Territory Wildlife Park

Today we went to the Territory Wildlife Park.  At the entrance they had some snakes and lizards on display.  Kade and I also bought a wildlife experience each, mine was to hold a raptor (a powerful bird) and Kade’s was to feed birds in the Forest Frenzy as well as hold a Tawny Frogmouth.  We first walked to the Nocturnal House where lots of animals were on display.  We saw possums, snakes, wallabies, turtles and my very first Echidna.  Then we went over to the Flight Deck where my special encounter with a surprise bird would be.  First we watched the flight show where we saw some magnificent raptor birds in action.  We saw an Osprey, Barn Owl, Rufous Owl, Whistling Kite, Brahminy Kite, Hawk Owl, Jabiru (black headed stork) and an intelligent Buzzard.  

The amazing birds swooped, dived, squawked and caught their prey over the water and up in the air.  After that finished, a lady brought out a Wedge-Tail Eagle. He didn't fly around but we got to go up nice and close to the eagle to have a look at its magnificent features.  After they took the Eagle away they called me over and showed me who I would be holding.  I was going to hold Ruby, a beautiful 19 year old female Rufous Owl, she was magnificent.  I had to put on a glove so that her powerful feet and claws wouldn't scratch me.  Then they lifted her on to my glove where she sat beautifully and tired from her mornings work.  Because she was so close to me I really got to see her powerful features and her beautiful feathers.  

After I said goodbye to Ruby, we stopped at a lagoon where we did some birdwatching and Kade and dad spotted a water snake.  At the aquarium we saw lots of interesting fish and lots of turtles.  In one enclosure, behind the glass was a small freshwater crocodile but in the next enclosure, there was a giant 4 metre saltwater crocodile called Devil!  We also went through a glass tube where the animals were swimming over our heads.  In that section were stingrays, turtles and one sawfish.  I found the sawfish super interesting and I learned a new fact.  I thought that sawfish were found in the ocean but actually they are freshwater, they are found in the rivers around the top of W.A and the N.T.  Then we went to the walk through Aviary where my brother Kade used his wildlife experience and fed mealworms to the beautiful birds.  He also got to hold a Tawny Frogmouth named Mumbles and the ranger was so nice he let me hold her too.

On the way home we stopped at Berry Springs which is a natural spring of crystal clear water.  It was the perfect temperature to just float around and relax.