20180523 NSW The Dish to Dubbo Zoo

20180523 Arriving back in Parks to restock our supplies and check out the pub for a counter meal and as Desies been drinking too much we definitely need to remedy that problem and top up his grog.

The Dish

Built between 1959-1961 the Observatory was one of the first radio telescopes built as a big, movable dish.  It was the subject of the blockbuster movie "The Dish" and played a key roll in the television images of the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. The moving part of the telescope weights 1000 tonnes, as much as two Boeing 747s, it isn't fixed to the tower, instead sits atop it with its own weight holding it down.

24-05-2018 I'm not really into Zoos but I've heard the Taronga Western Plain Zoo is worth a look and I must say I'm rather excited and secretly I think Des is to so we were up and on our way early to get the most out of our big adventure.

We had every intentions to ride our bikes through the Zoo but with carrying two cameras it just proved too difficult so we hired a buggy.

I found another Rhino to enter into the online competition for a chance to share in regular giveaways, well you have to be in it to win it.

Black Rhino
How cute is this little fellow weight at birth around 25-30kgs and generally stand and suckle within hours of being born he will stay with mum for about two years.

My first encounter with the Meerkat, what curious fellow's they are scurrying  here and there and for $79 you can get in the enclosure with them.






















The Giraffe is the tallest of all animals, the males →
have been recorded as growing up to 5.5 metres and weighing over 1000kg, now that I could handle in my back yard.

But the tongue of the Giraffe is even more fascinating measuring 18-20 inches long.
























Did you know the Hippo's skin is 3.5cm thick hence why they spend much of there time in water to cool off and to prevent their thick skin from drying out and cracking.

The Cheetah runs 30 metres in 1.0 seconds but it didn't help this guy trying desperately to catch these birds.

 While this one marked out its territory.

The African Wild Dog
They gather in packs which are mostly made up of males and a female from a different lineage and are led be a dominant male and female.

Des hop on the Elephant for me and bugger me dead he doe's.

His name is Sabai and he was born on the 2 November 2016 and weight 101kg at birth, he's so cut.

The White-handed Gibbon swinging from tree to tree on there little island.

Well I nearly crapped myself, as I step close to this fellow it started roaring, one of my worst nightmares is to get attached by a Lion as we enter the lion park, if I don't come out you know what happened to me.

What is it with these cats if there not marking their territory there crapping in front of me.

OMG these Galapagos Tortoise are huge and so cool, the male is identified be the concave underside of his shell which assist him in balancing on the female. Courting begins with the male ramming the female with the front of his shell and nipping her exposed legs until she draws them in, immobilizing herself.

This female wasn't happy with me taking her photo and started hissing at me.











Well I must say we really enjoyed the Dubbo Zoo and all the different animals apart from losing my favourite retro sun glasses and Des so wanted to see a Gorilla, the big kid but then I was hoping to see a Panda Bear which this zoo doesn't have.