News

Rhinos are born without horns - for obvious reasons! The first horn begins to grow within a week or two, followed by the rear horn developing at around three months of age.

Amala, the Greater One -Horned Rhinoceros arrived at Taronga Western Plains Zoo last year from Los Angeles. She is a future breeding partner for Dora, our adult male Greater One-Horned Rhino. Amala is only four years old and weighs approx 1200kgs. We will consider introducing this pair when Amala is a little older and approaching 1600kgs. Amala has settled into her new home quite well and is becoming comfortable with her daily routine.

Today we had a very sad reminder of just how vulnerable our precious native wildlife is. A male Common Wombat was bought to Taronga’s Wildlife Hospital late yesetrday after being hit by a car.

Not many people realise what it takes to make sure all of the animals at Taronga Zoo are fed the appropriate diet. With many species, this needs to include live vertebrates, or insects. That doesn’t mean a fly here and there or a cricket or two. We are talking in the tens of thousands and tens of kilos.