Warning: Biology ahead!

So yesterday we went to the Healesville Sanctuary, one of three zoos around Melbourne.  This one focused exclusively on local fauna, and I got to see/touch many animals that are only found in Australia.  Kangaroos, lizards, platypi, Tasmanian Devils, etc..

It's interesting, thinking about how some of these animals evolved out here.. Let's start with the kangaroo.  Marsupial, herbivore, lazy buggers.  However, they have crazy sharp claw looking things!  Why would they need them?  I asked the keeper, and she was saying how they live in groups (mobs), and they use the claws primarily for fighting/dominance hierarchies.  Maybe I haven't done biology in a while, but it seems like a weird trait to have just for fighting/dominance.  You'd think those crazy powerful legs would be enough.

The Platypus is another odd one.  It looks like a cross between a beaver and a flattened duck, it is a marsupial/mammal, but lays eggs that are leathery, like a reptile.  One of the few mammals that lays eggs...

There was a bird in the Birds of Prey show (I can't remember what type) that uses rocks to break open Emu eggs.  One of only two species of birds in the world known to use tools (the other being in Africa).

Lastly, the Lyrebird.  A small bird with a gigantic tail (long and thin, not like a peacock), that uses it for mating displays (normal), but impresses females by dancing and mimicing all sorts of other birds/power tools/human speech. 

Seriously, and odd collection of animals.  Everything is a bit odd down here, I guess...

In other news, next week I'll be staging at Vue De Monde for three days before going to Vietnam... One of the best restaurants in the world, and I just walked in and asked.  It's a shame that I didn't bring any of my stuff with me, but oh well...

Also, Halloween is tomorrow.  Apparently it's a new thing down under, and only in the past few years has it taken hold, so it's not terribly big, which is fine for me.  You all know how much I love dressing up...