Had a lovely time on the wildlife tour here, and finally saw an echidnea - yay! Been waiting all holiday to see one, and today was the day! The ranger was pretty funny as he took us to an enclosure with water dragons and blue tongued lizards. Then he went off to some bushy bits and started rummaging around in them. I thought he was just looking for another reptile, but he kept on looking through the bushes, right down at the bottom, and then he finally said 'I've got an echidnea in here somewhere....'
I got excited :D
Then he brought her out and she's soooo cute! Echidneas have a pouch but no milk teets, their young suckle from little milk pores in their pouch instead. Looks like a porcupine but isn't related, just the spininess is similar. Anyways, I took plenty of photos and a little video of her eating as they have really long and thin tongues! She gets fed a diet of mixed cat and dog food with yoghurt. Healthy then! :)
He wasn't sure whether she'd be released into the wild, as she's so used to being fed and being with humans, that it probably wouldn't be good for her.

Before the echidnea excitement, I got to hold a crocodile! They have four there, a few little ones and one fairly big one compared to the small ones! The croc I held was only a teeny one, and it also had it's jaw taped up so no danger there then! We then went to see the cockatoos - a black and a white one. The black one could be fed by us and has obviously been taught a few tricks whilst it's been living there, as we put sunflower seeds between our lips and he took them that way! One lady thought that he would take them with his beak, but he just gently takes it with his tongue without even touching you! Very cute.
The white cockatoo only liked girls petting him, and also didn't like being fed by people. So, me and another lady (she was there with her hubby, and there was only one other guy on the tour) gave him a scratch on the head each, which he seemed to enjoy very much!
Then we saw the echidnea, and then it was koala cuddle time! I think the photograph is a nicer one than the one at Lone Pine Sanctuary, so I'm glad I did it again. We also got a couple of photos for our money, which is nice and it was cheaper than at Lone Pine!
By the koala enclosure, we met Middy, who is their resident little wallaby. She's a rescue wallaby as her mum was run over outside the sanctuary a few years ago. Really, really cute and sociable little macropod - just kept hopping around our feet and looking up at us exceptionally cutely! I just wanted to pick her up and put her in my pocket too! Apparently she'll release herself into the wild when she's ready. She's free to hop around the place as she likes (I hope she knows to stay away from the croc enclosure as they'll have her for a snack) and then one day she'll be gone as she'll have hopped off! So I'm glad I got to see her though I'm sure they'll be looking after other rescue wallabies in the future!
Then it was snake holding time! I wasn't really afraid of holding a snake, and it was a carpet python (like the one I'd seen on Fraser Island) seeing as it must be fairly safe if they let you hold it. Just don't agitate it... :D

So, that was my wildlife tour for the afternoon. It was the best wildlife tour I've had on the whole trip too! The wildlife parks I've been to were great - especially Bonorong where we got to meet Pixie the wombat, and several Tassie Devils, but this was just much more interactive and special I think! I'm just glad I got to see an echidnea before going home, and of course cuddling another koala :D

Didn't get through to the boat cruise people, and was ok about that as I did want to feed the lorikeets in the afternoon. So, for a couple of hours, I soaked up the sun by the pool and read my book. My legs are looking quite brown now, but my tummy is still pretty white so I thought I'd let that part of me see the sun for a little bit! I very much doubt I'll be using my bikini when I get home so I may as well make the most of it while I can!!

Then on to the lorikeet feeding. They put out their food and the mania began! I didn't think that they would bite or anything, but the lady yesterday said that their claws are quite sharp and they'll only cling on if they start to fight when they're sitting on your arms. Yes, that's true, and I have some tiny little scars on my arms and fingers to prove it! They also become quite heavy when you've got about 5 or 6 on each arm, and then others resting on your head! One of them was hopping about on the end of my cap as well, so making it a bit difficult to see what I was doing!
Some girls were really popular (I stopped feeding them once I saw my arm starting to bleed from getting scratched!) and had about 6 or 7 feeding out of their hands!! It's actually quite hilarious to watch as all these lorikeets flock down and can't wait to get at the food!

Couldn't be bothered to cook for myself tonight either and so had dinner in the lovely restaurant, and also had a drink with the Austrian guy in our room - Tomas. He was quite sweet really, and we were just having a good old chinwag about travelling - where we'd been, where we were going, etc. He said that he'd met one girl who had a backpack but then also a little trolley case. When she opened the suitcase, there were 5 pairs of high heeled shoes!! Hahahahahahah!!
Another time, he was in a 10-bed mixed dorm room, with 9 other girls!! That must have made his day :D He did say it was a nightmare trying to use the bathroom though!