Healesville Sanctuary
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| Date opened | 1934 |
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| Location | Healesville, Victoria, Australia |
| Coordinates | 37°40′56″S 145°31′54″E / 37.6822°S 145.5316°ECoordinates: 37°40′56″S 145°31′54″E / 37.6822°S 145.5316°E |
| Website | www |
Healesville Sanctuary, formally known as the Sir Colin MacKenzie Sanctuary, is a zoo specialising in native Australian animals. It is located at Healesville in rural Victoria, Australia, and has a history of breeding native animals. It is one of only two places to have successfully bred a platypus, the other being Sydney's Taronga Zoo. It also assists with a breeding population of the endangered helmeted honeyeater.[1]
The zoo is set in a natural bushland environment where paths wind through different habitat areas showcasing wallabies, wombats, dingoes, kangaroos, and over 200 native bird varieties.
Guided tours, bird shows and information areas are available to visitors.
History[edit]
Dr Colin MacKenzie (knighted in 1929) set up the Institute of Anatomical Research in 1920 on 78 acres (32 ha) of land which had formerly been part of the Coranderrk Aboriginal Reserve. The Reserve passed to the Healesville Council in 1927 and became the Sir Colin MacKenzie Sanctuary in 1934.
The first platypus bred in captivity was born in the Sanctuary in year 1943 when it was managed by David Fleay.
In 2009, the sanctuary was threatened by the Black Saturday bushfires, and the sanctuary evacuated their threatened species to Melbourne Zoo.[2]
Animals and exhibits[edit]
- General exhibits
- Koalas
- Birds of the bush
- Kangaroos
- Gang-gang Aviary
- World of the Platypus/Platypusary
- Woodland Aviary
- Rock-wallaby
- Australian pelican
- Black swan
- Brush-tailed rock-wallaby
- Chestnut teal
- Dusky moorhen
- Magpie goose
- Pacific black duck
- Purple swamphen
- Australian white ibis
- Arid Birds
- Scarlet-chested parrot
- Princess parrot
- Budgerigar
- Rainbow bee-eater
- Variegated fairy-wren
- Gouldian finch
- Diamond firetail
- Painted finch
- Wetlands Aviary
- Wallabies
- Wombat Closeup
- Animals of the Night
Cockatoos
- Red-tailed black cockatoo
- Major Mitchell's cockatoo
- White-headed pigeon
- Brush bronzewing
- Wonga pigeon
- Pacific emerald dove
- Blue-faced honeyeater
- Black-faced cuckoo-shrike
Reptile Encounter
- Lyrebird Forest
- Larger Wetlands Aviary
- Flying Foxes
References[edit]
- ^ Menkhorst P, Smales I, Quin B (2003). "Helmeted Honeyeater Recovery Plan 1999-2003". Australian Government, Department of the Environment and Water Resources. Retrieved 2007-06-21.
- ^ Kent, Melissa (2009-09-06). "Fire and flight no turn-off for horny devils". The Age. Melbourne.
External links[edit]
Media related to Healesville Sanctuary at Wikimedia Commons- Official website
