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The Top 5 Animal Encounters Down Under
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Brand Studio

The Top 5 Animal Encounters Down Under

13 Jun 2016 01:08PM (Updated: 21 Jun 2016 05:23PM)
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Top 5 Animal Encounters
Down Under

Here’s how to get better acquainted with the friendly locals of South Australia Words: Pamela Toh South Australia boasts over 5,000km of pristine coastline, making it a spectacular vantage point to observe native animals both on land and in the water. Watch the annual migration of whales from the steep cliffs around Victor Harbor or take a cruise from Granite Island jetty to get a closer look. You can also spot Australian sea lions and other wildlife just off the coast or hop along to Kangaroo Island to meet the marsupials that come out at dusk. With such a wide variety of wildlife, it was difficult narrowing down the list to just five of my favourite animal encounters in South Australia, but here are some noteworthy encounters not to be missed. Whale Watching in Victor Harbor
Grab front row seats along the South Australian coast each winter or go on a whale watching cruise from Victor Harbor and witness the annual migration of the Southern Right Whales. The first whales arriving from Antarctica between late May and early June are usually pregnant cows that are ready to birth. Newborn calves spend most of the winter feeding and playing in the waters off the coast, growing and preparing for the arduous journey back with the rest of the pod. Almost 60% of whale species in the entire world call the waters off Australia home. They are naturally curious creatures so don’t be afraid to make some noise when you spot a whale tail weaving in and out of the water as this might help draw them closer to where you are. Whether you catch them from land or from a boat, that spine-tingling up close and personal experience with them truly makes you realise how small
Admittedly this is not for everyone. For the adrenalin junkies, the curious or simply just brave, however, being immersed in their environment, with a steel cage preventing you from becoming a great white shark’s next meal, might give you a different perspective to this magnificent but often misunderstood creature. Various tours for this adrenalin pumping experience operate from Port Lincoln and come with safety equipment for the dive, refreshments and moral support. Meanwhile, I along with the meek and the young will watch from the safety of the boat. More on Cage Diving here. Giving Koalas a Cuddle
You can’t just walk up to one and give it a hug. The Cuddle-a-Koala experience is one that is available only under the supervision of a zookeeper or a wildlife ranger and is highly controlled. You will be told how to stand, position your arms and how long you have for that all important souvenir photo. Koalas get stressed out easily and are only allowed to “work” for 20 minutes at a time, after which they return to their enclosures to rest. Koala experiences do not run when it gets too hot so consider travelling during cooler seasons like autumn and winter if you’re looking for a furry little hug. Visit Cleland Wildlife Park in Adelaide Hills, Gorge Wildlife Park in Cudlee Creek or the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park on Kangaroo Island for an unforgettable experience with this cute marsupial. Kangaroos and Sea Lions on Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island or KI as the locals call it, is known as the zoo without fences and for good reason. It is about seven times the size of Singapore and home to kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, sea lions, birds and more. Seal Bay, on the south side of the island, is the only place in the world where visitors are able to enter and walk along a boardwalk, on a guided tour, among a wild colony of over 1,000 Australian sea lions. There are no cages or enclosures and the sea lions are free to roam around on the expanse of sand dunes along the beach. The twilight beach tour, only available during South Australian Daylight Savings, is a must for photography and sunset enthusiasts. You will get a two-hour exclusive guided visit, in a small group of no more than 12 people, as the sun bathes the beach with golden light and the locals bed down in the sand dunes for the night. More about Kangaroo Island here.
And finally, kangaroos, the marsupials that the island is named after. KI ‘roos are smaller and darker with longer brown fur than their mainland cousins. They have evolved differently since the island was connected to the continent some 9,500 years ago and have adapted to need very little water. They are nocturnal and during the day, can be often found resting under vegetation only coming out to graze in the early morning and late evening. When dusk falls and you have returned to your eco-lodge for the night. You sit on the quiet, dimly lit porch to take stock of all the amazing animal encounters you have had in South Australia and you notice the island’s namesakes appearing silently on the lawn, one or two appearing to snack but most of them are here, looking at you out of curiosity. And then you realise that THIS is your favourite Australian animal encounter of them.
Source: TODAY
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