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Things
to Do
Places
of Interest
Perth
Zoo
20 Labouchere
Road
South Perth
Phone:
9474 3511 (24 hour voice recorded message)
Phone:
9474 0444 (weekdays only)
Opening hours:
9am to 5pm
Entry
fee: $18 for adults. Concessions available.
Parking:
free parking opposite the Zoo
Following
on from the theme of things to do around South Perth, the Perth
Zoo is an easy day trip around Perth for some fun and activity as
well as an educational experience for kids and all. The easiest
way to get to the zoo is to catch the ferry from Barrack Street
jetty in Perth to Mend Street jetty in South Perth. From Mend Street
jetty, to get to the Perth Zoo is an easy 10 minute walk. It is
also convenient to stop en route for a coffee along the Mend Street
cafe strip on your way to the Zoo.
The
Zoo has lots of different exhibits to check out and you will get
plenty of exercise walking from one end to the other. Some of the
enclosures to visit include the Savannah, Australian Walkabout,
Australian Wetlands, Reptile Encounter, Rainforest Retreat, and
Primates. Feeding sessions and special presentations by keepers
are available throughout the day for selected exhibits. Volunteer
guides are also on hand to provide some interesting stories about
residents of the Zoo.
The
Perth Zoo has successfully introduced the "open zoo" concept
of open spaces and natural surroundings over the years. Of note
is the orang utan enclosure which moved from enclosed cages a while
ago to an open setting which has provided a much more pleasant environment
for the orang utans. The Zoo's approach to conservation and prevention
of extinction of animals has no doubt contributed to the successful
births of various species including orang utans, rhinos and silvery
gibbons over the years.
If
you are an orang utan enthusiast, the Perth Zoo has its own resident
expert Leif Cocks, Curator of Exotic Mammals who has spent over
20 years working at the Perth Zoo with orang utans. For further
reading, check out his book titled "Orangutans and their Battle
for Survival".
Painted
dogs are a relatively new exhibit to the zoo. Painted dogs expert
John Lemon was instrumental in bringing over painted dogs from Africa
to the Perth Zoo and is passionate about conservation of painted
dogs through the Painted Dogs Conservation Inc.
For
visitors to Perth keen to check out some Australian wildlife, the
Australian Walkabout section of the zoo provides an opportunity
to see kangaroos, wallabies, and koalas. Mind you, those cute koalas
always seem to be either eating or sleeping at the best of times.
If
you are planning to spend the better part of the day, it's a good
idea to bring a picnic as there are some pleasant grounds for picnicking
throughout the Zoo. The Safaris Cafe and Geckos Fast Food are available
for fast food or the Meerkats Cafe for drinks.
During
summer time, the Perth Zoo is open at night for outdoor theme concerts
and fun family activities and special New Year's Eve celebrations.
If
you are a frequent visitor to the Zoo, it may be worthwhile joining
Friends of the Zoo. By being a Friend of the Zoo, you will receive
free entry to the Zoo through your annual subscription, discounts
to the Perth Zoo shop and other events.
How
to get there:
The
easiest way to get to the Perth Zoo is to catch the ferry from the
Barrack Street jetty in Perth to Mend Street jetty in South Perth.
From the ferry, walk straight down Mend Street, the cafe strip in
South Perth. When you get to the end of Mend Street, turn left onto
Labouchere Road and a short distance after, you should be able to
spot the entrance to the Perth Zoo on Labouchere Road. The distance
from the ferry to the Zoo should be an easy 10 minute walk.
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