The Wild Reed: A Visit to Sydney's Taronga Zoo

On Thursday, July 27, I visited Taronga Zoo in Sydney with my brother and his wife. It had been over 20 years since I last visited this well-known zoo situated on the shores of Sydney Harbour in the suburb of Mosman and opened in 1916.

Taronga is an Aboriginal word meaning beautiful view.

Above: As I'm sure is the case with most folks who visit Taronga Zoo, we did so by catching a ferry from Sydney's Circular Quay.

Above: The lower-level entrance of Taronga Zoo.

Divided into eight zoogeographic regions, the 28-hectare (69-acre) Taronga Zoo is home to over 4,000 animals of 350 species. It has a zoo shop, a cafe, and information centre.

Above: A female red kangaroo, also known as a "blue flyer."

Above: A plains zebra, also known as
the common zebra or Burchell's zebra.

Above: Ibex.

Above: Asian elephants.

Above: A giraffe.

Above: Meerkats.

Above: A bongo.

Above and right: Built in 1915, the Elephant Temple was one of the first buildings at Taronga Zoo.

Notes the Zoo: "Many of [the building's] original features remain. The wooden floor has been worn smooth by many elephants' feet. . . . A large bath originally stood in the grounds of the temple [below]. Elephants entered the water via a stepped ramp. The bath was demolitioned in 1985. . . . [The Elephant Temple] is one of only a few of its kind in the world and is now heritage listed."