Born the size of a jelly bean, koalas travel to their mother’s pouch where they stay until they are old enough to cling onto her back.
The Australian Marine Mammal Research Centre
The Australian Marine Mammal Research Centre (AMMRC) at Taronga Zoo was established in 1996 as a collaboration between the Taronga Conservation Society Australia and the University of Sydney's Veterinary Science faculty. The centre is one of the key features in Taronga's EnergyAustralia Great Southern Oceans exhibit and is currently partnered with the University of New South Wales.
The majority of programs at AMMRC are an integration of captive and field-based initiatives. AMMRC works with captive populations of marine mammals to develop new technologies that can be applied to ecological issues in the field.
To do so, AMMRC collaborates with colleagues working in Australian, Antarctic and international waters towards the development of research programs. These programs are conservation-based and examine impacts of noise exposure, breeding dysfunction, stress and climatic warming.
Research outcomes are published in peer-reviewed academic journals and books as well as delivered at national and international conferences. AMMRC staff members have academic adjunct appointments at the University of New South Wales and are also involved in training young scientists. The students who have been trained through AMMRC so far include many PhD, MSc and Honours students.
Visitors to the centre will not only be able to learn about marine conservation and climate change, but also enjoy interactive experiences that highlight the natural habitats, behaviours and threats to marine mammals and birdlife. Taronga Zoo hopes that visitors will be inspired to help wildlife and to protect our environment.
AMMRC also features a replica Antarctic Research Vessel, which showcases the work undertaken at the centre. The research findings and developments at AMMRC are brought to life in this stunning area, with sound effects and cooler temperatures simulating the effect of moving through ever more southerly latitudes.
Inside the vessel, visitors are able to enjoy underwater panoramic views of the Penguins and Leopard Seals and walk through a glass tunnel underneath two of the Penguin pool areas.
