00:00Talk to the animals and they'll tell you zoos are all about position, position, position.
00:07And at Sydney's Taronga Zoo, they enjoy one of the best vistas in the world.
00:12Taronga is an Aboriginal word meaning water view, and the residents here certainly have that.
00:19Situated on almost 300 hectares of prime harbourside land,
00:23they enjoy a stunning view across to the city and its two icons,
00:28the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
00:33There are more than 2,500 animals and nearly 350 species on this spacious site,
00:40making it one of the largest of its kind in the world.
00:43So be warned, it's very easy to use up a whole day here.
00:48Ferries from Circular Quay, Sydney's main transport hub, depart for Taronga at regular intervals.
00:55You can also enter from the top end via Mossman.
00:59After arriving at the ferry wharf, hop aboard the Sky Safari,
01:03which will take you up to the top of the complex.
01:06Taronga has undergone a significant upgrade since the 1990s, and the program is an ongoing one.
01:14No visitor to Taronga misses a close-up view of the animal so synonymous with this island continent.
01:22Koalas have a soft and cuddly image, but they can be quite spiteful,
01:27and their strong claws are formidable weapons.
01:30These sharp apparatuses also assist them to climb tree trunks with relative ease.
01:36Most of the time they just like to sleep.
01:40These normally placid creatures shriek like human babies when placed under stress.
01:46During breeding season, male koalas attract a lot of attention
01:50with a call that echoes from nearly a kilometre away.
01:54Koalas possess an abnormally small brain.
01:58Forty per cent of the cranial cavity is filled with fluid.
02:06Under the sails of the Great Southern Ocean's exhibit, spectacular acrobatic feats can be witnessed.
02:13This agile New Zealand fur seal swims freely without the threat of being entangled in fishing nets,
02:19which can happen at sea.
02:23Some female seals have been known to dive 240 metres in the ocean.
02:29Their large front flippers make fur seals zoom through the water.
02:34Fur seals' hind flippers can rotate, making walking on land a breeze.
02:43During Taronga's 20-minute seal show, visitors discover how the trainers teach the seals tricks,
02:51and learn about their natural habitat and behaviour.
02:59Also on display are leopard seals.
03:06Children and adults alike will be charmed by the resident leopard seal, Brook.
03:12Brook suffered shark bites, but now at Taronga Zoo is thriving.
03:19Behind all this playfulness, there's a serious side to this exhibit.
03:27Peer through the vast glass submarine research station enclosure,
03:31and discover the conservation efforts of Taronga's internationally recognised
03:35Australian Marine Mammal Research Centre.
03:43Also on display here, pelicans. They're distinguished by their bills.
03:47The lower half of their bill can hold up to 11 litres of water,
03:51two to three times more than they can hold in their stomach.
03:57The pouch directly below the bill serves as a means of scooping fish up.
04:03Once caught, the pelican will immediately swallow their catch.
04:08The sensitive nature of the bill is ideal for locating fish in murky waters.
04:14The zoo scientists have just returned from Antarctica.
04:18One of the scientists' missions is the little penguin breed and release program.
04:23After being bred in the zoo, the little penguins will be released into safe burrows
04:27in the colonies around Sydney Harbour.
04:33This chimp is looking for a treat.
04:35Keepers put honey and other favoured titbits into holes,
04:39and the animals use sticks to retrieve them.
04:46Left to their own devices in the wild, chimpanzees make tools and use them to hunt food.
04:53These intelligent creatures so closely aligned to us like the game,
04:57and it helps keep them stimulated.
05:00Their intelligence allows them to grasp basic human language and numerical sequences.
05:06Chimps have a social hierarchy and are capable of manipulation and deception.
05:14Their large cousins are another of Taronga's must-see exhibits.
05:19The zoo has a successful breeding program, and the arrival of a new baby is always a drawcard.
05:26Imagine this tiny baby growing into this, a fully grown mountain gorilla.
05:34Gorillas are so closely related to humans that their DNA is 97 to 98 percent identical to ours.
05:42They even have individual fingerprints like us.
05:46But unlike us, gorillas strut around on their knuckles.
05:54In the wild, the tiger is a solitary animal which is rarely seen.
05:59They hunt alone and usually drag their prey into a tree for safekeeping.
06:04But at Taronga, you can get up close and personal with these magnificent creatures.
06:10Life for lions in the wild often isn't all it's cracked up to be.
06:15They may be the kings of beasts, but the reality is that many don't reach maturity.
06:21Here they live a pampered life.
06:26At Taronga Zoo, you'll see many splendid creatures.
06:30Spotted deer.
06:34Malaysian tapirs.
06:37Binturongs.
06:41Snow leopards.
06:44Bears.
06:46Mountain goats.
06:48And meerkats.
06:51These mingling meerkats at Taronga have recently been introduced.
06:56Soon one will take its position at the top of the social ladder.
07:00When danger presents itself, female meerkats protect their young,
07:04often willing to endanger their own lives to save their offspring.
07:10The red panda lives in the Himalayas and countries bordering the mountain range
07:15and survives on a diet of bamboo.
07:19But like many others, it's an endangered species,
07:22with the wild population declining every year due to pressures on its natural habitat.
07:29Their bushy tails help them maintain their balance in trees.
07:32Their distinctive red fur also covers the soles of their feet.
07:38Asian elephants are also under threat,
07:40and Taronga has initiated a breeding program to make sure future generations get to see these animals.
07:49Their enclosure is an impressive one,
07:52and their daily scrub is a big attraction for visitors.
07:57Head and shoulders above all those who call Taronga home are the giraffes.
08:04These animals seem to know they enjoy a privileged position and multi-million dollar views,
08:09and they're only too happy to pose for pictures with the cityscape as a backdrop.
08:17There are four shops located in the zoo, the latest located in the wild Asia precinct.
08:23Souvenirs from the zoo shop will keep the memories of the animals alive for years to come.
08:31Taronga Zoo, so very much to see.
08:34Such a formidable collection of wildlife.
09:01Taronga Zoo, so very much to see.
