piper Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 (edited) Gorgeous day yesterday but a little too warm so most of the animals were snoozing. I didn't have a huge amount of luck, we got lots of butts turned towards us. We did do the Giraffe Safari experience though. This is th view when a giraffe reaches down to take food from you. I was stoked with this pic as I kind of just had to point and click and hope I got it. The rest of the photos are here: http://www.flickr.co...ith/9650611405/ Edited October 4, 2013 by piper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Awesome!!! You have a lot of VERY nice photos there piper! T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 That giraffe pic is smileworthy ! :D *off to flickr* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pesh Posted September 2, 2013 Share Posted September 2, 2013 Ohhhh I love giraffes. Great shot, one I'd like to take. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted September 2, 2013 Author Share Posted September 2, 2013 The giraffe experience is amazing. Monarto is massive, the "off exhibit" area that they are in is easily 20 acres, probably more as I could not see the fence of the second paddock they could access. For $40 you go with a guide to the off exhibit area where there are 8 bull giraffes and get given a bucket of carrots and instruction on how to feed them. They take a max of 10 people and there were only 3 of us that went :) It was a worrying start as it is up to the animals if they choose to participate or not. The first view we had was this: The keeper then headed out in the ute to try and entice them back but warned us she did not hold out much hope as 2 of the boys were taking issue with each other and the others were at the back of the area and would not come past them. She got this guy half way back to us before he decided to return to stalking the other boy. She then went down another track and managed to entice a couple of the other boys up and through a different gate so they didn't have to pass the others. Initially only the 1 boy came to the feeding area, then a second. 2 more joined us just as the bucket was emptied. They are so gentle, their lips are like velvet against your hand and their heads are HUGE when they lean right down to you. The way they use their tongues to wrap them around the carrots is incredible. All up we were out there well over half an hour. It was a beautiful day and just watching the mixed herd of zebra, eland, ostrich and giraffe ambling around happily amongst each other was fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted September 2, 2013 Author Share Posted September 2, 2013 Awesome!!! You have a lot of VERY nice photos there piper! T. Thanks :) I love going out to Monarto but get frustrated with trying to get pics through tinted bus windows smeared by kids. Or bus drivers that start moving when I have finished taking pics!! At least these days there are quite a few bus stops where you can get off and look around - the giraffes (which we didn't as we did the off exhibit safari experience), rhino, cheetahs and lions and painted dogs. It is pot luck at the viewing platforms though. We could see the lions way off in the distance pacing - mum with her cubs but 5 minutes later when we went on the bus into the exhibit they were in the shade having a sleep The chimps are just a short walk from the visitor centre and have a huge outdoor area as well as access to indoors. Unfortunately the baby did not want to come outside while we were there. Monarto is out the "back" of the Adelaide Hills in a rain shadow area - only 300mm per year and is apparently very much like an african savannah so they are concentrating on African species out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizabella Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 Awesome shots! I've not yet done the Giraffe Safari, it sounds a great experience. It's probably worth visiting again when the weather's a bit cooler and the animals are more active. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamishthecairn Posted September 24, 2013 Share Posted September 24, 2013 Fantastic shots! I was just at Monarto a few weeks ago and was impressed with how far it's come along. Had such an enjoyable day taking photos. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loving my Oldies Posted September 26, 2013 Share Posted September 26, 2013 The photo in Post #1 is just extraordinary. All the different lumps and bumbs and wrinkles on the G !! Above his eyes looks like ripples in the sand dunes. What amazing creatures they are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted September 26, 2013 Author Share Posted September 26, 2013 He is the "lumpiest" of the giraffes. Apparently they are like calcifications that form and also serve as a bit of protection if head-butting with other males. We will go back at some stage Grizabella as we have membership now, not that it is likely to be any cooler for sometime yet. I am going to head into Adelaide Zoo 1 day next week when I have a day off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted October 4, 2013 Author Share Posted October 4, 2013 I finally got back to Adelaide Zoo yesterday. I went the week before I got my new lens and have been wanting to get back there again but it has been too busy. I had yesterday off and it was a nice mild day after a couple of awful days so I thought it would be a good day to go in. I am glad I went early though as it is school holidays and the hordes of families and vac care groups as well as a McDonalds team building day with teenagers racing around the zoo on a treasure hunt started to irritate me. I went to the pandas first in the hope to see them out and about foraging. Funi was obliging but Wang Wang was having a lazy morning He did eventually move from that spot and went to eat his bamboo but the bugger went and sat behind the glass to eat it and the reflections were awful. Next it was off to the Tigers and Orangutans, the tigers were in hiding and I never managed a decent shot in 4 trips back to check on them. As I was on my own it was nice to have time to do what I wanted, hang around in 1 spot or go and check out the less popular animals. These next few were all through wire so I am particularly pleased with how they cam eout. The Meercats were busy as usual and I got angry at some idiot teens and their ignorant parents who were allowing them to throw food in there. Told them off and they just ignored me and accidentally "dropped" more in before moving to a different spot and continuing to do it. I couldn't see nay staff members nearby to inform The rest of the photos can be enjoyed here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8799389@N04/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nushie Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 That Orangutan photo is amazing! I love the lighting :) Great shots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Your orangutan photo is stunning! Our orangs tend to hide in their day area inside because their enclosure is still a bit cool for them to come out for any length of time... bring on the hot weather is all I have to say! Adelaide has a lot of animals that Taronga doesn't... I need to get down there one day and check them out - loving the African Wild Dog... beautiful! T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted October 4, 2013 Author Share Posted October 4, 2013 Thanks :) It is funny because I look at your Taronga 1s and wish we had some of your animals. LOL We have no gorillas here or a Monarto and I think I could spend hours watching them. We have the 2 orangs, some siamangs, mandrills, babboons and white cheeked gibbons but no chimps. The chimps are at Monarto. No elephant at either zoo. These days Adelaide Zoo is becoming more of an Asian focus and Monarto an African 1. There are only a couple of giraffes left at Adelaide, the zebras are all at Monarto now. A couple of the older lions still at Adelaide Zoo but I suspect when they go that they will not be replaced and we will just have the pride at Monarto. And that is fine - the area at Monarto is so much more appropriate for them - the whole of Adelaide Zoo would fit in the lion enclosure at Monarto. I think it is still a bit cold for the orangs here as well - they frequently walk around with blankets draped over them :) The pandas prefer the cool though - once it gets warm they relocate to their indoor area where it is air conditioned and nearly impossible to get a photo of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 One day I'm gonna have to make me a zoo tour of Australia... *grin* T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted October 4, 2013 Author Share Posted October 4, 2013 One day I'm gonna have to make me a zoo tour of Australia... *grin* T. We are un Melbourne next weekend and their zoo is on our list of things to do. Apparently we either get free or discounted entry as we are zoo members here. Your membership probably gives you discount or free entry at other zoos too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizabella Posted October 4, 2013 Share Posted October 4, 2013 Loving your photos, you've got some awesome shots! Your photo of Kluet the orangutan is fantastic, they can be very elusive and the sunlight around their enclosure can be very harsh so it's quite an achievement to get such a good shot. There are many species I wish he had at our zoos, it's a shame Adelaide Zoo is so small, there's not really room for any more 'big animals'. I'd love to have gorillas in SA, but I've no idea where they could possibly go! I'm glad that Adelaide Zoo is gradually moving away from housing many large animals, but unfortunately many visitors seem to be unhappy that there is 'nothing to see'. Tdierikx, I think a country-wide zoo tour is a fab idea! My favourites that I've been to are Monarto, Melbourne, Taronga and Werribee. We have lots of African painted dogs at Monarto. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted October 5, 2013 Author Share Posted October 5, 2013 I agree - although I would love to see some more "big" animals, there just isn't the room for them. The bears used to make me so sad to see them pacing in their little areas. There is an old cage left near the nocturnal house and they had 2 siamangs in there a long with a heap of enrichment toys and it shocked me to think they all used to be lined up in rows like that, with no or very little enrichment and we thought it was ok. Not that it is an issue with membership. but I like the way they offer a 2 zoo pass now. Monarto is amazing and they have worked so hard on it compared to the first time i went when it was just the single bus tour and that was it. So many places to hop off and look around now. It is brilliant and almost a full day required. The way they have mixed exhibits to mimic the wild is brilliant and the animals always look so relaxed up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 (edited) The Taronga Zoo Friends pass I have apparently lets me visit Sydney, Dubbo, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth zoos... just have to let them know in advance if I'm going to visit one of the interstate zoos, and I get in free on my pass. Monarto sounds more open like our Dubbo zoo - is Werribee similar to that? I want to visit Mogo Zoo too... I have a friend that lives in Bateman's Bay (15 mins from Mogo) - so accommodation will be easy for that... I have a couple of friends in Melbourne, and one is an avid photographer - could stay at his place and we could go to the zoo together. Now - just need to find people willing to take me in for a weekend inDubbo, Adelaide, and Perth... *grin*... and then I need to save up for airfares... *gulp*... could be a while... Oh - and Queensland has some good zoo type attractions... T. Edited October 5, 2013 by tdierikx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizabella Posted October 5, 2013 Share Posted October 5, 2013 Yes, Werribbe's an open range zoo, similar to Monarto (and probably Dubbo as well). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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