Plains Zebras migrate annually across Namibia and Botswana in search of better grazing pastures, forming Africa’s longest land migration of over 400kms. Zebra can reach speeds of 65kph. They can also deliver strong kicks and bite when threatened
Mid-sized and thick bodied, Zebras are recognisable by boldly striped black and white with a black or dark muzzle. All Zebras have individual markings with no two alike. Their necks are maned with short hair and their tail ends in a longhaired tuft
Southern Sudan and southern Ethiopia, east of the Nile River to southern Angola and northern Namibia and northern South Africa
Herbivore; Feeding selectively on particular grass species
Breeding occurs throughout the year although peak births occur during the wet season. The herd stallion has sole breeding access to the females
Zebras are a highly social species, living in complex social systems. Harems comprise a single stallion to several unrelated mares and their recent offspring. Bachelor groups also exist. Groups come together to form migrating herds of 10,000 or more for safety against predators.
Cotton Top Tamarins are recognisable by their mottled gray-brown shoulders, back and rump. The hair on the back of their thighs and the base of their tail is red-brown and they have a fan of long, white hair on their heads. Their nails are claw like.
Cotton Top Tamarins have fragmented populations in Northwest Colombia
They are an omnivore; eating large amounts of insects, fruit and plant matter, tree sap, gum, nectar, small reptiles and nuts
Cotton Top Tamarins practice monogamous breeding systems where mating only occurs between the dominant male and female. Breeding is seasonal occurring from January to June. Fathers assist with births and carry the young when not being nursed by the mother. Sub-adults will assist in carrying and caring for young
They are a social animal, living in small family groups of up to 15, usually consisting of a dominant breeding pair. Unique cooperative structure allowing sub-adults to gain breeding experience by assisting the dominant pair raise young, before breeding themselves
Habitat loss due to deforestation for agriculture and pasture. Illegal pet trade
Critically Endangered” due to habitat loss and the pet trade
The Domedary Camel has a single hump, which stores fat the Camel can break down when resources are scarce. Our camels certainly don’t have this problem, and when cisiting you’ll discovery they are VERY enthusiastic feeeders and may put their mouth around your hand if you’re offering food. For that reason we ask you to keep your hand flat when feeding camels.
Diet
Camels are herbivorous grazers that constantly eat foliage, dry grasses, and available desert vegetation (mostly thorny plants).
It takes 15 months, longer than a year for a femal Camel to be ready to give birth to a sinlge baby camel.
Camels were introduced to Australia much earlier than you may think – right back in 1840. Burke and Wills used Camels while exploring because of their ability to survive in dry, arid conditions for a long period of time.
Alligators have an armoured body with bony plates for protection across their back. Their front feet have 5 toes with claws to assist them on the land, with their back feet being 4 webbed toes aiding in swimming.
An alligator’s tail is very powerful and can propel them through the water, but being solid muscle makes them heavy and slower on the land. Alligator’s teeth are interlocking with each tooth fitting into a socket on the opposite jaw. They will usually have 74-80 teeth at one time but can go through 2000-3000 teeth in a lifetime as they are replaced after falling out.
They prefer a cooler climate to other crocodilian species and live furthest away from the equator. They are the apex predator of their habitat.
Whilst juvenile Alligators mainly eat fish, frogs and birds, as they grow alligators regularly consume turtles & small mammals and being opportunistic feeders they occasionally hunt large prey from the water’s edge.
Alligators were once hunted for their leather; the population declined rapidly giving them an endangered status in 1967, however the species has made a full recovery since.
Australia is lucky enough to have several species of brightly coloured Lorikeets. Named after their stunning technicoloured appearance, rainbow lorikeets are a beautiful sight in many Australian backyards, parks and gardens. In the early 1900s Rainbow lorikeet numbers were concerning, but after protections were put in place, their numbers have steadily built over the last 60 odd years. Larger birds, feral cats and the international parrot trade still pose a threat to these stunning birds, but their numbers are currently strong.
Hunter Valley Wildlife Park’s walk through Lorikeet Sanctuary is home to Rainbow Lorikeets, Scaly Breasted Lorikeets, and Red-Collared Lorikeets. Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park also boasts a selection of Lorikeets in their aviary.
C175: 25.30CM
SEXES: SIMILAR
HABITAT: Found in open forests and closed
DIET: Their diet consists of nectar, pollen, fruit, seeds and insects
BREEDING: Both sexes prepare the nest cavity and feed the young, but only the female incubates
the egg. The clutch size is between and s eggs, which are incubated for 25 days.
GENERAL INFORMATION: Although wide easterly
distribution, often locally common in southern Queensland.
SIZE: 23CM
SEXES: SIMILAR
HABITAT: Woodland, urban parks and gardens
DIET: Eucalyptus and Banksia flowers, not as adaptable to cultivated foods as the familiar Rainbow Lorikeet
BREEDING: May-February, nests are made in a tree hollow. 2-3 eggs laid and incubated for 29 days.
GENERAL INFORMATION: similar to the Raindow Lorikeet, replacing the former in the Northern Territory and Kimberely region.
SEXES: SIMILAR
Largest Australian Lorikeet, they are less tolerant of urbanisation than their cousins.
SIZE: 26 CM
HABITAT: Woodland, swamps, parks and gardens.
DIET: Range of native flower nectar and insect larvae
BREEDING: Aug-Dec, 1-3 eggs laid in a tree hollow and incubated for 23 days. Young fledge at 8-9 weeks.
This large and slender cheetah is distributed across more than 25 African countries, boasting a population of around 12,000. However, the Asiatic sub-species is in a critical situation, with only 50-60 individuals remaining in Iran.
Cheetahs utilise various vocalizations for communication. Purring expresses contentment and enjoyable social interactions, particularly between mothers and cubs. Chirping resembles the sounds of little birds and is used by mothers and cubs to call each other. Churring is observed during social gatherings. Growling, hissing, and spitting occur in response to annoyance or danger. Yowling intensifies in situations of heightened danger or fear.
Cheetahs are carnivorous and enjoy small antelope, gazelle and fresh game. Cheetahs only eat fresh kills and prefer smaller fast moving game.
Females Cheetahs can give birth to as many as 9 cubs at once, but usually 3-5 after a gestation period of 90 to 98 days.
The birth weight of a Cheetah cub is between 150g to 300g.
Cub mortality is as high as 90% during the first weeks after birth.
Cheetah siblings stay together in a group after their mother leaves them at 18 months.
The females will leave the group and live and hunt alone, while the males form a coalition and hunt together.
Largest of the Gibbon species, Siamang Gibbons have a glossy, black shaggy coat, dark hairless face, long fingers and arms which are longer than legs. A Siamang Gibbon’s arms can span a huge 1.5 metres. Siamangs possess an impressive throat sac, which they use for territorial calling. Territorial calls can last 10-15 min and can be heard over a distance of 1.5-2kms.
Siamang Gibbons are territorial and actively defend their home ranges, with territories overlapping with other primate species. It is the only example in the world where 3 non-human apes coexist.
Omnivorous, consisting of fruits and leaves, Siamang also eat a small amount of insects, bird eggs and small vertebrates.
Siamangs live in small monogamous family groups of up to 8, usually consisting of a dominant breeding pair and their immature offspring. Grooming is one of the most important social activities that cement social bonds.
Habitat loss due to logging, clearing for palm oil plantations and agriculture, poaching and hunting for the illegal pet trade. Also susceptible to zoonotic disease.
Ring Tiled Lemurs ‘sun worship’ which means they face their tummies to the sun and stretch their arms out wide to warm themselves up.
Ring-tailed Lemurs live in groups of 5-25 animals with the females making up a well-ordered hierarchy that dominates over males. Female lemurs remain in the group whilst males join other groups, thus we have a group of males on the islands at Mogo.
Ring-Tailed Lemurs diet consists mainly of fruit, leaves, flowers, bark, sap and the occasional invertebrate. Due to the fact that the vegetation in forests inhabited by these lemurs is sparse and non-continuous, they are often found traveling on the ground.
Ring-tailed Lemurs live in groups of 5-25 animals with the females making up a well-ordered hierarchy that dominates over males.
Unfortunately Ring-Tailed Lemur populations are rapidly declining in the wild, with around 50% of their natural habitat having been destroyed in the past 35 years. This steep decline in numbers has left them classified as an “Endangered” species on the IUCN red list.
The forests that Ring-Tailed Lemurs prefer are quickly being converted to farmland, overgrazed by livestock, or harvested for charcoal production. Ring-tailed lemurs are also hunted for food in certain areas of their range and are frequently kept as pets.
Fortunately, they are found in several protected areas in southern Madagascar, but the level of protection varies widely in these areas offering only some populations refuge from hunting and habitat loss.
The Spotted Hyena has a spotted coat and is the largest of the four hyena species. The hyena has a large head, large ears, long front legs and shorter back legs with a back that slopes down from the shoulder to the tail. It can be difficult to distinguish the females from the males. Females are also larger than the males.
Hyenas are carnivores and eat a wide range of animals, including wildebeest, zebra, gazes dinesire rebirds. Spotted Hyenas will steal prey from cheetah or even lions if they are in a pack. They are also very good scavengers and their digestive system allows them to eat all parts of the animal—meat, skin and bone.
A Hyena’s gestation period is on average 110 days, with the average litter having 2 cubs. Cub are born with soft brownish black hair and weigh about 1kg. Spotted hyena cubs are born with their eyes open and will nurse for 12-16 months, though they can process solid fools as early as 3 months old and will be participating in hunts within their first year.