Townsville - Billabong Wildlife Sanctuary

The Billabong Wildlife Sanctuary lies just south of Townsville and is home to an assortment of rescued and captive-born native Australian wildlife including crocodiles, kangaroos, koalas, wombats, cassowaries, and many others. There are also a number of wild birds attracted to the billabong (pond) around which the sanctuary is situated. We spent the whole day there and had a great time. There were many interesting interactive presentations and wildlife feeding times throughout the day. Because the animals here are generally not candidates for reintroduction to the wild, they are allowed to become quite tame and used to human interaction. So if you want to hold a koala or hand feed a kangaroo you can do that. The crocodiles, however, might best be left alone.


Koala. 
Interesting fact: A mother koala will smear her feces over the face and body of her joey (baby) - not as some sort of sadistic punishment or Joan Crawford impersonation, but so that the offspring will lick itself clean, thereby acquiring the necessary bacteria in its system to be able to digest eucalyptus leaves, a capability they are not naturally born with.


Cassowary, looking rather amused (and somewhat dinosaur-like, in my opinion).



Wombat - too cute!



Saltwater Crocodile - not quite as cute.



Deborah's video of a wombat letting the zookeeper know he is ready for another meal (3 sec)


Deborah's video of a sulfur crested cockatoo saying "hello" in an Australian accent (7 secs)


Deborah's shot of Blake feeding a small kangaroo 



Video of Deborah feeding ducks (20 sec)



Australian White Ibises in their nests


Fresh water crocodiles, called "freshies"


Deborah's video of hungry turtles (22 sec)


Frogmouth, well camouflaged


Rainbow lorikeet, not as well camouflaged on Deborah's head.


Blake holding a blue tongue lizard (photo by Deborah)



Our new family portrait.






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