ZOOLOGY CENTRE
Progress on the Zoology Centre
After a long process we are finally making some progress on the enclosure build for the Zoology Centre. Leo and Cleo have taken a short holiday away from the centre while their enclosure gets a facelift as we inch closer to completing the enclosure the way it was intended to be.
Templates have been laid for the new enclosures and specialist environmental monitor and control equipment is being custom made. We aim to complete the project and have the Zoology Centre OPEN once more at the start of Term 4.
Certificate II Animal Care students have had the pleasure of visit from Black Snake Productions, who brought along a few of their fury friends for the students to meet and learn a bit about. The dingo was a hit for the group but each animal was considered a favourite by at least one student right down to the Murray Banded Huntsman.
Students have also had the opportunity to assist Narelle with fecal floats. This is a great way to detect parasites in animals. Unfortunately, at this time of year very few animals are eating consistently, so fecal matter is few and far between which is normally a blessing, but not when you’re attempting to do fecal floats. We found a few fresh samples and also had some generous goat and horse donations from outside the Zoology Centre to give students an opportunity to hone their skills in preparing fecal floats and identifying parasite eggs. Thankfully no parasites were detected in the animals of the Zoology Centre, but the same couldn't be said about the poor horse and goat.
The Zoo Keepers have been doing a great job of maintaining the collection in less than ideal conditions as the centre is partially fenced off for the enclosure build. They are doing a remarkable job of working along side Cassie and Narelle to keep the animals happy and healthy.
Keeper Profile
Reece Harvey
Year 7 - Age 12
How long have you been a keeper in the Zoology Centre / Reptile House?
6 months.
Which animal or animals do you enjoy working with the most and why?
I love working with all the snakes — particularly Quinn, the bearded dragons, and the frogs. I like working with the snakes like Quinn because I love discovering their unique behaviours and personalities.
Quinn will generally repeat similar behaviours every time I interact with him, like going on top of my head. This makes me feel like we’re forming a bond.
I like the beardeds and the frogs because they have really cute faces. I also love feeding the frogs, because they do a funny “jump-scare” when they get a cricket fed to them, that is hilarious. I also like teaching my friends about them, and helping them learn more about their husbandry needs.
What has been one of your most memorable moments in the Zoology Centre / Reptile House?
Going to Birmingham and holding Quinn there. It’s nice hanging out with all the other Zookeepers in the program, seeing everyone interacting with their favourite species and being generally very happy.
What do you enjoy about being a keeper in the Reptile House?
Being able to bond with all the animals and the people who work in the Reptile Centre. I’ve made a lot of good friends through the program.
What are your aspirations for the future?
I want to become a zoologist when I get older. Originally, I thought I wanted to be a Marine Biologist. Since joining the Zoology program though, I’ve changed my preference to working with reptiles.
In the future, I would love to own some more unique reptiles such as snakes or monitors. Ideally, I would like to work as a Reptile Keeper at a zoo such as Healesville Sanctuary.
What are you looking forward to the most when the Zoology Centre is complete?
I’m excited for the species to be in more naturalistic enclosures that will improve their wellbeing.
Why would you recommend getting involved in the Zoo Keeper Program at Lilydale High School?
It’s really fun. You get to meet a lot of people and make friends with people you might not get to meet if it weren’t for the program. It’s also great to see all the Zookeepers improve their confidence with the animals.
Many Rookie keepers are nervous around certain animals like monitors and snakes. After a few months with the program, it’s great to see everyone face their fears and become comfortable with all the animals in the Zoology Centre.
Magnificent Tree Frog
Litoria Splendida
This magnificent Australian native frog was first discovered in 1977. This wonderful frog finds its home in the Northern Kimberley region of Western Australia, where it is found in rock caves and crevices during the warm days.
It is a brilliant olive green and can reach up to 10.5 cm in length. Currently we have five Magnificent Tree Frogs in the Zoology Centre and they are as magnificent as you would expect.
One of their most intriguing features is their yellow webbed toes and large orange toe pads. These help them cling to cave walls and other surfaces. Their name is misleading as they do not climb trees but rock surfaces! They have adapted to human presence and are often found near water tanks, toilets and shower blocks.
Magnificent Tree Frogs also have horizontal pupils, this is common in frogs that are active during the day. Night time active frogs often have vertical pupils. This is a fantastic variation in our tree frogs, a horizontal pupil increases the amount of light they can receive in front of and behind them while reducing the amount of light from above and below. This is perfect for a hot sunny day in the Northern Territory.
Like most frogs, the Magnificent Tree Frog has eyes that ‘bulge out’ from their head. This enables them to see above the water line while they are skulking just out of view. These bulgy eyes also allow the frogs nearly a 360 degree field of vision - highly sort after in the animal world to see those predators creeping up on them!
