Day 2 Tasmania - Wildlife

Our second day in Tasmania had us doing some things around Hobart. Unfortunately, it was overcast, so we weren't able to go up Mount Wellington for the view. So, we went to the Cadbury Chocolate factory tour and to the Bonorong Wildlife Park. The tour was interesting, with enough looking at machinery to keep the two of us happy.

In Bonorong, we saw some very interesting animals and got a good tour from the guides there, who told us a lot of interesting facts about the animals there. We are including pictures here of:

Wombat -- closest to the Koala. They both came from the same animal, but the Wombat developed to be a land mammal. They don't have the big ears, and are losing some of the use of thumb for their back legs. Don't pick them up at home! This was one that had been raised by humans who thought it would be a good pet. It's 18 months now and will turn wild "any day now" and then won't allow humans to touch it (hard to believe for those of us who watched her fall asleep in the handlers arm!) and, at that time it will be released into the wild.

Tasmanian Devil -- a carnivore, but usually scavenges, as they are not good hunters. Unfortunately, in the wild, they are being hit by a bad cancerous legion on their faces and, if nothing is done, they will be extinct in about 10 years. Also, about 2,000 (4%) are killed every year on the road. Since they are scavengers, with very keen sense of smell, they find road kill to be an easy meal. But, especially since they are usually small, they can not pull the carcass off the road, and while eating, they are often hit themselves.

Koala -- Did you know the eucalyptus plant is poisonous and provides very little energy? Koalas developed smaller brains to conserve the energy and a bacteria belt (part of their stomach) that takes the poison out before it is processed. But they sleep about 20 hours per day (much like a teenager), eat about 4 hours per day (again, like a teenager), and only move about 5 minutes per day. Perhaps that explains why they never built tree houses?

Wallaby - similar to the kangaroo, except smaller. This one is an albino one with a joey. She was pretty skiddish and stayed away.

Kangaroo - these were BIG. And they were hungry when we went by, really helping themselves to the food (one of them even started eating the bag in Bill's hand). There were a lot of kangaroos with Joeys jumping around. This one wanted to get back in! I guess it's a cruel, cruel world! It was funny watching him try to scramble back inside. Another one figured out how to get breakfast in bed! :-)

Kookaburra - a native Australian bird. For those of you that were a Girl Scout, remember this?

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree

Merry merry king of the bush is he

Laugh, Kookaburra; laugh, Kookaburra

Gay your life must be

I sang it to the bird, but he and Bill just looked at me like I was strange! (Rightfully so!! :-P)