FEAST OR FAMINE

The National Zoo & Aquarium in Canberra, the capital of Australia, has three European Brown Bears: Big Fella, Blondie, and Darkle.  The Brown Bear ( Ursus arctos ) is found throughout the northern hemisphere. It is the smallest of the Brown Bears. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

The National Zoo & Aquarium in Canberra, the capital of Australia, has two Malaysian Sun Bears. One is a male called Arataki and the other is a female called Otay. The Sun Bear ( Helarctos malayanus ) is found in tropical rainforest of Southeast Asia. On the critically endangered list, Otay has contributed to maintaining her species by having a young cub, which was transferred to another wildlife sanctuary. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

The National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra, Australia, has two Sumatran Tigers ( Panthera tigris sumatrae ). They are naturally found in Sumatra, Indonesia. Their names are Berani (a male) and Rahni (a female). There are an estimated 400-500 Sumatran Tigers remaining in the world. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

The National Zoo & Aquarium in Canberra has four African lions ( Panthera leo ) named Delilah, Millie, Sabi and Marjan. In addition to the African lions are six White Lions ( Panthera leo krugeri ), naturally found in South Africa. They are not albino lions. Instead they have blond or fair fur, and are quite rare in the wild because they are not camouflaged against their habitat. The six white lions include four males in one enclosure, and a brother and sister in a separate enclosure. The Jamala Wildlife Lodge, opened in November 2014 as a luxury hotel experience, is part of the National Zoo & Aquarium in Canberra. Guests in one of the five exclusive Jungle Bungelows, built in the lion enclosure, can have a close encounter with them – and hear them roar at night. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the  author of:-  Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), T...

The Jamala Wildlife Lodge was opened in November 2014 as part of the National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra, Australia. There are three accommodations options: (1) seven rooms inside the main lodge with a shark tank, swimming pool and spa, (2) six Giraffe Treehouses with views of the adjacent giraffe enclosure, and (3) five exclusive Jungle Bungalows that have been built within the habitat of lions, bears, or cheetahs. In the Jungle Bungelows large glass floor-to-ceiling windows separate the animal’s habitat from the residence, so guests have full view of their designated animal. The animals can be viewed from the seating lounge, bed, or spa bath. Of course it’s up to the animals whether they want to see the guests and spend the evening with them. I stayed for two nights in a Jungle Bungelow suite in the Bengal tiger’s enclosure. Bakkar the Bengal tiger ( Panthera tigris tigris ) is found in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. It is estimated that there are about 4,50...