Zoo Chat | Here's why you should visit before the end of holidays

Here's our selection of the top 5 things to see and do at the zoo this summer:

See new arrivals: The zoo welcomed a number of new arrivals late last year, including a male Bongo calf and two Addax calves just prior to Christmas. These rare antelopes have settled in well to their respective herds. Likewise a Spider Monkey born in late December is also going well and can be seen on its island home clinging tightly to mum. Other growing youngsters include three lion cubs and four giraffe calves. The best time of day to see the cubs, mum Marion and dad Lwazi is in the mornings. For the giraffes, a great time to see them is around the encounter time at 10am.

Get on the water: Try the new pedal boat experience! Launched just in time for the holidays, zoo guests can now hire a pedal boat for a fun cruise by the primate islands, home to monkeys and lemurs. Fun for the whole family, boat hire is situated outside of the Zoo's main café, and boats can be hired between 10am-3pm Thursday to Sunday.

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Watch us heal the wild: You can now see the Zoo's veterinary team at work in a purpose-built Wildlife Hospital located at the end of the Zoo circuit. The hospital provides a window into how our team care for and treat the animals that call the Zoo home, and the 700+ wildlife cases that come through the gates annually. There's also a fun trail for the kids to explore.

Catch a keeper talk: Did you know there are 14 free scheduled keeper activities daily? Be sure to catch as many as you can when you next visit. You'll learn all about the animals from the people who care for them, plus see them up close.

Some of the species featured include Cheetah, Black Rhinos, Asian Elephants, Sumatran Tigers, African Wild Dogs and Tasmanian Devils.

Cool off at the Waterhole: After a busy morning in the Zoo, be sure to head to the Waterhole! The café is the perfect pitstop. Grab a cold drink or snack, watch the Meerkat mob as you relax, and let the kids can cool off in the water play area. If you're there around midday, don't miss the Meerkat Feed at 12.45pm.

With over 700 animals, plenty of fun ways to explore (bike, cart, on foot, car) and behind the scenes encounters and tours, there's so much to squeeze into a visit to the Zoo.

Don't forget if you're a local (Dubbo, Narromine, Gilgandra and Wellington residents) you can access discounted Mates Rates tickets and annual passes. Visit taronga.org.au/dubbolocals to find out more.

Taronga Western Plains Zoo is open 8.30am-4.30pm (last entry to the zoo circuit by 4pm) during the school holidays. For more information about planning a visit to Taronga Western Plains Zoo or to purchase your tickets online visit www.taronga.org.au/dubbo-zoo.

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