Ballarat Wildlife Park facts for kids
Wombat and joey
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| Date opened | 1987 |
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| Location | Ballarat, Victoria, Australia |
| Land area | 37 acres (15 ha) |
| Coordinates | 37°34′11″S 143°53′33″E / 37.5698°S 143.8926°E |
| No. of species | 400 |
The Ballarat Wildlife Park is a super fun place to visit in Ballarat, Australia. It's not just a zoo; it's an interactive wildlife park! This means you can get up close with many amazing animals. The park first opened its doors in 1987, thanks to Greg Parker. It's built on 37 acres (15 ha) of beautiful, natural bushland, making it feel like you're exploring the wild.
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Meet the Animals!
The park is home to about 400 different kinds of animals. Many of them are native to Australia, which means they naturally live there. Imagine walking around and seeing kangaroos and emus roaming freely! You can even hand-feed them, which is a really cool experience.
Australian Natives
You'll find lots of famous Australian animals here. Look out for sleepy koalas, cute and chunky wombats, and the always-smiling quokkas. There are also spiky echidnas, which are unique egg-laying mammals. If you're brave, you can also see powerful saltwater and freshwater crocodiles.
Animals from Around the World
While many animals are from Australia, the park also has some special visitors from other countries. You might spot an Indian star tortoise with its beautiful shell patterns. There's also the huge American alligator and the giant Aldabra giant tortoise. These tortoises can live for a very long time!
Remembering Patrick the Wombat
One of the most famous residents was a wombat named Patrick. He was very special because he was known as the oldest living wombat in captivity! Patrick lived a long and happy life at the park, reaching the age of 32 before he passed away in 2017. He was a true park legend.
