SUNDAY 14 MARCH

 

Today had been set aside to visit Monarto Zoo. This open plains safari style zoo is a very interesting concept. You are driven around by bus and pass through electric gates from one “zone” to another. Rather Jurassic Park! We are still not sure we liked not having the freedom to tour through at our own pace, but we did marvel at the size of the open enclosures. It was well organised until right towards the end. We finished viewing the lions enclosure but had to wait more than half an hour for another bus which could take passengers! A full bus load was waiting for an empty bus but only one or two seats were available. Did not feel the bus loads were well managed at the back end of the day.

Driving back to Victor Harbor, we had a very late lunch/early dinner before walking across the causeway to Granite Island. It was actually rather lovely doing this later in the day, so perhaps our late departure from Monarto was not so much in vain.

An early start to get up to Monarto. Gorgeous morning light on Granite Island

Bongo calf

A small herd, but lots of young

Black rhino

The Giraffe have a lot of space to roam, along with Eland and Ostrich all in the distance

A lovely Tassie Devil

Sadly there was an emergency in the enclosure where the Zebra were so we had to drive straight through. The herd were looking on at a distance

White Rhino

Always happy around Lions

African Wild Dogs and Lions can be viewed from a raised platform

The three male Lions were off in the distance

The females and cubs were lounging around near the base of the platform

Feeding time is coming!!!!!

This is what I wanted to do, but I could not get a ticket.

The causeway across to Granite Island

There is a walk all the way around the island, but because we were held up at Monarto, we were unable to do the circuit.

Pacific Gulls. Much larger than the run of the mill seagull

The stairway which takes you to the top of the island

Back at our accommodation, we were greeted by a couple of Yellow-tailed black cockatoos