Melbourne Museum and Zoo

Getting back into tourist mode, I visited the Melbourne Museum yesterday, and the zoo today. Both are pretty good.

The museum featured a number of different exhibits. One of the most interesting was about “evolution”. Amazingly, they are able to cover the topic without being distracted by “alternate” views from religious fanatics! (Similarly, “global warming” and man’s contribution to it does not garner any controversy, just calls for “let’s start doing something about it.”)

The zoo has some of the Australian critters, such as koalas and quokkas, that I am unlikely to see in the wild. They also have lots of kangaroos and emus, but those are easy to see, once you are out of the populated areas. The zoo does not have a Perentie Giant Lizard, however!

The koala just sits in a tree and sleeps.

The zoo has critters from other places, too. The Orangutan and Gorilla habitats are nice. Here is a very active young ape, playing with an adult:

There is also a nice butterfly enclosure, I heard some lions having a roaring contest, and there were some “small cats” that I hadn’t heard of before.

The Melbourne tram system seems very nice. I got to the zoo on one tram, which stopped right by an entrance. The trams get their own special lanes, and there are plenty of trams. Also, for slightly less than the cost of a return fare, you get a “day pass”, good for unlimited riding (across the number of “zones” you have paid for).