant or E. m. indicus from mainland Asia, and E. m....
- Binterong
- Eastern Grey KangarooEastern Grey KangarooThe Eastern Grey Kangaroo is a marsupial found in southern and eastern Australia, with a population of several million. It is also known as the Great Grey Kangaroo and the Forester Kangaroo...
- Red KangarooRed KangarooThe Red Kangaroo is the largest of all kangaroos, the largest mammal native to Australia, and the largest surviving marsupial. It is found across mainland Australia, avoiding only the more fertile areas in the south, the east coast, and the northern rainforests.-Description:This species is a very...
- Red-Necked WallabyRed-necked WallabyThe Red-necked Wallaby is a medium-sized marsupial macropod, common in the more temperate and fertile parts of eastern Australia, including Tasmania.- Description :...
- Western Grey KangarooWestern Grey KangarooThe Western Grey Kangaroo is a large and very common kangaroo or macropod, found across almost the entire southern part of Australia, from just south of Shark Bay to coastal South Australia, western Victoria, and the entire Murray-Darling Basin in New South Wales and Queensland...
- Black & White Ruffed LemurBlack-and-white ruffed lemurThe black-and-white ruffed lemur is the more endangered of the two species of ruffed lemurs, both of which are endemic to the island of Madagascar. Despite having a larger range than the red ruffed lemur, it has a much smaller population that is spread out, living in lower population densities...
- Ring-Tailed LemurRing-tailed LemurThe ring-tailed lemur is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families. It is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of Madagascar...
- Asian Small-Clawed Otter
- PonyPonyA pony is a small horse . Depending on context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. There are many different breeds...
- Mountain Brushtail PossumMountain Brushtail PossumThe Mountain Brushtail Possum, or Southern Bobuck , is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae native to southeastern Australia...
- Common Brushtail PossumCommon Brushtail PossumThe Common Brushtail Possum is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, it is native to Australia, and the largest of the possums.Like most possums, the Common Brushtail is nocturnal...
- Red PandaRed PandaThe red panda , is a small arboreal mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It is the only species of the genus Ailurus. Slightly larger than a domestic cat, it has reddish-brown fur, a long, shaggy tail, and a waddling gait due to its shorter front legs...
- Southern White Rhinoceros
- Cottontop TamarinCottontop TamarinThe cotton-top tamarin , also known as the Pinché tamarin, is a small New World monkey weighing less than 1 lb...
- Tasmanian DevilTasmanian DevilThe Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae, now found in the wild only on the Australian island state of Tasmania. The size of a small dog, it became the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world following the extinction of the thylacine in 1936...
- Sumatran TigerSumatran TigerThe Sumatran tiger is a tiger subspecies that inhabits the Indonesian island of Sumatra and has been classified as critically endangered by IUCN in 2008 as the population is projected at 176 to 271 mature individuals, with no subpopulation having an effective population size larger than 50...
- Plains zebraPlains ZebraThe plains zebra , also known as the common zebra or Burchell's zebra, is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. It ranges from the south of Ethiopia through East Africa to as far south as Angola and eastern South Africa...
- Southern Hairy Nosed Wombat
- Common WombatCommon WombatThe common wombat , also known as the coarse-haired wombat or bare-nosed wombat, is a marsupial, one of three species of wombats and the only one in the genus Vombatus. The common wombat grows to an average of long and a weight of .- Taxonomy :The common wombat was first described by George Shaw...
Reptiles
- Woma PythonWoma PythonAspidites ramsayi is a species of snake found in Australia. Once common throughout Western Australia, it has become critically endangered in some regions.One of two species of Aspidites, the Pitless pythons, an Australian genus of the Pythonidae...
- Reticulated PythonReticulated PythonPython reticulatus, also known as the reticulated python is a species of python found in Southeast Asia. Adults can grow to over 8.7 m in length but normally grow to an average of 3-6 m . They are the world's longest snakes and longest reptile, but are not the most heavily built...
- Burmese PythonBurmese PythonThe Burmese Python is the largest subspecies of the Indian Python and one of the 6 largest snakes in the world, native to a large variation of tropic and subtropic areas of Southern- and Southeast Asia. They are often found near water and are sometimes semi-aquatic, but can also be found in trees...
- Boa ConstrictorBoa constrictorThe Boa constrictor is a large, heavy-bodied species of snake. It is a member of the family Boidae found in North, Central, and South America, as well as some islands in the Caribbean. A staple of private collections and public displays, its color pattern is highly variable yet distinctive...
- Carpet PythonCarpet pythonMorelia spilota is a large snake of the Pythonidae family found in Australia, Indonesia and New Guinea. There are 6 subspecies listed by ITIS, commonly referred to as Carpet and Diamond pythons.-Description:...
- Green Tree PythonGreen Tree PythonMorelia viridis, the green tree python, is a species of python found in New Guinea, islands in Indonesia, and Cape York Peninsula in Australia.-Description:Adults average in length, with a maximum length of about 7 feet...
- Spotted PythonSpotted pythonAntaresia maculosa is a non-venomous python species found in northern Australia. A popular pet among Australian reptile enthusiasts due to its small size and even temperament. No subspecies are currently recognized.-Description:...
- Diamond Python
- Saltwater CrocodileSaltwater CrocodileThe saltwater crocodile, also known as estuarine or Indo-Pacific crocodile, is the largest of all living reptiles...
- Freshwater CrocodileFreshwater CrocodileThe freshwater crocodile , also known as the Australian freshwater crocodile, Johnston's crocodile or colloquially as freshie, is a species of reptile endemic to the northern regions of Australia...
- American AlligatorAmerican AlligatorThe American alligator , sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator, is a reptile endemic only to the Southeastern United States. It is one of the two living species of alligator, in the genus Alligator, within the family Alligatoridae...
- Komodo DragonKomodo dragonThe Komodo dragon , also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of in rare cases...
- Fiji Crested IguanaFiji Crested IguanaThe Fiji crested iguana is a critically endangered species of iguana native to some of the northwestern islands of the Fijiian archipelago, where it is found in dry forest.-Taxonomy and etymology:...
- PerentiePerentieThe Perentie is the largest monitor lizard or goanna native to Australia, and fourth largest lizard on earth, after the Komodo Dragon, crocodile monitor and the water monitor...
- Blue-tongued skink
- Eastern Water Dragon
- Lace MonitorLace monitorThe Lace Monitor, or Lace Goanna, Varanus varius, is a member of the monitor lizard family, Australian members of which are commonly known as goannas. It belongs to the subgenus Varanus....
- Shingleback lizard
- Green IguanaGreen IguanaThe Green Iguana or Common Iguana is a large, arboreal herbivorous species of lizard of the genus Iguana native to Central and South America...
- Rhino Iguana
- Aldabra Giant TortoiseAldabra Giant TortoiseThe Aldabra giant tortoise , from the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, is one of the largest tortoises in the world....
- Alligator Snapping TurtleAlligator Snapping TurtleThe alligator snapping turtle is one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world. It is not closely related to, but is often associated with the common snapping turtle. They are the sole living member of the genus Macrochelys--while common snappers are in the genus Chelydra...
- Fierce SnakeFierce SnakeThe Inland Taipan , also known as the Small Scaled Snake and Fierce Snake, is native to Australia and is regarded as the most venomous land snake in the world based on LD50 values in mice. It is a species of taipan belonging to the Elapidae family...
- Black Tiger Snake
- TaipanTaipanThe taipans are a genus of large, fast, highly venomous Australasian snakes of the elapid family.-Overview:The taipan was named by Donald Thomson after the word used by the Wik-Mungkan Aboriginal people of central Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia.There are three known species: the coastal...
- Eastern Brown SnakeEastern brown snakeThe eastern brown snake , often referred to as the common brown snake, is a species of genus Pseudonaja. This snake is considered the second most venomous land snake based on its value in mice. It is native to Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia.-Description:Adult eastern brown snakes are highly...
- Death AdderAcanthophisAcanthophis is a genus of elapid snakes. Commonly called death adders, they are native to Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands, and are among the most venomous snakes in the world...
- Mulga Snake
- Collett's SnakeCollett's SnakeThe Collett's Snake - also known as the Down's Tiger Snake, Collett's Black Snake or Colletts Cobra - is a venomous snake native to Australia...
- Red Bellied Black Snake
Exhibits
Africa
On 17 September 2011 Australia Zoo opened it's African Safari exhibit, a multi-species replica of the Serengeti ecosystem, showcasing Zebra
Zebra
Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...
, Rhino
Rhino
Rhino is a colloquial abbreviation of rhinoceros"Rhino" may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Rhino , a character from the Marvel Comics universe and sometime-foe of Spider-Man...
, Giraffe
Giraffe
The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
interacting as they would in the wild. Cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
are also on display. The exhibit includes Queensland Bottle Trees reflecting the native African Baobab tree and mock kopjes.
Tiger Temple
Opened in April 2005, this exhibit houses both Sumatran
Sumatran Tiger
The Sumatran tiger is a tiger subspecies that inhabits the Indonesian island of Sumatra and has been classified as critically endangered by IUCN in 2008 as the population is projected at 176 to 271 mature individuals, with no subpopulation having an effective population size larger than 50...
and Bengal tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
s. The exhibit was built to resemble the Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia. It is enclosed on two sides by glass, and includes an underwater viewing area.
Elephantasia
Elephantasia is a 12 acres (4.9 ha) Asian themed exhibit that opened in 2006, and is the largest Asian elephant enclosure in Australia. It includes a wading pool with a fountain, and tropical gardens with shaded areas for the zoos three elephants. Visitors can feed the elephants here in the afternoon.
South-East Asian Precinct
Other Asian animals have been moved into exhibits close to Tiger Temple and Elephantasia that have been designed to mimic their native environments. Animals in this precinct include Komodo dragon
Komodo dragon
The Komodo dragon , also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of in rare cases...
s, red panda
Red Panda
The red panda , is a small arboreal mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It is the only species of the genus Ailurus. Slightly larger than a domestic cat, it has reddish-brown fur, a long, shaggy tail, and a waddling gait due to its shorter front legs...
s, Asian small-clawed otters
Oriental Small-clawed Otter
The oriental small-clawed otter , also known as Asian small-clawed otter, is the smallest otter species in the world, weighing less than 5 kg. It lives in mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands of Bangladesh, Burma, India, southern China, Taiwan, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines,...
, and Burmese pythons
Burmese Python
The Burmese Python is the largest subspecies of the Indian Python and one of the 6 largest snakes in the world, native to a large variation of tropic and subtropic areas of Southern- and Southeast Asia. They are often found near water and are sometimes semi-aquatic, but can also be found in trees...
.
The Rainforest Aviary is an outdoor walk-through aviary with about 150 birds, most of which are native to Australia. Adjacent to the Rainforest Aviary is the Birds of Prey aviary, which holds various species of raptors
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
and other predatory birds.
Other facilities
Food CourtVisitors can eat at the open air upper story "Food Court" of the "Taj Mahal" building (which seats up to 1,500), at the Dingo Diner, or at several food vending stands around the zoo.
Transport
To get around the zoo, visitors can take Steve's Safari Shuttle, a 'modified trailered bus' that operates on a bitumen (asphalt) roadway circuit. Visitors can also hire a caddie to drive them around the zoo for the day.
Playgrounds
The zoo includes two shaded playgrounds.
Activities
Visitors can view crocodile feedings and participate in elephant feedings. Elephant feedings are on the roadway circuit at the first crossover to the internal section of the zoo in the mornings, and at 'Elephantasia' in the afternoons.There are 4 walk-through enclosures that visitors can enter and feed kangaroos
KangaROOS
KangaROOS are an American brand of sneaker originally produced from 1979 through the 1980s, with a later revival that continues in present. They were notable for having a small zippered pocket on the side of the shoe, large enough for a small amount of loose change, keys, or more recently,...
, wallaby
Wallaby
A wallaby is any of about thirty species of macropod . It is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo that has not been given some other name.-Overview:...
s, and koala
Koala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
s, and there is often an opportunity to pet a koala when staff are in the exhibit.
The zoo also offers a roving animal team that walks around the grounds throughout the day with various animals such as alligator
Alligator
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
s, bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s, and lizard
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
s. Visitors may have their photo taken with the animals and can purchase professional copies from the zoo's photo lab.
Animal rescue & rehabilitation
Wildlife Warriors
Wildlife Warriors
Wildlife Warriors, originally called the Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation, is a conservationist organization that was established in 2002 by Steve Irwin, and his wife Terri Irwin to involve and educate others in the protection of injured, threatened or endangered wildlife...
runs a rescue operation and care station for any native wildlife which may be injured in accidents outside the zoo.
This effort is now supported by the 1300 square metres (13,993.1 sq ft) Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital next to the zoo, which can care for up to 10,000 animals per year, with two operating theaters, two treatment rooms, intensive care units for mammals, birds, and reptiles, and a CAT scan room. The hospital is named in honor of Steve Irwin's mother Lynn Irwin, who died in a car accident in 2000.
International Crocodile Rescue (ICR)
The zoo also runs International Crocodile Rescue, which helps capture and (if necessary) relocate "problem crocodiles." The organization currently has five locations in Australia and another five worldwide, all equipped to handle capture and relocation. The zoo has taken in many of the captured crocodiles when it was deemed that they could not be relocated and released. The Crocodile rescue unit runs a rehabilitation facility on the grounds of Australia Zoo that can house full grown male saltwater crocodiles.
Croc One
Croc One is Australia Zoos research vessel that is used around Australia to conduct marine and land based research. Its most notable usage is for the "Crocs in space" program led by Professor Craig Franklin of the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
. Croc One is also the vessel on which Steve Irwin died after his heart was pierced by a stingray barb. Croc One is moored at Mooloolaba wharf.
Whale One
Whale One is a custom built commercial usage vessel owned and operated by the Australia Zoo for whale watching at Mooloolaba. It is moored along with Croc One at Mooloolaba wharf.
Other zoo properties
Steve Irwin Wildlife ReserveThis 135000 hectares (333,592 acre) property was acquired with the assistance of the Australian government as part of the National Reserve System Programme. It is located on the Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula
Cape York Peninsula is a large remote peninsula located in Far North Queensland at the tip of the state of Queensland, Australia, the largest unspoilt wilderness in northern Australia and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on Earth...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, and contains spring fed wetlands that provide a water source to threatened habitat and the Wenlock River.
Iron Bark Station (Blackbutt)
Australia Zoo purchased the 3500 acres (1,416.4 ha) Iron Bark Station located at Blackbutt
Blackbutt, Queensland
Blackbutt is a town in the South Burnett region of Queensland, Australia. The town is located on the D'Aguilar Highway, in the South Burnett Local Government Area, 166 kilometres north west of the state capital, Brisbane. At the 2006 census, Blackbutt had a population of 572.European settlement...
, Queensland in 1994. It is part of the great dividing Range, where the East coast meets the dry West. An additional 325 acres (131.5 ha) was purchased in 1994 to save a dwindling koala population, with fewer than 12 koalas left in the area. Management immediately commenced reforestation, including 44,000 eucalypt
Eucalypt
Eucalypts are woody plants belonging to three closely related genera:Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora.In 1995 new evidence, largely genetic, indicated that some prominent Eucalyptus species were actually more closely related to Angophora than to the other eucalypts; they were split off into the...
trees for Koalas. In 1998, another 325 acres (131.5 ha) was purchased. In 1999, a 5 acres (2 ha) release facility was established to rehabilitate native marsupials the area. Another 1000 acres (404.7 ha) was purchased in 1999 with funds from the Lynn Irwin Memorial fund (now Wildlife Warriors Worldwide), and another 1800 acres (728.4 ha) was added in 2002. In 2007, Bob Irwin became full time manager of the station.
Heathland
The zoo purchased 250 acres (101.2 ha) of Australian heathland in 2002 to help preserve endangered flora and fauna of the area. Animals that can be found on this property include black cockatoos (red-tailed
Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
The Red-tailed Black Cockatoo , also known as Banksian- or Banks' Black Cockatoo, is a large cockatoo native to Australia. This species was known as Calyptorhynchus magnificus for many decades until the current scientific name was officially conserved in 1994. It is more common in the drier parts...
, yellow-tailed
Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo
The Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo is a large cockatoo native to the south-east of Australia measuring 55–65 cm in length. It has a short crest on the top of its head. Its plumage is mostly brownish black and it has prominent yellow cheek patches and a yellow tail band...
, and glossy), species of glider including greater gliders
Greater Glider
The Greater Glider is a small gliding marsupial found in Australia. It is not closely related to the Petaurus group of gliding marsupials but instead to the Lemur-like Ringtail Possum , with which it shares the subfamily Hemibelideinae.The Greater Glider is nocturnal and is a solitary herbivore...
, sugar glider
Sugar Glider
The sugar glider is a small gliding possum originating from the marsupial family.The sugar glider is native to eastern and northern mainland Australia and is also native to New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago.- Habitat :Sugar gliders can be found all throughout the northern and eastern parts of...
s, squirrel gliders
Squirrel Glider
The Squirrel Glider is a nocturnal gliding possum, one of the wrist-winged gliders of the genus Petaurus.-Habitat:...
, and feathertail glider
Feathertail Glider
The Feathertail Glider , also known as the Pygmy Gliding Possum, Pygmy Glider, Pygmy Phalanger, Flying Phalanger and Flying Mouse, is the world's smallest gliding possum and is named for its long feather-shaped tail. Although only the size of a very small mouse , it can leap and glide up to 25 metres...
, acid frogs, echidna
Echidna
Echidnas , also known as spiny anteaters, belong to the family Tachyglossidae in the monotreme order of egg-laying mammals. There are four extant species, which, together with the platypus, are the only surviving members of that order and are the only extant mammals that lay eggs...
s, antechinus
Antechinus
Antechinus is a genus of dasyurid marsupial that is indigenous to Australia and New Guinea. The majority of Antechinus species occur in Australia and only two species have been described in New Guinea...
, Richmond birdwing butterflies
Ornithoptera richmondia
The Richmond Birdwing is a species of birdwing butterfly that is endemic to Australia. It is the second smallest of the birdwing species, the smallest being Ornithoptera meridionalis.-Distribution:...
, and platypus
Platypus
The platypus is a semi-aquatic mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young...
.
Westbore (St. George)
The 84000 acres (33,993.6 ha) Westbore property, located outside St George in the Southwestern corner of Queensland, was purchased to help conserve the semi arid ecosystems and wildlife in that part of the country. It is located on the edge of acacia woodland in what is known as the "Brigalow Belt".
Incidents
In March 2008, the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital was accused of animal 'cruelty' and of breaking Australian law 13 times by not releasing rehabilitated koalas within their prescribed habitats. The Environment Protection Association said that they are now monitoring and investigating why the Koalas were not released correctly. Hospital officials have defended their actions on the grounds that injured koalas found near busy roads or in urban developments cannot safely be released to the same areas.In January 2009, a senior keeper was attacked by a male Bengal Tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
. The keeper suffered a deep bite wound to his left calf muscle tearing part of it, requiring 18 stitches. Australia Zoo no longer keeps that particular animal, which now resides at Cairns Wildlife Safari Reserve
Cairns Wildlife Safari Reserve
Cairns Wildlife Safari Reserve is a zoological park outside Kuranda, Queensland, Australia. The park is privately owned and operated by Jenny Jattke, and is currently for sale...
in Cairns.
A second incident two months later involving a Sumatran Tiger
Sumatran Tiger
The Sumatran tiger is a tiger subspecies that inhabits the Indonesian island of Sumatra and has been classified as critically endangered by IUCN in 2008 as the population is projected at 176 to 271 mature individuals, with no subpopulation having an effective population size larger than 50...
also saw a keeper taken to hospital. This attack was only minor, and the keeper only required two stitches.
Construction of an artificial island (to represent the island of Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
), began in 2006, which will accommodate African animals such as tortoise
Tortoise
Tortoises are a family of land-dwelling reptiles of the order of turtles . Like their marine cousins, the sea turtles, tortoises are shielded from predators by a shell. The top part of the shell is the carapace, the underside is the plastron, and the two are connected by the bridge. The tortoise...
s, lemur
Lemur
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
s and other species not yet represented, will be completed during stage two of the Zoo's Africa exhibit.
See also
- Steve IrwinSteve IrwinStephen Robert "Steve" Irwin , nicknamed "The Crocodile Hunter", was an Australian television personality, wildlife expert, and conservationist. Irwin achieved worldwide fame from the television series The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series which he co-hosted...
- Terri IrwinTerri IrwinTheresa Penelope "Terri" Irwin, AM is an Australian-based, American-born naturalist, author, the widow of Australian naturalist Steve Irwin and owner of Australia Zoo at Beerwah, Queensland, Australia...
- Bindi IrwinBindi IrwinBindi Sue Irwin is the daughter of The Crocodile Hunter star Steve Irwin. Bindi is a child celebrity who has tried her hand at acting, singing, songwriting, dancing, and rapping...
- Wildlife WarriorsWildlife WarriorsWildlife Warriors, originally called the Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation, is a conservationist organization that was established in 2002 by Steve Irwin, and his wife Terri Irwin to involve and educate others in the protection of injured, threatened or endangered wildlife...
- Wes MannionWes MannionWes Mannion is best known from the series The Crocodile Hunter as Steve Irwin's best friend and director of Australia Zoo.-Early life:...