I pretty much consider myself a connoisseur of aquariums and zoos. I’m not a snob about it by any means; I just like to see how different places balance the habitat needs of critters with the requests of the public to actually see said critters. For the most part, Sydney was pretty average, until I saw the dugong enclosure and the shark tank.
These were simply massive tanks with two—TWO—walk through tunnels each. I was overjoyed to even hear that there were dugongs on display, and then not only did I get to see and photograph them (perhaps a bit obsessively), I was able to obsessively photograph them eating and doing their dugong-y things! It was lovely! Simply lovely. The shark tank had black tip and white tip reef sharks as well as woebegongs, and I think a lemon shark and tiger shark as well. All told, more species of shark than I’ve ever seen before. There was also a gigantic, if not a little morose looking, hawksbill (maybe green?) sea turtle—the first I’ve ever seen. My guess and hope is that it came to the aquarium through some sort of rehab program. Also, fun fact; we learned that the reason there are no Great White sharks in captivity has to do with their size and their need to sink to great depths to “sleep” it ties into sharks’ lack of a swim bladder.
Platypus! Another first for me after a prolonged infatuation with this blessed monotreme roughly around ages 7-8, I saw a platypus. It sawm, it ate, it frolicked as much as a platypus can frolic and was wonderful. I also learned that female platypus’ have a venomous spur on their rear limbs (as well as the males) but thte spur disappears as they mature. Imagine an angsty teenage platy-girl with a venomous spur—it would be nuts.
These were simply massive tanks with two—TWO—walk through tunnels each. I was overjoyed to even hear that there were dugongs on display, and then not only did I get to see and photograph them (perhaps a bit obsessively), I was able to obsessively photograph them eating and doing their dugong-y things! It was lovely! Simply lovely. The shark tank had black tip and white tip reef sharks as well as woebegongs, and I think a lemon shark and tiger shark as well. All told, more species of shark than I’ve ever seen before. There was also a gigantic, if not a little morose looking, hawksbill (maybe green?) sea turtle—the first I’ve ever seen. My guess and hope is that it came to the aquarium through some sort of rehab program. Also, fun fact; we learned that the reason there are no Great White sharks in captivity has to do with their size and their need to sink to great depths to “sleep” it ties into sharks’ lack of a swim bladder.
Platypus! Another first for me after a prolonged infatuation with this blessed monotreme roughly around ages 7-8, I saw a platypus. It sawm, it ate, it frolicked as much as a platypus can frolic and was wonderful. I also learned that female platypus’ have a venomous spur on their rear limbs (as well as the males) but thte spur disappears as they mature. Imagine an angsty teenage platy-girl with a venomous spur—it would be nuts.
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