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The Australia Zoo is located in the
smallest continent of the world, Australia, in Queensland's
State on the Sunshine Coast near Glass House Mountains.
The Australia Zoo is very popular and one of most visited
zoo of Australia. The zoo became more popular since Steve
Irwin passed away. Steve Irwin is mainly known as The
Crocodile Hunter a documentary series, this is what made the
Australia a big tourist attraction.The Australia Zoo opened
its doors in 1970 by Bob and Lyn Irwin and at this time it
was known as Beerwah Reptile Park. Bob Irwin is a renowned
herpetologist in the world. In southeast Queensland, Lyn
Irwin was one of the first to rehabilitate and take care of
injured and sick wildlife. |
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Steve Irwin helped his parents in the
zoo from his childhood this love and respect for wildlife
was passed over from Bob and Lyn Irwin.
After some years the zoo area was doubled with the purchase
of four acres of land and was then recalled Queensland
Reptile and Fauna Park. The Crocodile Environmental Park was
opened in 1987 in view of the protection of the saltwater
crocodile. The Crocodile Environmental Park became very
popular in 1990 and was considered as unique with its
possibility of feeding the crocodiles within the park.
The management of the zoo was overtaken by Steve Irwin in
1991 and was in 1992 renamed as the Australia Zoo.
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Nowadays
the Australia Zoo maintains over one thousand
animals and over five hundred staffs.
The Australia Zoo was considered as the best zoo in
the category Major Tourist Attraction in 2003/2004
and also won the Australian Tourist Award.
The main known attractions of the Australia Zoo are
the crocodiles and the live feeding crocodiles but
it is also known with other Australian wildlife as
wombats, koalas, snakes, Tasmanian devils. There are
also other animals in the zoo as tigers, komodo
dragons, elephants, cheetahs and a large variety of
birds. |
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Until 2006 the
Australia was also famous with Hariet the Galapagos tortoise
and was the oldest living chelonian until she died in June
2006 and was aged 176 years old.
The Australia Zoo is a must to visit when one is in
Queensland. |
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