If your long-weekend plans currently consist of trying to understand the offside rule so you can contribute to conversations about the NRL Grand Final, then Sydney Zoo has a fairly compelling alternative.
Three tiny new arrivals have joined the zoo’s animal family this spring: quokka joey Quiche and baby lemurs Anjara and Zeus. And while they may not be old enough to have developed opinions about weekend plans, they are already busy exploring their new worlds.
First up is Quiche, a quokka joey who has recently emerged from her mother’s pouch and is becoming a familiar face around the habitat. She has apparently inherited a confident streak, following her dad Quinton around, approaching keepers for food and attention and even choosing to join the zoo’s Quokka Encounters.
Quokkas are one of Sydney Zoo’s Australian species, and the encounters offer visitors a chance to get closer to these famously photogenic marsupials while learning more about them.
Then there are Anjara and Zeus, the zoo’s newest lemur babies.
Anjara was born to first-time mum Anja, who is showing all the expected signs of settling into motherhood. Zeus was born to experienced mum Zarah, who has previously raised young lemurs Zakou and Zuna.
Both babies are now getting stronger and more adventurous, starting to venture further from their mums as they work on the essential lemur skills of climbing, jumping and running.
The rest of the troop seems to approve of the new additions, too. Keepers have spotted the other lemurs grooming both mothers and their babies and huddling together as a group – a good sign that the newest members are settling in nicely.
And, naturally, the personalities are already starting to emerge.
For Quiche, that means confidently following Dad and seeking out the keepers. For Anjara and Zeus, it is still very much the early days, but their curiosity is growing as they begin to explore their surroundings.
The timing is pretty perfect for a family day out, too. Sydney Zoo is open from 9am to 5pm daily, with a full program of animal encounters, keeper talks and activities running throughout the day. The daily schedule currently includes Quokka Encounters from the morning onwards, plus a Lemur Q&A at 12.45pm.
Of course, baby animals do not operate on a timetable, so there is no guarantee that Quiche, Anjara or Zeus will be posing perfectly on cue. That is part of the fun. You might catch Quiche out exploring her habitat, spot the lemur babies clinging to Mum or simply see a tiny pair of ears disappear behind a much larger family member.
Sydney Zoo is at 700 Great Western Highway, Bungarribee and is open 9am-5pm daily.
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