Animal Diaries Archive

Occa Walks!

29 July 2005

Everyone who comes to the Zoo will have the chance to see dingoes, tigers and wombats walking around in their exhibits and also around the Zoo, but not many would think to see a cockatoo walking around; you usually see them flying, right?

Well yes, cockatoos love to fly, but one Sulphur-crested Cockatoo I know by the name of Occa just loves to walk, run and even jump around the Zoo. He's such a character when it comes to playing time.

Now a couple of months ago, I told you about how clever and sometimes cheeky Occa is with all his amazing talents. Well Occa has just learnt a new command and that's JUMPING. He just loves it! He jumps to the music, jumps on the ground and likes to jump on my arm. He has great balance! Occa loves to play hide and seek but playing in the dirt is his number one past time.

Enrichment is very important here at Australia Zoo for all of our animals. With our birds we have lots of play toys in their enclosures - all different colours, shapes and sounds. When the birds come come outside to play, though, they all might come out together to interact, or they could come out individually. When they are outdoors they can play in the dirt (digging), pull on the grass, weeds and branches and for those birds who have their flying licence they can also stretch their wings and fly before, during and after the bird show throughout the Zoo.

Well I can hear Occa yelling out "Muummmm!", so off I go to take him on another adventure...

Until next time, Occa's outta here!