In early 2020 Taronga launched its new program to support environmental innovation – the HATCH: Taronga Accelerator Program. Taronga believes that innovation i...

It’s been an exciting time for Taronga Zoo’s chimpanzee group, and for chimpanzee research being conducted around the world. Taronga celebrated the 60th birthday of matriarch chimpanzee ‘Spitter’ this month, along with the 60th anniversary of D...

When Senior Marine Keeper Jo Walker started at Taronga Zoo, she was instantly spellbound by penguins. She fell in love with the look and inquisitive nature of this unusual bird, and was fascinated by their need to survive on both the land and s...

In the first Taronga Talks episode for season 2, Taronga Conservation Society Australia CEO Cameron Kerr reflects on the enormous change affecting us all during the COVID-19 pandemic. With over 5,000 animals to still care for, ongoing conservat...

We were honoured to welcome respected Brewarrina Elder and Australian country music legend Col Hardy OAM to the Taronga Talks studio, for a very special conversation. Col’s incredible journey to Taronga is carried by his love of music and sacre...

With an interest in anatomy, the weird and wonderful, and a lifelong affinity with animals – the writing was on the wall for Dr. Lydia Tong to devote her career to science. As Veterinary Pathologist at Taronga Wildlife Hospital, Lydia acts as t...

Staying positive and solutions-focused keeps Belinda Fairbrother tackling huge global challenges like climate change, every day. Spending her formative years at play in the Aussie bush, Belinda acquired a love and curiosity of nature and animal...

 Every second weekend during his teens, Anthony Dorrian would help his father with Taronga Zoo’s food and manure runs. He jumped at every opportunity to learn and grow as a keeper – first at Taronga Zoo Sydney, then at Taronga Weste...

From caring for stray dogs to rehabilitating native wildlife at WIRES, Jimmy Sanders was born with an innate love of nature. Taronga Zoo’s Chimpanzee Talk inspired him to pursue a career as a Zoo Keeper – unlocking his passion for ungulates (ho...

Bruce Murdock’s earliest memory of connecting with animals occurred when he was very young, during a pony ride. He knew he wanted to live his life around animals. Starting small with a ‘free-range’ pet rabbit, Bruce sought out learning experien...

Growing up in Sydney’s pristine Northern Beaches, Wendy Gleen used to wake up to blue-tongued lizards, diamond pythons, koalas and a brilliant dawn chorus. Then one day she realised – houses had replaced animals and the birds had stopped singin...

We were honoured to welcome the incredible Dr. Jane Goodall to Taronga this month for an intimate conversation at Taronga’s wonderful Institute of Science & Learning. With almost 60 years of chimpanzee research at Gombe National Park in Tan...

Signed up and ready to join the Royal Australian Air Force, Maz Boz never thought a ‘Keeper for the Day’ experience at Taronga Zoo would change his life forever. He was so blown away by the people and magic of Taronga that he immediately change...

With up to 600 animals attending Taronga Western Plains Zoo Wildlife Hospital in any given year, no two days are the same for Senior Veterinarian Dr. Benn Bryant. From annual health checks of Taronga Western Plains Zoo’s mega-vertebrates like G...

  The strong bond between a Keeper and their animal is hard-won, yet the most valuable tool available for animal training and enrichment. Danielle Fox knows that, like all good relationships, trust and rapport is earnt over tim...

As far back as he can remember, Paul Davies always wanted to be a Zoo Keeper. His childhood visits to Whipsnade Zoo in England cemented both his love of animals and awe of the zoo keeping profession. When life took an unexpected turn during his...

Looking after the world’s fastest mammal, one of the world’s slowest animals and Africa’s most efficient predator is all in a day’s work for Taronga Western Plains Zoo Keeper Jordie Michelmore. Having joined Taronga Zoo’s ‘Youth at the Zoo’ pro...

 Though scaly and scary to some, Michael McFadden has always loved reptiles. His Honours degree first led him to Taronga Zoo, where he seized an opportunity to work in the Reptile House. Now Unit Supervisor for Herpetofauna, Michael...

The ocean was her first love… the salt, the spray, the waves. When her cat dragged a tiny naked bird into her home one day, Libby Hall fell in love again. Protecting and caring for injured wildlife, watching them grow stronger and releasing the...

From early morning bird-watching with his father in country Victoria, to watching tadpoles turn into turtles as a boy, Matt Kettle was always fascinated with wildlife. An unexpected friendship with a Zimbabwean falconer stirred his great love o...

Hundreds of metres of fencing forms a sanctuary for some of Australia’s most vulnerable and critically endangered species. Yet how can we save Australia’s Greater Bilby, Regent Honeyeater and Plains-Wanderer from behind a fence? Andrew Elphinst...

Had she not called up to confirm her post, Louise Ginman may have never worked at Taronga Zoo. Just ten days after starting as a Carnivore Keeper, Louise first experienced the joy of welcoming Sumatran Tiger cubs to the world. Twenty-five years...