Healesville Sanctuary
A few weeks ago we got a card in the post from Zoos Victoria. An invitation to be a Zoo Traveller; visit all three of the Victorian zoos, and be in with a chance to win a trip. When the boys saw the passports they instantly decided that they had to collect all the stamps and complete the challenge.
Not one to stand in the way of an adventure, we started with Healesville Sanctuary. We had never been before, and a new experience felt like a good way start. First up, plan our trip around the zoo to get the questions answered, with as little animal viewing as possible.
“Hmm, let us see… what route minimizes animal exposure, avoids anywhere Mum can stop and say, ‘Oh, isn’t that amazing!, and, “Boys, look at the wonders of nature’, but maximizes our chances of winning a trip to San Diego, hmm…We need to sit down and plan this carefully!”
Well, I foiled their plan. I’d heard that the Spirits of the Sky show was not to be missed, so I decided we weren’t going to miss it. Take that, boys! There was a bit of a wait before the show, just enough time for some toddlers to start demanding time out of strollers, and non toddlers demanding we go somewhere “funner”.
The show was worth the wait, and the annoying kids. The birds were spectacular, and it was great to see a Wedge-tailed Eagle, the largest birds of pray in Australia, fly low right over our heads.
One of the competition questions was about Tasmanian Devils. So we quickly passed lots of animals to get to the answers. I vowed to go back and have a proper look.
This was our first encounter with Tasmanian Devils, and can I say I was disappointed? I don’t know what I was expecting, but I was not expecting them to be so ugly.
I prefer Taz. Boy does this clip bring back memories. See if you can remember the lyrics? I am shamed to admit I did a pretty good job with them, oh my misspent youth!
Welcome to the land that’s way under, down under,
the sky’s always yellow in the rain or shine…
Down in Taz-Mania,
Come to Taz-Mania.
Where topsy meets turvy and they start to spin,
Like a Tazmanian devil and his closest kin.
Down in Taz-Mania,
Come to Taz-Mania.
Mom’s a live wire, dad’s a bump on a log,
Molly’s all fired up while Jake plays with the dog.
Down in Taz-Mania,
Come to Taz-Mania.
Digeri Dingo and Wendel T. Wolf,
Francis X. Bushlad is never uncouth.
Bushwacker Bob and his mother called Mum,
Constance and Thickley just want to have fun.
Bull Gator and Axl are always left sore,
If you have a deal just call Buddy Boar,
The Platypus brothers are a-backin’ about,
The kiwi, the bushrats, have we left anyone out?
Oh yea, don’t forget Taz…
He put the Taz in Taz-Mania,
Down in Tazmania,
Come to Tazmania,
We mean you!
We did get to meet a baby Taz, and she was a little cuter than the fully grown ones. The keeper was really in love with her, and that was lovely to see. And it proves that a Mamma will love her baby no matter how ugly said baby is. Three cheers for Mamma love 🙂
This is a real hands on zoo. They have huge walk through aviary where you can feed, and handle a variety of birds. And I convinced the boys to have a look.
They were glad they did. IrishDoom fed a Scaly-breasted Lorikeet. Sound scary, don’t they? Scaly anything makes me think reptile. But they were really cute, and their tongues are amazing, kind of like a paint brush at the end to pick up nectar and pollen. It was really cool to see the birds so close and personal. They were flying overhead, and we were all hoping we didn’t get pooped on.
Here he is feeding a Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, another Australia native. IrishDoom said it was really heavy!
There were a lot of birds in Healsville, but this one is considered a pest by some, and wanders around the zoo, preying on visitors. Meet the ibis, another Australia native.
These are cheeky birds, and not easily scared off. They have been know to snatch food right out of people’s hands. There were signs everywhere saying not to feed them, but I’m not sure the birds read the signs. We ended up leaving this picnic table because the birds descended on us en-mass trying to help themselves to our food.
They are very brave, and those long beaks are scary. Shoo, shoo doesn’t work, and none of us wanted a beak in the eye!
We found a huge nest, but what could have made it? Hmmmm…
We soon found out when one kid got eaten by a dinosaur. It was nice knowing ya kid!
