Canberra Reptile Zoo founder Peter Child has unveiled a new exhibition which draws attention to some of the region’s most vulnerable creatures, including Rosenberg’s monitors. Photo: Jarryd Rowley.
Some of the ACT’s most vulnerable creatures have a new home, with the Canberra Reptile Zoo unveiling a permanent enclosure.
Launched by ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr, the new display is known as The Wild Side of Canberra, which highlights the different levels of vulnerability facing four different reptile and amphibian species living in the ACT.
Two of the new inhabitants, the grassland earless dragons and corroboree frogs, have been gifted to the zoo following conservation efforts by the ACT to raise the numbers of the respective species.
The donated animals are now past the stage where they can breed, but their display at the zoo educates visitors about the challenges they face.
Other new inhabitants are the Rosenberg monitors, which are becoming scarce around the ACT and the green and golden bell frogs.
Canberra Reptile Zoo founder Peter Child said it was an honour to be given permission by the ACT Government to home the vulnerable animals.
“The new exhibit that we’ve got here at the Canberra Reptile Zoo is something that we’re really proud of and we are really privileged to have,” he said.
“From time to time, we run temporary displays with some endangered species, but the ACT government has very generously offered us the ability to take some of the ex-breeding animals that are used in their conservation programs.
“These animals in The Wild Side of Canberra are very important to the ACT and by having them in these new enclosures, we can demonstrate just how vital these creatures are to our ecosystems and how we can prevent losing them.”
While not every animal featured in the new exhibit is endangered, most are seeing significantly lower numbers in the ACT than in the past or in other places across the country.
Mr Child said the new exhibit contextualised how and why the animals were vulnerable.
“What people need to recognise is, and let’s take the green and golden bell tree frog for example, they are completely extinct in the ACT,” he said.
“Since the 1980s, they haven’t found them anywhere in the wild here, but they are still around Newcastle, Sydney and some of the coastal regions.
“Another is the Rosenberg monitor. They are found quite abundantly in Western Australia and South Australia, but there is only one recognised colony left here.
“This new exhibition is about bringing attention to the issues some of these species are having.”
Mr Child said the Canberra Reptile Zoo was all about supporting vulnerable animals and encouraged visitors to support the zoo’s efforts.
“We are a not-for-profit here and everything we do goes to supporting the animals,” Mr Child said.
“We have worked with the United Ngunnawal Elders Council to best understand and look after these animals.
“We want to tell the stories of these animals and showcase them and the best way to do that is to come visit and see what we have going on.”
The Canberra Reptile Zoo is located on O’Hanlon Place in Nicholls and is open 10 am to 5 pm, seven days a week.
