Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Werribee Open Range Zoo....PART 1.


Mia and I followed the School bus to the Werribee Open Range Zoo with the Prep kids on board. We payed for our ticket and entered the Park. Greeted by signs made of metal. I thought we were off to a great start. I love this sort of art. To our left, we were welcomed by birdlife that Mia aptly named "Geeks", LOL. We later found out they are actually Cape Barren Geese, they come all this way to Victoria to the Open Range Zoo to reproduce.

Botswana Walk to the left, Open Range Bus right..

Mia and the "Geeks"...sounds like a band name, LOL.

Then we walked along and we could see Zebra grazing alongside Antelope, they looked at us in between munching on their grassy breakfasts.

The metal kind of Zebra... cheap to run right?? LOL

The school kids entered and we sat with them to have some morning tea, a loo stop and then onto the tour bus. Rebecca was our tour guide and driver of the space age bus. Hydraulic lifts pull the steps up and in, the doors close and the windows come down to enclose us in the bus.



First stage of the tour is the Australian Enclosure, Emu's Wallabies, Kangaroos and lots of "Geeks" were in there. The Emu's seemed to be having a bit of a dispute at the time, the roos bounced off out of the way. I could not get a clear shot of these animals, as the tour bus was right up close to the fence and it is about 4 metres high to keep the roos and the emus in.





Second Part of the tour was the North American Region. We entered through a gate into a large expanse. There were Bisen, 3 boy babies called "Pumpkins" because of their orange coats. We learned that the Bisen's horns are made of Keratin, just like our fingernails are.



Next we saw the Mongolian Wild Horses, 3 females and one male originating from China. There is an extensive breeding programme going on here and if the females are pregnant right now, then we should see some babies in 11 months time from now coming into the World.



Next we went into the Arid Region of Africa, and observed Oryx and the Dromodary Camel living in harmony. There was, once again, one male to the three female camels...got a feeling the males are very lucky here at the Open Range Zoo, LOL.




The next reserve was the Wetland African Area of Botswana. We could see "Harry" the Hippo lazing by the waterway there. Noted that males have two nodule looking things just above their nostrils, this identifies them as males because they have two massive canine teeth hidden there. They fight with their teeth and if threatened, all they need do is yawn widely to flash them pearly canines.....hell, I would run away too!!!
Ironically, their IVORY teeth make for their demise by poachers in the Congo, they are almost wiped out now and so, the breeding programme is a must here. Go the boys, and give in the girls, LOL.



The Hybrid Giraffe, looking right at the camera.


17 Year Old Giraffe..AKA Retired Stud Giraffe.

The largest reserve was where we got to see the Giraffe's. One was a Hybrid Giraffe, there for retirement. He is a non-breeder. The other, a Mixed Bag kinda Giraffe, a 17 year old boy who has soiled his oats all over Australia in the name of saving the Giraffe's.....yep, he got lotsa chillins running about.....he is there for retirement sake now. I must say, he was a fine looking boy. Apparently, everyone in da hood likes hangin' with Giraffes, because they are tall and can see predators approaching first. Hence, if they scarper, so will their co habitants.



This was a decline we took after seeing the handsome Giraffes....down into another part of the Open Reserve...which I will tell about in my next post in a few days time....so stay tuned EVEREE-BOD-DEE....



26 comments:

Bibi said...

I love visiting your blog because it's like taking a mini trip w/o ever leaving home.

Sorry to hear about your friend Don. Nice tribute you/Credence made to him.

Keshi said...

wut a beautiful zoo! I love the Hippo pic and the giraffe ones.

Keshi.

Anonymous said...

I love the open range zoo, i love the meercat cafe... STace and I had our second honey moon ( one week after our first honeymoon there).

The filtration system for the rhinos is ingenious, i wont say anything here incase i ruin the suprise on the next post:)

Geeks :)
like me

Anonymous said...

I would hang with the Giraffes, too. What a nice trip and very cool pictures frosted with little bits of knowledge. Can't wait for part 2.

Anonymous said...

Hi Cazzie,
I really hope my driving wasn't too bad, and I didn't give you information overload. Oh hang on, it wasn't me, it was another Rebecca. Dang these Rebecca's, we are everywhere.
HooRoo
Rebecca

Anonymous said...

Another oft mentioned place on my to do list. You spur me on.

Lucy said...

That bus is very fun.
Very byeatiful soo!!
I think Australian zoos are very huge.

Anonymous said...

Hey, I stumbled across your blog while checking in at Flat Coke & Flies.

I couldn't believe that you lived in the same Country as me, let alone the same state.

Anyhoo, I just wanted to let you know that I'd popped in.

Hope you don't mind me leaving a comment.

By the way, I love the Open Range Zoo too. There is sooo much for the kids to do - not a chance of boredom.

Anonymous said...

So when do you want company?????

One day... before I go I'm coming here for suggestions.

S.

Queen Of Cheese said...

The buffalo are very pretty aren't they? I take them for granted here in Oklahoma (Indian Country)but to think they are an exhibit a half-world away really makes you think. We give buffalo meat as part of our food package to tribal families and it's very good, I can see why our ancestors were so healthy....it's almost too lean!

Romeo Morningwood said...

Awesome field trip post!
I posted one a year ago when a seriously psychotic Emu tried to kill all of the kids in my group..it was like a full-on Velociraptor attack in Jurassifrickin Park!
Obviously direct descendents of dinosurs.

Australia has a much better climate for displaying wildlife. I am glad that you liked our Bison, Americans call them buffalo,
anyway our ancestors desperately tried to eradicate them during the late 1800s when they slaughtered about 80 million of them just for their skins.

I love field trips because you remember how 'magical' animals are when you hear the kids talking about them. It is so cute.

Betty said...

That looks like a wonderful zoo. And what a great bus!

Cazzie!!! said...

Bibi, I am glad you did come and visit again, it makes me smile. Credence, yes, it was apt for Don.

Keshi, me too, the hippo was sooo cute.

Aidan, Great place to honeymoon for sure, we were married next door at the mansion.
That part of the tour where the guide spoke of the filtration system, I missed it :( I know she mentiond it, I was concentrating on taking Harry's pic :( Feel free to mak comment on it or blog it, I would love to know.

Gawilli, thankyou, I am glad you liked it. I could not stop smiling the whole time I was there. It was thrilling!!

Rebecca, you are a dag!!! There is only one Ma-Becca.

Andrew, well, you best be on your way, it is just so thrilling, I absolutely loved it there. Take your little neice or nephew when they are old enough to enjoy :)

Lucy, I am glad you enjoy this tour of mine. I like to read`about your adventures also.

Little Miss Kylie, welcome to my humble blog :) I heart FC&F, she is just gorjus!!!
Yes, the Zoo keeps the older kids like me entertained also...justan amazing place to be, and right in my own backyard too.

Farmwifetwo, anytime, I will put the kettle on and we can have coffee, or sip tea like two old birds in rocking chairs out on the verandah :)

MrsCoach, you know, I was just so thrilled on that tour bu I know they aren't that spectacular looking but, my, what beasts to look at!! Here we have Roo meat is the only red meat that has no cholesterol and the leanest red meat you can get. It also has double the iron content of beef. My hubby fed it tome after I got out of hospital a few years back to bring my iron levels up to par. It has a very gamey taste, but I liked it. So I guess it is similar with our Ancestors here too.
I love learning from my blogmates half a World away :)

Homo Esc, I love that you can teach me things about the animals here in my post. LOL at the Psycho Emu, I can just imagine it, how freaking scary. Yes, the kids have been speaking of their field trip, and I love hearing their interpretation of the animals' habitats.

Betty, that bus was awesome indeed!!!

Jay said...

So cool. I love zoos and wildlife preserves. One of my dreams is to go on a sight seeing safari in Africa.

Cinders said...

I can't believe I've never been there. Thanks for the tour.

Cazzie!!! said...

Jay, I know, mine too, but this was so awesome, the reserve is just great.

Linda, you MUST take your son, he will LOVE it and so will you.

captain corky said...

I can't wait to take my youngin on adventures to the zoo. Great pics!

Cazzie!!! said...

Captain, your youngin' will be soo excited too :)

general_boy said...

Oh cool! They have ducks! DUCKS I TELLS YA!!! ;)

Cazzie!!! said...

GB, LOL, yeahhhh.

Anonymous said...

Filtration works on cycling of water through a reed bed, so the phino poop, fertilises the reads, which grow remove the poop, oxegenate the water which is recycled back through, which then gathers more rhino poop.

Cycles to clean the water, the water gets cleaner the reeds get fertilised and the rhinos stay healthy:)

G-Man said...

Cazzie, That was the neatest looking tour bus in the world. I've never seen one like that before..Great Pics..
Now on to part 2!!

Momentary Madness said...

Amazing I've never been to anything like it in my life.Paddy

Dayngr said...

Fantastic photos!

Dayngr
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Cazzie!!! said...

Aidan, so sorry I never checked back until now.,.I have been caring for a sick friend and helping her move in with us.
Great work on the hippo filtration, thanks for teaching me :)

Gman, I was sooo wrapped to be going in it too, like a big kid was I!!

Paddy, it is way cool :)

Dayngr, will visit your blogs now :)

Anonymous said...

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