Koalas, Kangaroos, and Wombats…oh my!

So on Thursday I went to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.

This is apparently Australia’s 1^st and oldest Koala park (for what that’s worth). I really liked it because you felt like you were walking through the bush/dry tropical rainforest. While all of the animals were in cages that weren’t that big, almost all were fairly local so I guess they were almost in natural habitats.

I got there at the beginning of the heat of the day, so everything was becoming inactive as it was getting hotter. Even though I saw all but two of the Australian animals I have been looking for –I still haven’t see an echidna or a platypus. That aside, I did see a wombat, loads of birds, kangaroos, wallabies, emus, one crocodile, and of course loads of koalas.

I started with the birds, here are the pictures…

Barking Owl--- Black Cockatoo --- Kookaburra

Eclectus Parrot --- Lorikeet--- Tawny Frogmouth

Then I headed off to the kangaroo range. By this time it was hot, and I know that it was truly hot because even the handlers were sweating. Because it was hot all of the kangaroos were sitting in the shade relaxing.

I did meet some really nice Brazilians who not only offered to let me have some of their kangaroo food, but also offered to take a picture of me while I was feeding them. At first I was getting down to their level, but they told me to stand up and when I did, the little guy I was pulling my hand like his life was dependent on it, and my gosh are these guys strong! I am really thankful that they let me do this, I wasn’t planning on it, but I now know that I would have regretted skipping it.

I'm awfully short for the kangaroo world!

The only scary part was when the Emu started walking around. I now that he only wanted the food too, but there’s something about feeding something that is that tall that is seems irrational and really likely to attack you if you don’t have enough.

After that it was off for a look at the wombats, possibly one of my new favorite creatures. I think it is because at school we sang this song about wombats. Anyway, this is a huge marsupial whose favorite thing to do is sleep. In reality they are grumpy and dense, but they are so cute and huge that you can’t help but love them.

Then it was on to take my picture while I HELD a koala!! My gosh these girls are heavy; they look like they should be all light and fluffy because well, they are fluffy, but no they are like picking up a dense baby. The one I held was named Pepsi and here are the pictures to prove it, not that I would make that up :)

I also saw a dingo, the butt of a Tasmanian Devil and the ear of a possum. Like I said, it was hot.

This was one of the peacocks roaming around, he wanted my sandwich

I was having the best luck taking pictures, all three of these guys were either asleep or hiding, but when I walked up they looked at the camera, and then when I put it down they went right back to sleeping!

Koala with a little Joey still in it's pouch

This is a horrible picture of a Cassowary, but I took it to show what I was supposed to have taken a picture of

When I got back, I took a nap, but then I went out again (the women I am sharing a room with is room snores really loudly-not even my earplugs and a pillow could block it out!). This time I walked over the river and then down through South Bank. I can’t really tell you what I saw because I myself have no idea where I was. Needless to say I think I walked all over this stinking city, I just kept walking and walking (mom you’d have been proud though I thought I was a bit nuts while I was doing it)