A baby Echidna is called a puggle!!

Crikey!!

Did you know that Snakes cannot hear, Echidnas have a tongue 18cms long and no teeth, it's impossible for a crocodile to poke out it's tongue and Cheetahs are one of the coolest animals on earth? Okay, well the Cheetah one is a given, however all creatures (great and small) are amazing and fascinating in their own way. Throughout each individual animals evolutionary endeavors, each have become so well adapted to their environment that their uniqueness stems beyond one animal to the next. From the depths of the ocean to our vast deserts and beyond, animals are built for their environment whether its for agility in speed such as the Cheetah, the streamlining design of dolphins or the protective shield of spikes like those on an Echidnas back, animals are astounding and it was Steve Irwin's mission to educate and most of all save our beautiful wildlife. 

Australia Zoo has an amazing volunteer program that gives each 'vollie' hands on experience assisting a zookeeper from different departments in their daily duties. From cleaning and maintenance to food preparation and even goat walking and more, as a volunteer i have been given invaluable insight in to how those zookeepers run their sections on a daily basis. So what were my 5 departments? Kids Zoo, Native Mammals, Reptiles, ELEPHANTS (excuse the capitals but they are my favourite) and Big Cats.

My first day into the program i was excited yet a little apprehensive as to how the staff members would be towards us 'vollies'. I wondered if we were actually any help or a nuisance, but straight away my thoughts were reversed. The zoo wouldn't run as efficiently if it wasn't for the vollies because if departments were short staffed it allowed the team members to focus on their animals and the vollies could maintain the exhibits, clean and prepare food and the list goes on. After our group induction i headed to help out the first crocoseum show. It was simply ushering people to their seats, keeping aisles free and general show duties. Kids Zoo was a great day sweeping and talking to kids about goats, sheep and showing them the zoos 3 week old piglets (sooo cute!) and in the afternoon it was goat and sheep walking. The animals are collared up with a lead each and with 3 sheep i headed straight out to the grazing grass. For two hours the sheep graze on natural grass but i was able to chat to the other zoo keepers so it was a great experience and a great opportunity to talk about the animals.

Day Two saw me with Native Mammals in the grey roo area of the zoo. Now this is what you call poop patrol territory! In 45 mins i managed to fill nearly three quarters of a tuff tub with, you guessed it, dried up kanga poop! Then it was off to raking. The kind of raking where you rake a section, turn your back for 5mins and its back to where you started. Beautiful whether, nice hot day, great exercise and an opportunity to again talk with the keeper (who spent most of his life in construction) watch the male Kangaroo 'court' the younger females and make sure kids don't try and ride him, sweep and rake (you should see my guns), bag roo food, feed some echidnas, cut some branches and scoop more poop. You really don't realise just how amazing and interesting our own native wildlife is until you spend te day with them, and obtain an up, close and personal encounter with them. Before Thursday, my second day at the zoo, i didn't know that a baby Echidna was called a puggle, and that the pressure on a Kangaroos back leg tendons causes the springing action of the legs as they bound through the grass enabling them to move quickly. Or that adults males are called a 'buck' and an adult female is called a 'doe'.

And... that Goliath and Igloo, the two Tortoises at Australia Zoo are Aldabra Tortoises not Galapagos Island Tortoises. So is there anywhere in the zoo that doesn't involve raking? This is a thought that crossed my mind beginning Day Three in Reptiles. This is why i have big guns... Being a zookeeper is great exercise and i sure found this out everyday but i loved every minute of it. Maybe i shouldn't have exercised each night as well as all day raking? hmm. Anyway, Tortoises are pretty unique animals that love nothing more than a relax in their pond (spa bath), some hibiscus (desert) and a long back scratch (back rub). I guess they are kind of like me in a way, i have been told im like a reptile, or sometimes i've referred to myself like a seal - I shut off circulation to my feet and hands (front and rear flippers) to enable blood flow to my vital organs for warmth. After the tortoise talk I was off to help another croc show, then the weather turned. If only i had a wetsuit i thought. I headed to Pony Trails to assist them but due to the rainy weather, kids didn't necessarily want a pony ride in the rain. So off to venomous snakes to clean their windows and check out some of the worlds venomous and deadly snakes up close. Death Adders and Fierce Snakes... fricken cool! This exhibit made me really want my own Woma and Murray Darling pythons already. After admiring the beautiful snakes I went down and cleaned the glass of 'Lily' - she was gorgeous! You know the really long, thick giant snake below the stairs at the Crocoseum, yeah her. She was so intruiging and so beautiful. Due to the weather I was unable to do alot with the reptiles so i did some duties like pool scooping at the freshwater turtle pool, raking (again), clean the fruit room, prepare lizard food then helped out at Kids Zoo sharing the love with the goats and sheep. I think its about time i step it up in the poop patrol business from kanga poo to Elephant poo. Elephants poo about 70kgs a day. Alright, your on!'

Day Four and i'm in my element with the three girls little Bimbo or 'bambi' Siam and Sabu. Here i learnt so much and had a really awesome day. I spoke to one of the leading bird trainers about animal training, learnt about what it means to look after a 4000kg animal, walked with the girls to their appearance in the morning crocoseum show (poop patrol of course) wheelbarrow and giant scooper plus was able to ask lots of questions and have my own private feed. Elephants have always amazed me and along with the turtle, are my favourite animal. With over 100,000 muscles in their trunk alone, their trunks are like their life line and for such a large animal they sure have their way of sneaking up on you. The Elephant crew were great to work alongside - the cheeky nature of the elephants reflected the keepers working with them, (they were just as cheeky) but the main goal was to demonstrate and educate the plight of asian elephants in the wild today, and have fun whilst doing it. I did get sun burnt, I did smell and i just couldn't wait to shower but it was definitely worth it.

Day Five and my last day of my introductory 5 days to the program. One vollie, a tiger exhibit, some big cat keepers, a myriad of leaves and a rake means? more raking! The keepers leave and leave me locked in their exhibit just in case a tiger escaped so i was safe. Raking was a breeze, picked up the piles, pulled some weeds then a keeper came to escort me to the tigers den - AKA their house. Big cats was a really awesome department and after cleaning in the meat room, preparing food, cutting a horses heart for medication, more cleaning, sweeping, mopping and so on, after lunch it was time to set up for the afternoon talk and training demonstration. (How convenient, today's talk was about training the tigers, very relephant!) Mat and i headed down the front to promote tiger conservation in Asia by selling a variety of different things. $5 saves one tiger for one day in the wild. I was fortunate enough to be able to ask a variety of questions all day and received well thought out and helpful answers. So thanks big cat team!

All in all, i had a great 5 days. I missed home and my own bed very much. I missed my friends and family and am grateful to mick and mel for letting me stay in Rochedale. Thursday night i saw the predicament, k-bomb and Shaneo who drove to the hyperdome to see 'the other guys' with me. Great film, great company and an amazing dinner (nothing beats maccas of course). I felt exhausted, rundown and a little confused about what i want to do but now have added a little more fuel to the flame, its just time to ignite.