Two dozing Tasmanian Devils was not the most exciting image to create interest in a post, I agree but they are probably my favourite animal and they were the one subject I really wanted to photograph when my son and I visited the National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra during December 2020. Yes, 2020. If nothing else the current COVID lockdown in Canberra has allowed me to catch up on some of the backlogged images that I should have uploaded. I know that zoos can be controversial and that the image above could also be seen as a less than ideal daytime shelter for a primarily nocturnal animal, especially during a hot Canberra summer. However, zoos are also playing a role in conservation. At present a facial tumour disease is decimating the wild population of devils in Tasmania so zoos are important breeding centres to try to preserve this species while scientists work on a cure. Zoos are also places for people to go to have a safe encounter with wild animals. Sure, people can watch animals on TV but at a zoo they can see, hear, smell and even touch the animal with often not much between them. It can become more of an experience because more senses are brought into play during the encounter.
Sorry, this post is also a bit different to the usual blog post because I have simply assembled the photographs below without any text about what I saw. If you want to find out more about the individual animals please look at this page from the zoo’s website that lists the animals and also provides some information about them, including their conservation status. While I understand the benefits of having zoos I also recognise that much of the animal behaviour in a zoo is not natural so none of my usual comments would necessarily record genuine behaviour. By way of example I saw keepers walking dingoes on leashes through public areas of the zoo and even a keeper entered the dingo enclosure alone where upon he patted the dingoes. The photographs below are what they are, they show animals that are not in their natural environment and not behaving naturally.
I am not hiding what a zoo is and I am not judging. I was in two minds as to whether I should take a camera to the zoo and whether I should share these photographs. In the end I decided to take my camera because I knew that I would be excited seeing these wonderful animals. I have also shared these photographs because they are beautiful animals that hopefully people will care about because they once saw them in the zoo. I think a trip to the National Zoo and Aquarium is worth it and my teenage son, who is not a wildlife fan, enjoyed the experience, it was actually his suggestion in the first place. I hope that you like the photographs below.
Malaysian Sun Bear pacing
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
African Lion male relaxing
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
White tiger having a sleep after a meal
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 170mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Asian Small-clawed Otters playing in the water
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Little Penguin swimming in its pool
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 800, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/400 SEC])
Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroo munching on some leaves
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 640, 110mm, f/8.0 and 1/200 SEC])
Got to love Meerkats
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/200 SEC])
![Here’s looking at you Meerkat(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/200 SEC])](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5b474d53b40b9dfc79289e98/1630836669638-X4SJH4J3FBLCKSC1BZOA/National_Zoo_Visit_1488_20201205.jpg)
Here’s looking at you Meerkat
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 200, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/200 SEC])
Koala being as active as only a Koala can be
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 500, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/100 SEC])
Red Panda peering out from its cubby
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 250, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/100 SEC])
Murray River Turtle
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 263mm, f/8.0 and 1/250 SEC])
Peacock doing a display
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 160, 100mm, f/8.0 and 1/250 SEC])
Ostrich head study
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 320, 170mm, f/8.0 and 1/250 SEC])
Cape Barren Goose patrolling the wire
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 104mm, f/8.0 and 1/200 SEC])
Blackbuck male with horns and two females, originally from India and Pakistan
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 100, 400mm, f/8.0 and 1/200 SEC])
Cheetah avoiding the heat under a tree
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 400mm, f/10 and 1/250 SEC])
One of the ducks on display
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 100mm, f/10 and 1/250 SEC])
Northern Swamp Wallaby relaxing during the day, it is actually more of a nocturnal animal
(Canon EOS 7D Mk II with a Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM [ISO 400, 488mm, f/10 and 1/250 SEC])
Thanks for reading this post and thanks also for looking at my photos. I hope you come back again to read more about some of the wonderful natural things that the Australian Capital Territory has on offer. All the best until the next post.