grizabella

I wouldn't kick them out- it's their choice where and what they want to do each day. I've seen Willow outside twice, but only very briefly. If they are not comfortable in being outdoors for very long, then to force it would cause them much stress. I'd rather have happy orangs than optimum viewing for visitors. Maybe a larger indoor exhibit with better viewing opportunities could improve Taronga's? Our orangutans at Adelaide Zoo are also often out of sight. They usually sit at the very back of the enclosure, or indoors if they have access. I don't think I've seen them really climbing in over a year. I think the best place to see orangutans in Australia by far is Melbourne Zoo, followed by Perth.

What a perfect name for her, very special. :) Pleased to meet you, Reason!

A few pics today, as usual there are more on Flickr for anyone interested in seeing the rest. :) I must admit, I'm really happy with today's photos, the orangutans especially were wonderful today. Tabah by PANgrizabella, on Flickr Kluet by PANgrizabella, on Flickr Kluet by PANgrizabella, on Flickr Karta by PANgrizabella, on Flickr Karta by PANgrizabella, on Flickr

You can have just about anything as a pet in parts of the US. I don't understand why anyone would want a pet Fennec fox, they are not domesticated and should be allowed to live as in as close to a natural situation as possible if they are in captivity. With so many people unable even to responsibly care for something like a dog or a cat, it is madness to breed an animal like this to keep as pets. They are stunningly beautiful little animals, and so fascinating. :)

Happy birthday Bruno! He looks an absolute sweetheart, such a beautiful face. :)

If I could not get a purebred from a breeder, I would buy a rescue dog. I would not purchase a dog from a pound or shelter, I'd want my dog to have been through a foster home first so I'd have a better idea if the dog is likely to be a suitable match for me and my lifestyle. My preference would be to get a dog through breed specific rescue as, much as I love mixed breed dogs as individuals, I have always preferred pure breeds and I like to have a general idea of what the dog will be. I would only purchase a dog from a shelter if there was genuinely no other way of obtaining a dog other than byb, pet shop or puppy farm.

Oh, those Rotties! They truly are gorgeous dogs, certainly on my 'one day' list. And casowner, Wolff is absolutely stunning! Both he and Azure sound amazing dogs. What an honour to share your life with them. :) I have no useful advice for the OP, but I hope you find the perfect dog for your needs.

Those are both beautiful shots! And yes, that is indeed Nhu. It would be lovely to meet sometime, I'm there volunteering once a week so I'm sure an opportunity will arise.

It is quite upsetting to see Akbar pace. I guess it's a hard habit for him to break even though he's living in a much nicer environment than in his younger days. It is funny to think that I could have been standing next to you, completely oblivious! Nhu can be a difficult creature to photograph as she's so active. I use an Olympus E-520 with a 300mm lens. The lens is very good for close-ups of animals at the zoo, but unfortunately is not great in low light situations (like the chimp house at Monarto!). What do you use?

Loving the pictures of your beautiful pair. Fritz is such a gorgeous little fellow!

He's definitely been getting greyer and greyer, bless his heart! He's not had an easy life. He was taken to the wild to be kept as a pet, and later lived in a small cage at a Malaysian zoo. Unfortunately, he paces a lot, which is something from his early days.

Yes, we have Sumatran tigers at Adelaide Zoo (and I believe most tigers in Australia are Sumatran). I think they are the prettiest tiger subspecies. I'm not sure if there are any 'pure' Bengal tigers in captivity, from what I've read a lot of 'Bengal' tigers in zoos are more 'generic tigers'. It is good fun once you start getting to know a lot of the individual animals. :)

Some pics from Adelaide Zoo on Sunday. :) Nhu the young gibbon. I actually won the competition to name her, so she has a special place in my heart. She's such a cute little ape! Nhu by PANgrizabella, on Flickr Dusky Langur... I think this may be Jingga, the first son of the breeding pair, but I've gotten a bit behind on what's happening in langurland! Dusky Langur by PANgrizabella, on Flickr Akbar the sun bear. He's getting on in years now. Akbar by PANgrizabella, on Flickr Akbar by PANgrizabella, on Flickr Suli the siamang Suli by PANgrizabella, on Flickr Kluet, with Karta (under the blanket!) Kluet by PANgrizabella, on Flickr

They always come outside for the keeper talk at 2:15, and just before they go indoors for dinner at around 4. Aside from that, it's just luck really. Yes, I go to the keeper talk but find the light not great in there at that time - they seem to end up sitting in deep shadows. Must just be my bad luck Received the confirmation letter for the members breakfast with the Cheetah yesterday, so looking forward to it :) Around 4 is probably the best time for photos, as they are all very active and tend to go up on the platforms or ropes.

Amazing shots! I especially love the ones of Kluet (I adore that boy!), the siamangs sitting together, and the seahorse. The tiger in your photo is the beautiful Kemiri. :)

They always come outside for the keeper talk at 2:15, and just before they go indoors for dinner at around 4. Aside from that, it's just luck really.

A few pics from my visit to Monarto yesterday, more photos are on Flickr if anyone is interested. :) I swear Zuri gets cuter every time I visit! Galatea by PANgrizabella, on Flickr Tsotsi by PANgrizabella, on Flickr Zuri and Zwala playing chase by PANgrizabella, on Flickr "Play with me Zwala!" by PANgrizabella, on Flickr Boyd by PANgrizabella, on Flickr Galatea by PANgrizabella, on Flickr Tsotsi by PANgrizabella, on Flickr Zuri by PANgrizabella, on Flickr

That is a shame if visitor numbers suffer. I understand on some level, as Taronga Zoo is VERY expensive and you'd want to get your money's worth. Myself, I'd rather the animals had good enclosures than they stay in poor ones just for the sake of the visiting public. But then, without money coming in from visitors, improvements can't be made! It's all a big juggling act really.

It can be REALLY difficult to get a good view, very hit and miss. You go around the enclosure on a bus so can get pretty close to the lions on a good day, and the backdrop makes photos look like they could be taken in the wild. :)

Love, love, love your pics, he really is a stunner! Winning the first few points is so exciting, I was over the moon when Bella won her first BOB, it's a proud moment for sure. Sumo looks exhausted from all his efforts in that pic!

I really hope the big cat area at Taronga is indeed getting an upgrade in the near future, both the lion and tiger enclosures are what I would consider the worst out of the exhibits for these species that I've seen in Australian zoos. Symbio's tiger enclosure sounds great- but I don't think there can be much out there to beat Monarto Zoo's 8 hectare lion enclosure, it's AMAZING. A load of rabbits (unwisely) built a lot of burrows in the middle of the enclosure, so every now and then the lions will actively hunt them. It's a bit unfortunate for the poor rabbits (even though it's obviously good to keep numbers of introduced species down). Wow, cheetahs! I think they may be my favourite big cat, absolutely gorgeous! <3

Loving all the festive photos! My goodness, Kirislin, Neko is gorgeous! I managed to convince Miss Bella to get into the Christmas spirit a bit. :)

I saw some fab St Bernard pyjama pants at Peter Alexander today- on sale and everything! It took a great deal of restraint not to cave in and buy a pair. ;) What I'd like to see is some Saluki jammies!

LOVE your playfighting tiger shots, but Kuma with her new bub is just so precious. xx <3

There a quite a few stores on Etsy that swell martingale collars- some really nice ones to be found. I have one from 'A Ring Around the Collar' which is lovely, maybe Google them as well?