:Symbio Wildlife Park
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox zoo
|zoo_name = Symbio Wildlife Park
|logo =
|logo_caption =
|image = File:Saguinus_oedipus_under_heat_lamp_at_Symbio_Wildlife_Park.jpg
|image_caption = Cotton-top tamarin under heat lamp at Symbio
|location = Helensburgh, New South Wales, Australia
|date_opened = 1975
|date_closed =
|coordinates = {{Coord|-34.204451|150.969438|type:landmark_scale:2500|display=it}}
|area = {{convert|16|acre}}
|num_species =
|num_animals =
|largest_tank_vol =
|total_tank_vol =
|annual_visitors =
|members = ZAA
|exhibits =
|website = {{URL|https://symbiozoo.com.au/}}
}}
Symbio Wildlife Park is a privately owned medium sized zoo located in Helensburgh, New South Wales, south of Sydney and in close proximity to the City of Wollongong.
Beginning in 1975 as a native Australian wildlife park, Symbio later expanded its holdings with a number of different animals from other countries also, and has contributed to conservation work and captive breeding programs for both
Australian and exotic animals. In 2021 the park established specialty built captive-breeding facilities for native vulnerable and endangered Bellinger River snapping turtles, Manning River snapping turtles and Stuttering frogs.
Among Symbio's animal residents is an albino echidna named Leo.{{cite web|title=The big winners at the Illawarra Business Awards|url=https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/4992072/the-big-winners-at-the-illawarra-business-awards/|author=Greg Ellis|date=2017|accessdate=18 March 2022|website=illawarramercury.com.au|publisher=Illawarra Mercury}}{{cite web|title=David Beckham and family visit Symbio Wildlife Park|url=https://www.theleader.com.au/story/5731950/david-beckham-and-family-visit-symbio-wildlife-park-photos/|author=Greg Ellis|date=31 October 2018|accessdate=18 March 2022|website=theleader|publisher=The Leader}}{{cite web|title=A Koala and a Butterfly are new best friends|url=https://metro.co.uk/2016/10/04/a-koala-and-a-butterfly-are-new-best-friends-6170968/|author=Helen Smith|date=4 October 2016|accessdate=18 March 2022|website=metro|publisher=Metro Media UK}}
Kelly Clarkson and David Beckham have visited the zoo with the singer visiting the zoo in 2015 and the footballer visiting in 2018.
Animal species at the park include:
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
- Alpaca
- American alligator
- Bare-nosed wombat
- Bellinger River snapping turtle
- Boyd's forest dragon
- Carpet python
- Central bearded dragon
- Cheetah
- Common death adder
- Common marmoset
- Cotton-top tamarin
- Dingo
- Eastern blue-tongue lizard
- Eastern grey kangaroo
- Eastern yellow robin
- Emu
- Freshwater crocodile
- Frilled-neck lizard
- Gang-gang cockatoo
- Gila monster
- Golden lion tamarin
- Inland taipan
- Koala
- Little penguin
- Manning River snapping turtle
- Meerkat
- Nicobar pigeon
- Noisy pitta
- Pygmy marmoset
- Rainbow lorikeet
- Red panda
- Red-bellied black snake
- Regent bowerbird
- Ring-tailed lemur
- Saltwater crocodile
- Shingleback skink
- Short-beaked echidna
- Southern cassowary
- Stuttering frog
- Sulphur-crested cockatoo
- Superb fruit-dove
- Tasmanian devil
- Tawny frogmouth
- Wedge-tailed eagle
- White-browed scrubwren
- White-fronted chat
- Wompoo fruit-dove
{{div col end}}
Incidents
In March 2022, a red panda named Kesari was put down after escaping from the park and being hit by a vehicle after a tree fell.{{Cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-18/kesari-the-panda-dies-after-escaping-zoo-and-being-hit-by-car/100920892|title = Kesari the red panda dies after being hit by a car south of Sydney|newspaper = ABC News|date = 18 March 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://symbiozoo.com.au/}}
{{Zoos of New South Wales}}
Category:Zoos in New South Wales
Category:Wildlife parks in Australia
Category:1975 establishments in Australia
Category:Zoos established in 1975
Category:Tourist attractions in Sydney