Plains Wanderers wander into the wild
TARONGA Western Plains Zoo opened its gates this week, just days after some of the zoo’s most endangered native animals were released back into the wild.
As regional travel opened up and the zoo’s front of house staff were welcoming their guests, behind the scenes workers hadn’t let the Covid-19 lockdowns stop the vital work of bolstering native animal populations in the wild. In this case, eight tiny Plains-wanderers which had been bred at Taronga’s Sydney and Dubbo zoos were released into Victoria’s Northern Plains.
Taronga Western Plains Zoo director Steve Hinks said Monday’s reopening was in accordance with the current NSW public health orders.
Visitor numbers were capped to ensure safe distancing throughout the zoo and all guests required to pre-purchase tickets online for a specific date.
“Our region has been hard hit by the recent Covid-19 outbreak, so it is great to be at a point where we can safely reopen again and provide some much-needed respite to families for the purpose of recreation and spending time outdoors,”
Mr Hinks said.
“Whilst we have been temporarily closed to the public, our dedicated staff have continued to take care of the animals at the zoo and undertake maintenance work throughout the site to ensure the zoo is ready for reopening.”
Other measures in place include: z Zoo Friends members and complimentary ticket holders will also be required to register their visit online before attending the zoo z In line with the NSW Public Health Order, the zoo will be
open to:
- People aged 16 years and over who are fully vaccinated
- People aged 16 years and over who are medically exempt from vaccination
- All young people aged under 16 z Masks must be worn in indoor spaces, indoor exhibits and viewing areas, with capacity limits in these areas z Keeper talks, animal encounters and tours will not resume at this time. However guests will be able to view virtual keeper talks
on their handheld devices while in the zoo grounds
Taronga Western Plains Zoo will continue to carefully follow all safe distancing guidelines:
z Additional cleaning will be undertaken, particularly around bathrooms, food service areas and hard surfaces in frequently visited areas
z Overnight experiences will have a staggered reopening timeframe, with Zoofari Lodge (October 18), Billabong Camp (October 23) and Savannah Cabins (November 1).
z Signage encouraging safe distancing and hygiene measures has been installed throughout the Zoo, along with sanitisation stations.
Staff are hoping that the tiny Plains-wanderers, now outside the zoo gates for the first time, will be able to keep their social distance from any predators.
“Wild populations of Plains-wanderers have declined dramatically, maybe more than 90 per cent, in the past 20 years. with estimates suggesting there are fewer than 1000 individuals across the two remaining wild habitats in the Northern Plains of Victoria and the Riverina in New South Wales.”