Adelaide Zoo: 'Immersion" Keith explores this new addition to the Zoo in the Adelaide City region of South Australia
Adelaide zoo has it's been the place for the traditional family outing for over a hundred years. You know your way around - there's the cantankerous baboons, the soulful sun bears and the three and a half thousand other animals here.
The big cats are always a favourite. The old tiger enclosures have been replaced with a brand new lowland rainforest exhibit just perfect for the critically endangered Sumatran Tiger. To get there make your way through the south east rainforest. You might catch a glimpse of Tiger One from a new viewing platform. Further on through the forest of bamboo you come into a clearing in the 'jungle' featuring a pavilion where you can sit and watch Tiger Two in his new enclosure - complete with a glass-sided swimming pool.
It's all part of the Adelaide Zoo's Immersion experience. There are less than 400 Sumatran Tiger of these noble creatures left in the wild so the keepers have plans to develop a breeding program here.
Time your visit right and you'll hear a cacophony of barks, shrieks and bellows as the resident Siamangs act up. The Zoo's Director of Conservation, Kevin Evans reckons you can often hear the din in the city.
"Currently we have the Siamang on an island next to a new species to the zoo," said Kevin. "The white cheeked gibbons and they are fantastic. We've not had them at Zoo previously and they have a very different call to the siamang. They sing in harmony - the male and female will duet and then the siamang will start up and they'll probably call for about an hour at the moment..."
The howling and screaming sounds upsetting but Kevin assures us it all natural behaviour - they are basically having a yarn with each other and letting others know this is their territory.
Follow the signs and you'll become further immersed in the southeast rainforest experience where Orang-Utans, Karta and Pusung are the star attractions. They are still settling in to their new home but they've got company. Siamangs, Irian and Suli have shifted in to help with the rent by putting on a show you won't see anywhere else in Australia.
"They occur together in the wild,' said Kevin. "In fact siamangs will follow underneath orang utans and feed on some of the fallen fruit so it's quite natural for them to be together. Adelaide Zoo is the first zoo in Australia to have this combination and we're really pleased with the result."
Zoo staff are particularly happy with the interaction between the two groups - especially the relationship forming between the female Orang-Utan, Karta and the cheeky male Siamang, Irian.
Like most of the animals at the zoo - you can watch them for hours. And without the bars and barriers of old you can become immersed in their world.
If you book one of the Bioleau Behind the Scenes experiences you'll even get taken to parts of the zoo members of the public rarely get to see. But no matter which way you see it the Adelaide Zoo's "Immersion" experience is big in every way.
The Adelaide Zoo is open from 9.30 til 5 o'clock every day of the year. To book one of the behind the scenes tours or arrange a function call during office hours. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au
Adelaide Zoo
Frome Road
Adelaide South Australia
Open 5.30am-5.00pm
Ph +61 (0)8 8267 3255Published 19th November 2006
