Nowra Wildlife Park, Part 2

Hi again!
More animals from the Nowra Wildlife Park!  To answer Candace's question...

This peacock keeps strutting his stuff!

What do kangaroos eat.  They are strict herbivores and eat mostly grass and fungi, although some species will eat shrubs.  Their teeth are specially adapted for chewing the abrasive silica in grass by falling out as they get worn with new teeth taking their place.  Kangaroos, even though their diet is similiar to that of cows, do not produce methane gas!  The hydrogen byproducts of fermentation is converted into acetate which is used as energy by the kangaroos.  Scientists are considering trying to transfer the bacteria into cows to reduce greenhouse gases!

What's the first thing you think about when you think about Australia?  Kangaroos.   Kangaroos are a national symbol of Australia.  But there are lots of them here (15 -50 million in the harvested areas) and the government has a harvesting plan for the 4 most common kangaroos and 2 wallabies.  The quotas are renewed every year and based on population size and trends and long term climate projections.  Kangaroos are like deer in America.  They are often hit by cars and signs warning about kangaroos are common.  Since a large male can be up to 2 metres (6 ' 7 ") tall and weigh up to 90 kg (200 lbs), they can do a lot of damage.

The EU and Russia are the largest importers of kangaroo meat which has a well-flavored, slightly gamey taste. Kangaroo meat contains very little saturated fat (2%?) and is high in protein, zinc and iron.  Other exports or products are skins and leather.  Kangaroo leather is very strong and lightweight.  Most international soccer shoes are made with it.

Kookaburra not sitting in the old gum tree

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree.  Merry, merry king of the bush is he.  Laugh, kookaburra, laugh.  Gay your life must be.

Do you know that song?  Or do I just remember it cuz I'm fascinated with Australia?  Kookaburras are kingfishers and are best known for their call which sounds like loud, rather hysterical human laughter.  They are found in habitats ranging from humid forest to arid savanna, but also in suburban and residential areas near running water and where food can be searched for easily.  I hear them regularly where I'm staying.  Maniacal! Kookaburras are carnivores eating lizards, snakes, insects, mice, other small birds, and raw meat.

Eddie, the alpha male dingo.  Yes, it was raining.

Did Meryl Streep's character kill her daughter? Or did a dingo really take the infant?  A Cry in the Dark was released in America and released as Evil Angels in Australia in 1988, 2 months after Lindy Chamberlain was pardoned.  Dingoes are related to dogs and wolves. The majority of dingoes are hybrids with domesticated dogs.  So purebred dingoes are classified as vulnerable (just under endangered).  They are Australia's largest terrestrial predator and are considered a pest by sheep ranchers.  These dingoes looked and acted like skinny dogs.  Apparently, they would be considered fat by wild dingoes. All of the dingoes here are from the same litter except the smallest one which is the pup of the dominant female and not subject to pack order.  Males constantly vie to be leader of the pack.  Defeated males go to the bottom and are mistreated by all members of the pack. They seemed to be very smart, can jump high and climb trees; two of them have escaped from the habitat multiple times despite improvements.

This is not John, the croc.  It's a cousin.

Oh yeah!  John the croc!  John is the Park's saltie.   Salt water crocodiles don't have to live in salt water.  They can live in brackish or even fresh water.  However, they are ectothermic, that is, they regulate body temperature mostly by exchanging heat with its surrounding and thus, like warm water and are found only in Australia's northern states.   Salties are the world's biggest reptile and can grow to 6 meters (20') long - yikes!  John is 3.6 meters (12'), about average.  Dawn, John's mate is 2.6 meters (8.6').  They are named after the founders of the Park.  Highly territorial (200 square meters), they are opportunistic eaters.  They like easy meat and usually sit in the water and wait for unsuspecting prey.  The black dots on their nose are vibration sensors which is why their prey can't see them.  They are usually only dangerous to humans who are foolish.  Crocs are fast, especially in water and potential prey should stay out of range. Female crocs are mature at 10-12 years while males take at least 16 years to mature.  Females lay 40-60 eggs on land and carry hatchlings to the water in her mouth.

What a cool looking bird! - Cassowary

I wanted to see koalas, kangaroos, and kookaburras.  I wanted to see a platypus and a dingo and a crocodile. These are the animals I think of when I think of Australia.  I saw all of these except the platypus.  I asked the owner, Nick, why he didn't have a platypus.  He said the cost of building and maintaining a decent habitat would be very high as would be the platypus' food bill.  He is getting 4 lions in June 2011 and the habitat and food costs for them are less than it would be for one platypus.  Besides, his patrons would rather have the lions.  I came to Australia to see Australian animals.  I'd rather see the platypus.  Ah, well. I did see other Australian animals I hadn't thought of.

Emu and cassowary are both indigenous to Australia and have similar structure.  Emu have black and white or brown and white feathers on its body while the cassowary's feathers are a lustrous black.  The primary difference is the coloration of the neck and head.  Emu skin is pale blue and the top of its head has patches of black downy feathers.  The cassowary skin is bright blue with orange wattles.  It has a hard crest on top of its head.  They are gorgeous but apparently very shy and bad tempered.  Guinea fowl also have the bony ridge on top of its head and color similar to that of the cassowary.  Its slate grey body feathers have round white dots on them.

Guinea hens

Wombats.  I thought wombats were a type of bat.  On my walks, I saw signs warning about what I thought was a wild piglike animal.  Well, it turns out they are for wombats, a nocturnal  marsupial with sandy brown or grey to black fur.  Wombats can get up to 1 meter (39 in) long and weigh 20 - 35 kg (44 - 77 lb).  The weirdest thing about wombats is that their pouch is backward facing so that dirt doesn't enter their pouch when they are digging their burrows.  They have been known to suffocate dogs that follow them into their burrows by crushing them against the side. I haven't seen a wild one yet although there is one that comes around the house.  We see its scat.

Wombat

I'm not all that into reptiles, but they were there and they are Australian.  So.... I have to admit that the Frilled Lizard is very cool, the Blue Tongue lizard's tongue really is really blue, and the Lace Goanna, a monitor lizard, is big (4') and creepy.  I saw that tiger snakes, the 4th most venomous snake in the world can look very different.  One was striped orange and white with a bluish background and light bluish white belly and the other was black with a green belly.  The water python with its beautiful irridescent skin is thought to be the rainbow serpent of aboriginal mythology.

Then there were the birds.  Lots of birds.  A variety of gorgeous Lorikeets, Parrots, Cockatoos (the GangGang male has a ridiculous red crest), Plovers, etc.  I  had a wonderful day and it was well worth the $16 admission/adult.  Now, if only I could see some of these animals in the wild.

HaHaHa HaHaHa HaHaHaHaHa Ha Ha Ha!!!

Rainbow Lorikeet - Gorgeous!

That's my imitation of a Kookaburra!
Cyn

PS:  The Shoalhaven Ski Park is right next to Nowra Animal Park.  I'm so used to thinking about snow skiing.  I wondered briefly how they could have skiing here!  Then I realized it was water skiing that was offered.  Duh!