Cairns, Port Douglas & Palm Cove Wildlife

Get the unique opportunity to get close to, touch or hold some amazing animals. Cairns Tropical Zoo is home to hundreds of native and exotic species, many of which are indigenous to the Australia's northern wet tropics.

The Zoo has broken the mould of traditional zoos with a simple philosophy encouraging personal interaction with animals for a greater understanding of wildlife, and a greater promotion of the need to preserve their natural habitats. Have your photo taken cuddling a koala or a boa constrictor. Hand-feed tame kangaroos; see lively presentations on giant saltwater crocodiles, snakes, and Queensland's only red pandas, and experience the fabulous free flight bird show. Meet cassowaries, dingoes, wombats and much more. A great day out for all the family!

The Cairns Night Zoo has a long standing reputation for offering guests a great Australian night out!

The experience begins when the guides greet you at 7.00pm sharp at the Night Zoo entrance and escort you to a famous Aussie BBQ.

After dinner, you will be provided with a torch and led into the darkness to meet the creatures of the night. Learn how owls hunt, touch a possum and pat a koala. Follow the guides as they lead you safely through the crocodiles' lair and see the croc eyes glow in your torchlight.

Experience nocturnal wildlife in the tropics at Cairns' one and only Night Zoo.

Cuddle a koala! Kuranda Koala Gardens is one of only a handful of places in the world where you can actually cuddle this adorable animal. Meet the wallabies, wombats, freshwater crocodiles and lizards, and visit Australia's first walk-through 'Reptile House' to see pythons and other reptiles roaming free.

Admire beautiful local butterflies, including the famous electric blue Ulysses butterfly and Australia's largest butterfly, the Cairns or Australian Birdwing. Enter a 3,666 cubic metre self-sustaining aviary and get close to more than 1,500 magnificent tropical butterflies. They'll fly over your head and might even lightly touch you!

Discover a spectacular all-weather wildlife centre right in the heart of Cairns. Encased by 20 metre high glass, Cairns Wildlife Dome is on the rooftop of the prominent Reef Hotel Casino. The dome exhibits about 60 species of animals wandering and flying freely throughout the enclosure, which replicates their natural environment.

Join a complimentary guided tour and watch rainforest ecology presentations, conducted at regular intervals throughout the day. Visit North Queenland's first underwater crocodile viewing enclosure, which enables visitors to view, eyeball to eyeball, a large saltwater crocodile. Cuddle a koala and have a photo taken of you and your new friend.

Check out amazing animals you won't find at any other zoo in the world. Get up close to all sorts of rarely seen and venomous creatures, from the world's most poisonous spider to Australia's five most venomous snakes, and a variety of scorpions, centipedes, fish, reptiles and insects. And of course, don't miss the favourite spider of the zoo: their beloved Australian Tarantula!

At the Australian Venom Zoo, the main focus is on captive breeding and displaying venomous animals that will one day help us to produce advanced medicines. Watch the venom extraction and learn all about these incredible creatures (with experienced guides handling them!).

Nature has the answers!

BatReach is a rescue and rehabilitation centre, entirely operated by volunteers, for damaged and orphaned flying foxes and micro bats. Forget your prejudice against horrible blood-sucking monsters - there is no reason to fear these cute little creatures. BatReach will make you rediscover them and show you how harmless and interesting they are. You can even touch them if you want!