The Taronga zoo is always a great place to spend an afternoon in Sydney. It's a pleasant fifteen minute ferry ride from downtown to the zoo.
What koalas do best: sleeping.
You can't tell from this shot, but just behind the giraffes is a spectacular view of Sydney Harbour, Opera House and all. I loved seeing the giraffes. We caught a zookeeper talk and learned some new things about giraffes.
- Giraffes have the largest eyes and hearts of all land mammals
- Their tongues are dark because of melanin, which keeps their tongues from getting burned
- Like humans, giraffes have just seven bones in their necks
- The ossicones, or horns, on a giraffe's head are made of cartilage
- Giraffe gestation lasts about fifteen months
- A giraffe gives birth standing up so that the impact of the fall jump starts the baby giraffe's vital organs
Unlike most other big cats, tigers don't roar and they love to swim.
After seeing gorillas in Rwanda, I couldn't miss watching them play here at the zoo!
