Taronga Zoo, Sydney

Taronga Zoo is located on elevated land in the suburban area of Mosman on the banks of Sydney harbor, in New South Wales, Australia. Australia’s largest zoo, opened on 7th October 1916, is divided into 8 geographic regions and has a zoo shop, a café, and an information center and it is one of the finest places to visit in Sydney.

The iconic zoo, spread over 69 acres of harbor land, is habitat to some of the exotic flora and fauna which include, but not limited to Australian Kangaroos, Koalas, Wallabies, Sumatran Tigers, Asian Elephants, Platypus, etc. A long list of additions to the Taronga Zoo includes a giraffe house in 1923, a marine museum or fish tank in 1927, Tahr hummock in 1932, and tiger dens in 1939. 

The 4,000 strong brigade of animal kingdom belonging to 350 species delights the wildlife enthusiasts. The scintillating views of Sydney Harbor Bridge, the Sydney Opera House, and the City’s Skyscrapers fascinate the visitors. A range of experiences like tiger trek, elephant trail, serpentarium, and tours such as keeper-guided Wild Australian tour, VIP Aussie Gold tour, Nuara Diya tour, Roar & Snore tour, etc, captivate and entertain visitors. Shows such as Seal show, Chimpanzee keeper talk, Penguin talk, Sky safari, and Wild ropes attract droves of visitors throughout the year. Every year 1.5 million tourists visit Taronga zoo.

The zoo, which supports wildlife conservation, has had success in breeding exotic and endangered species like a pygmy possum, the koala, brush-tailed bettong, and parma wallaby. Its rainforest bird sanctuary is habitat to lyrebird, bowerbirds, honeyeaters, fruit pigeons, Australian parrots, and New Zealand Kiwis.

The “rustic bridge” opened in the year 1915, is described as the romantic tract sequestered by the trees.

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• Taronga Zoo houses over 4,000 animals from over 300 species, many of which are on the brink of extinction and the zoo tries its best to give the animals a protected home. 
• Watch exotic birds such as the Galahad and the Red tailed Black Cockatoo take flight against the picturesque skyline of Sydney Harbour and watch the Condor birds spread its majestic wings.
• Help the keepers at Taronga Zoo by booking the Keeper for a Day Tour and learn about how the keepers take care of the animals here and help them feed and treat the animals in the Zoo. 
• Get to watch multiple endangered species from across the globe first hand and learn how to create a better environment for them, and get them out of the listing of endangered animals. 
• Book an overnight stay and sit next to a bonfire under the starry sky and listen to the Keeper's commentary about the zoo and go to sleep while listening to the gustling wind overhead.

-Visitors can reach Taronga Zoo from Sydney airport either by engaging a taxi, shuttle, Towncar, uber, or by public transport. Self-driving is the cheapest mode of transport from Sydney airport to Taronga Zoo, which costs around Rs. 140 – 210.

- Taxi is the quickest mode of transport from the airport to the zoo and usually takes 24 minutes. The fare is around Rs. 3000 - 3700. 

- A combination of a train and ferry travel can take a visitor from the airport to the zoo in 55 minutes and costs around $ 77 (Rs. 3767).

- Public bus transport from International airport to Central Station by T8 and a change over at central station to M30 will take a visitor to Zoo. Total travel may take 55 minutes to 1 hour and may cost Rs. 1050 -1100.

- Towncar is the most expensive and the fares range around Rs.6500 -9000. Uber charges Rs. 2500- 2900, to carry passengers from the airport to the zoo. 

- All-day parking is available at the zoo premises for $19 (Rs. 930).

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Taronga Zoo opens every day of the year from 9.30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. It remains open even for Christmas festivals too.

The most suitable periods to visit Taronga zoo are September, October, and November. Sydney experiences springtime during this season. The next preferred times of the year for a zoo visit are March and August. During these months, temperatures and humidity remain low and suitable for outdoor activity.

The most preferential time of the day for a zoo visit is during the early hours. The crowds will be sparse and the day will be pleasant. The animals too would be active and fresh.

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Facilities for visitors:

The zoo’s mobile app dishes out all kinds of information to the visitor to plan the day, find areas and routes one likes to visit and learn about animals. Its facilities include cafes, eateries, picnic spots, and free Wi-Fi zones, ATMs, parent rooms, restrooms, first aid kits, lockers, stroller hire, and free water bubblers. 

Distance from Sydney Airport:

The road distance from Sydney airport to Taronga Zoo, Sydney is 22.5 km.

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Explore Fauna and Flora of Taronga Zoo

The Zoo houses around 4,000 animals belonging to 350 types in 8 geographic regions.

1. Animal Kingdom

Australian wetland animals such as black-necked stork, Australian pelican, black swan, little pied cormorant, royal spoonbill, brolga, water whistling duck are some of the inhabitants the Taronga zoo.

2. Australian Walkabout representing Red Kangaroo, Emu, Red-necked Wallaby, etc, and Koala walkabout comprising koalas, and Platypus House consisting of the platypus and common wombat entertain the kids and adults.

3. Nocturnal Animals

Tasmanian devil, barn owl, eastern quoll, feather-tail glider, gecko, ghost bat, diamond python, possum, etc. grouped under Australian Nightlife charm the visitors.

4. Birds

Birdwatchers will have a field day watching the Australian rainforest aviary comprising rainbow lorikeet, double-eyed fig parrot, pacific emerald dove, black-faced monarch, Wonga parrot, white-headed pigeon, and other varieties. 

5. A variety of Australian Bush birds such as king quail, crimson chat, swift parrot, noisy friarbird, silver eye, new Holland honeyeater, superb fruit dove, laughing kookaburra, topknot pigeon, diamond fire-tail, etc leave visitors to spellbind.

6. The animal kingdom belonging to the Blue Mountains bushwalk and Backyard to Bush series is a treat to watch for the animal lovers. 

7. Sea Animals

A range of seals and sea lions of the great southern oceans captivate the crowds. The numerous reptiles of the Taronga zoo scare and surprise the onlookers.

8. Mammals

The chimpanzees, gorillas, Asian elephant, and Wild Asia trail exhibits amuse and amaze visitors.

9. Guests experience the thrill of watching Sumatran Tigers, red jungle fowls, Malaysian sun bears, Aldabra giant tortoises, cotton-top tamarins, and Bolivian squirrel monkeys.

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Tips before visiting Taronga Zoo

- Visitors should wear comfortable and sturdy walking shoes. Comfy clothing appropriate to climatic conditions like rain jackets, hats, sunglasses, etc. goes a long way in enhancing the experience of the visit.

- People are advised to carry hats, sunscreen lotion, etc to protect themselves from the harsh sun and high UV radiation.

- Tourists are advised to keep themselves hydrated, by carrying mineral water bottles along with them, as the tour takes 4 hrs to a day.

- The Zoo has many cafes and eateries. But outside food is allowed and families can gather at the many picnic spots of the zoo and enjoy a bite.

- Covering all the attractions on the 28-hectare zoo in a day can be quite a task. Seek keepers talk and interactive guides to decide on must-see animals and tours to optimize your experience.

- Buying tickets online will not only save your money but helps to skip the long queues.

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