Taronga Zoo is delighted to announce the arrival of two, five-month-old adorable Dingo pups. The two pups will be making their public debut these summer school holidays, where guests can meet the duo at a brand-new Dingo Keeper Talk or in a specially curated behind-the-scenes Dingo encounter.
The two Dingoes, one male and one female, have both been given Indigenous names from the region they were born. The male has been named Kep Kep which means ‘sweet’, or ‘sugar’ in Wathawurrung language of Victoria, and the female has been named ‘Warada’ which means ‘beautiful’ in Dharug language. The word waratah, which is the floral emblem for the state of New South Wales is derived from the Indigenous word Warada.
Australian Mammal Keeper Natalie Holdsworth describes the duo as the perfect pair. “Like his name suggest, Kep Kep is incredibly sweet, very friendly and adores people. On the other hand, Warada is very switched-on, alert, and enjoys checking out her surroundings and surveying her territory,” says Holdsworth.
“At the moment, keepers take Kep Kep and Warada for daily walks. These walks play a fundamental role in the pups’ husbandry and conditioning, ensuring they are comfortable with visiting new areas and meeting new faces. This also provides valuable enrichment for the inquisitive duo as they smell and explore new stimuli and will ultimately help them prepare for when they move into Taronga’s Nura Diya Australia habitat early next year”, says Holdsworth.
Warda and Kep Kep are just two of the new arrivals that will make their home in the new Nura Diya Australia which is focused on Australia’s incredible native flora and fauna. While the finishing touches are put on this exciting new experience, guests will be able to meet Warada and Kep Kep at a new Dingo Keeper Talk and Dingo Encounter.
Officially launching on Friday 9 December, the new Dingo Keeper Talk adds to fifteen existing keeper talks and presentations that are complimentary with Zoo entry. Held at 10.30am daily out the front of Reptile World, the new Dingo Talk will educate guests on the important role these apex predators play in the Australian wildlife ecosystem and how we can all help Dingoes, and other native species thrive in the wild.
But that’s not all, guests will also have the opportunity to sit paw-to-paw with this delightful duo and learn about the secret life of Dingoes in an intimate, new behind-the-scenes Dingo encounter that is guaranteed to create everlasting memories. Held at 11.30am daily for $64.95pp, guests participating in the encounter will join keepers in offering an enriching playtime for the pups as they interact and display natural Dingo behaviours in front of your very eyes in this specialised encounter.
Spaces for the Dingo encounter are limited and are expected to sell out daily, so be sure to book Taronga’s new Dingo Encounter, plus a range of other intimate animal encounters including our new Capybara Encounter, at Taronga’s Top Plaza retail store on the day of your visit.
To find out more about our new arrivals or to book your next visit to Taronga, the only Zoo with a harbour view simply visit www.taronga.org.au. And, if one day isn’t enough, there’s still space to book an ultimate Zoo sleepover at the Wildlife Retreat at Taronga which includes amazing animal experiences and a two-day entry to the Zoo. Taronga is not-for-profit, so every dollar spent supports vital conservation efforts and has the power to protect the world’s remarkable wildlife.
