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Wednesday, March 14, 2007

The Animals at Deer Park, Queenstown

In an earlier posting, I mentioned about bringing extra $1 coins to Deer Park, Queenstown but did not elaborate about this matter. The $1 coins are for the purchase of “sheep nuts” and $1 gets a full tin of this stuff. So what do you do with the “nuts”? Aha, that’s when your fun on Deer Park starts!

My guide called this stuff “sheep nuts”. They are actually small bits of dried food pellets. For sheep? One of the surprises at Deer Park is that besides the deer, you get to see a whole lot of other animals too. There are miniature horses, ducks, pigs, sheep, goats, alpacas, llamas …… even highland cattle and the North American bison. Calling it “The Animal Farm” would have been more appropriate!

My New Zealand Vacation, Queenstown, Deer Park, Photo20593
(Click for larger photo)
Ducks, miniature horses and ugly pigs!
“The Animal Farm”
Deer Park, Queenstown, Aug 2006

These animals roam freely on Deer Park but some are kept within fenced enclosures. To get the animals to come to you, all you have to do is shake the tin of food pellets to make a rattling sound. One of my memorable encounters was with the goats and llamas. Shook the tin and I found myself surrounded by a couple of excited llamas and goats! As the llamas are almost as tall as a man, it was a challenge trying to keep the tin out of their reach. After being jostled by a couple of them, I started to smell like them too! Haha... Unlike llamas, the alpacas are nice, gentle and well mannered.

My New Zealand Vacation, Queenstown, Deer Park, Photo20618
(Click for larger photo)
Excited llamas and goats!
Deer Park, Queenstown, Aug 2006

Feeding the animals, having them slopped saliva on your palms, you will inevitably have a good collection of exotic saliva ...... so do expect to get dirty and smell like one of the animals on your trip!

To see Pavlov theory in action, shaking a tin in Deer Park will give you a good first hand experience of frenzied salivating animals around you!

(Click below for larger photos)
My New Zealand Vacation, Queenstown, Deer Park, Photo20658
My New Zealand Vacation, Queenstown, Deer Park, Photo20662
Young Kids
1-2 weeks old
Himalayan Tarn
(beautiful long hair)


My New Zealand Vacation, Queenstown, Deer Park, Photo20720
My New Zealand Vacation, Queenstown, Deer Park, Photo20723
North American Bison
(small horns, big nose)
Highland Cattle
(big horns, big nose)
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