Our Animals

Our Animals

Find your favourites.

Taronga is home to over 5,000 animals from over 350 species. Find out which of your favourites you can visit at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo.

Download our app to discover more of the animals you can see during your visit.

African Lion, Lazarus. Photo: Chris Wheeler
African Lion, Lazarus. Photo: Chris Wheeler

African Lions

Lions are living on the edge of their existence. as the continents top carnivore they play a pivotal and essential role in maintaining the balance across diverse habitats.

Get up close to our lion pride at the Lion Pride Lands experience.

More
African Lion, Lazarus. Photo: Chris Wheeler
Asian Elephant calf Kanlaya. Photo: Rick Stevens
Asian Elephant calf Kanlaya. Photo: Rick Stevens

Asian Elephants

The largest living land mammal, elephants are super smart, really social and vital to their ecosystems. 

At Taronga we have made a conservation commitment to the Asian Elephant. Taronga’s successful breeding program, driven by our experts and partner zoos, is a vital part of the international effort for this endangered species. 

More
Asian Elephant calf Kanlaya. Photo: Rick Stevens
King Cheetah Kyan with her cubs. Photo: Rick Stevens
King Cheetah Kyan with her cubs. Photo: Rick Stevens

Cheetahs

The Cheetah is often referred to as the “ghost of the grasses’’ in Africa and is the fastest land mammal.

Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo was the first zoo in the world to have successfully bred cheetahs and is home to an incredibly rare King Cheetah named Kyan.

More
King Cheetah Kyan with her cubs. Photo: Rick Stevens
Sumatran Tiger. Photo: Chris Wheeler
Sumatran Tiger. Photo: Chris Wheeler

Sumatran Tigers

Wild tigers are facing a difficult future, but Taronga are fighting for a wildly bright one! With as few as 400 Sumatran Tigers left, we are deadly serious about protecting this wild species and their habitat.

Taronga is proud to be part of a regional conservation management plan for Sumatran Tigers including breeding, research, fundraising and community action to support sustainably produced palm oil.

More
Sumatran Tiger. Photo: Chris Wheeler
Giraffe at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo. Photo: Rick Stevens
Giraffe at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo. Photo: Rick Stevens

Giraffe

The Giraffe is the tallest of all animals, with males sometimes growing up to 5.5 metres in height and weigh over 1000 kg!

Giraffe are facing a silent extinction in the wild with numbers decreasing due to habitat loss and human conflict, however Taronga's successful breeding program is working towards developing a better future for these graceful animals.

More
Giraffe at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo. Photo: Rick Stevens
Plains Zebra feeding at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo
Plains Zebra feeding at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo

Zebra

There are four species of zebra; the Plains Zebra, Grevy’s Zebra, Cape Mountain Zebra and Hartmann's Mountain Zebra.

You can meet our Plains Zebra at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo.

More
Plains Zebra feeding at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo
Meerkat. Photo: Chris Wheeler
Meerkat. Photo: Chris Wheeler

Meerkats

They might look cute and cuddly, but these compact critters are capable of killing a cobra!

Taronga has successful Meerkat breeding programs at both Taronga Zoo Sydney and Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo.

More
Meerkat. Photo: Chris Wheeler
Koala resting in a tree
Koala resting in a tree

Koalas

Koalas are not only an Australian icon they have an important place in Aboriginal culture through shared stories, dance and rock art. Koalas are a marsupial meaning they give birth to live, under-developed young that continue to grow in the mothers pouch while feeding on milk.

More
Koala resting in a tree
Takhi foal
Takhi foal

Takhi

Known as Takhi (meaning 'spirit' or 'spiritual') these graceful equids are the only wild horses left in the world.

Taronga has taken an active role in the international Takhi conservation efforts, contributing zoo-born horses for reintroduction to the wild in Mongolia. The Zoo program aims to maintain the genetic variability of herds, as this will best protect the Takhi from the health risks associated with in-breeding.

More
Takhi foal
Ariel the Kangaroo. Photo: Felicia Eccles
Ariel the Kangaroo. Photo: Felicia Eccles

Kangaroos

The Red Kangaroo is an iconic Australian animal of the outback and the world’s largest marsupial.

The Red Kangaroo is nocturnal and largely spends the daylight hours sleeping or resting in the shade of trees.

More
Ariel the Kangaroo. Photo: Felicia Eccles