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Welcome to the Taronga Western Plains Zoo website. Here, you'll find everything you need to make your trip to the Zoo a great success. Enjoy your visit!
What's New At Taronga Western Plains Zoo
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Zoo Hand-Raises Cheetah CubsKeepers at Taronga Western Plains Zoo have been working around-the-clock to hand-raise a pair of male Cheetah cubs born in early August into the Zoo's breeding program for this critically endangered species. The Zoo's oldest breeding female, Malika, went into labour and gave birth to Mtoto (meaning little child in Swahili) on August 5. |
Bongo Calf Latest Addition to ZooKeepers at Taronga Western Plains Zoo are beaming with pride after the birth of a bouncing female Bongo calf named Djembe after a type of African drum. Djembe was born on September 15 by caesarean section after her mother experienced complications during labour. Veterinary staff intervened in order to ensure the health and well being of both the calf and mother. |
Local School Students Get Active At The ZooTaronga Western Plains Zoo is working with the Australian Sports Commission's Active After-school Communities Program to help engage primary-school aged children in physical activity that is fun and enjoyable. Today students from Dubbo West Public School will utilise the cycling facilities at the Zoo and ride around the circuit taking in the animals whilst undertaking physical activity. |
Big Cats A Highlight These School Holidays!Start your school holidays off with a visit to Taronga Western Plains Zoo and see the big cats receive special enrichment feeds over the October long weekend. Visitors will be able to watch a special enrichment feed each day of the weekend with the African Lions receiving their meaty treats on Saturday 4 and Monday 6 October while the Sumatran Tiger will receive his enrichment item on Sunday 5 October 2008. |
Zoo Unveils Redevelopment Plans For 2008/2009Taronga Western Plains Zoo is excited to announce the next phase of the Zoo's 12 year master plan which will see approximately $21.5m spent redeveloping a number of areas of the site over the coming four years. Four key projects have been highlighted to commence construction within the next year including the Obley Rd entrance and visitor precinct, a recreation and visitor area opposite the Streets Milk Bar as well as a fantastic new children's playground area. |
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Zoo Confirms White Rhinoceros Is PregnantKeepers at Taronga Western Plains Zoo are delighted by the news that another Southern White Rhinoceros female is pregnant. International Reproductive Experts from the International Zoo and Wildlife Research Institute in Berlin confirmed the pregnancy of Aluka, the White Rhinoceros via ultrasound during their recent visit to Taronga Western Plains Zoo. |
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Zoo's Orphaned Oryx Learns From Goat CompanionVet nurses at Taronga Western Plains Zoo have been playing mother to an orphaned male Scimitar Horned Oryx whose mother died during labour leaving Zoo staff no alternative but to hand raise the calf. Over the past month vet nurses have been regularly bottle feeding Bou, named after a river system where the species comes from in Africa, ensuring he continues to grow and develop as normal. |
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Zoo's Research Delivers World's First IVF Black Rhino EmbryoTaronga Western Plains Zoo staff and international reproductive experts from Berlin's Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research have achieved a world first by successfully fertilising a Black Rhinoceros egg. The egg was collected from one of the Zoo's Black Rhinoceros females - Rocket, and fertilised on Wednesday with sperm from Black Rhino male, Kwanzaa, creating an embryo. |
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Arna And Gigi Get With The Program At Taronga Western Plains ZooUpdate May 2008 As part of the settling-in process, the Zoo’s elephant keepers have moved Arna and Gigi into a paddock adjacent to Burma, who arrived at the Zoo in 2005 from Taronga . The three Asian Elephants can still see each other and make physical contact during the day, both on exhibit and in their barn, but are housed separately at night. Taronga Western Plains Zoo is home to three Asian Elephants and two African Elephants, all of who are in their twilight years. |
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White Rhino Calf Born At Taronga Western Plains ZooTaronga Western Plains Zoo is proud to announce that a healthy, female Southern White Rhinoceros calf was born on Thursday 10 April 2008 - and is now ready to meet the public! It is the sixth calf born to the Zoo's White Rhino breeding program since 2003, when five Southern White Rhinoceros were transported from Kruger National Park in South Africa to add important genetic diversification to the Zoo's herd. |
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Zoo Utilises Thermal Imaging TechnologyVeterinary staff at Taronga Western Plains Zoo are utilising infrared thermography technology as part of the special care program for our three Asian Elephants and two African elephants, all of which are in their twilight years. Infrared Thermography is a non invasive diagnostic screening tool that does not require handling or restraint of an animal. This modern method provides real-time, instantaneous visual images with measurements of surface temperatures.
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Zoos Join Battle To Save Tasmanian DevilsA group of 12 Tasmanian Devils, sent from Tasmania to Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo as part of a national effort to save the species, are showing encouraging signs that they may be breeding in their first season at the Zoo. Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, Verity Firth said the breeding program is vital insurance as scientists race against the clock to find a cure for a terrible cancer threatening to wipe out the species. |
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Arna And Gigi Make Taronga Western Plains Zoo Their Permanent HomeTaronga Conservation Society Australia Director, Guy Cooper, has announced that ex-circus elephants Arna and Gigi will live together at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. |
