TAKE A WALK ON THE WILD SIDESF ZOO'S NEW 'WALKABOUT' JUST ONE OF MANY CHANGES IN STORE

America's fascination with all things Australian gets yet another boost

from the San Francisco Zoo's newest exhibit, appropriately called

''Walkabout.''

A posted railing and a 36-inch vertical wall situated below the public

pathway are all that separate you from the 10 grey kangaroos, nine common

wallaroos, one Bennett's wallaby, two Parma wallabies, three emus, two brush

turkeys and seven cuddly koala bears that make their home in this 2.2 acre,

visitor-friendly environment.

The $500,000 ''Walkabout'' area, designed to resemble an Australian Outback

station, is the largest exhibit devoted to Australian animals in Northern

California. The animals who live there join 83 species of mammals, 30 species

of reptiles and amphibians, 83 speciesof birds and 66 species of invertbrates

who also make their home at the zook, which attracts a million visitors each

year.

When visiting ''Walkabout,'' it's easy to feel like you're actually in the

Outback watching these animals, who get along at the zoo as well as they do in

the wild.

You might witness brush turkeys building huge compost mounds to incubate

their eggs -- unlike most bird species, they don't use body heat to hatch

their young.

It's a special treat when a baby kangaroo -- or ''joey'' as they are called

- pokes its head out its mother's pouch to see what's going on in the world.

Listen carefully as you study the emus. These odd-looking birds -- the

world's second largest, exceeded in size only by the ostrich -- are noted for

the distinct booming calls of the female and the guttural calls of the male.

Along the Walkabout path you'll find various hands-on graphics, each with a

question-answer format to delight and educate both children and grown-ups. The

interactive learning experience includes one display that has a furry pouch

embedded with a bean so you can feel how tiny a kangaroo ''joey'' is at

birth.

The Aborigines, Australia's native people, hold a profoundly ecological

view of existence. Their goal is to live a long life and leave nothing behind

but footprints. In tone, texture, color and form, the zoo's entire Walkabout

exhibit reflects this subtle message.

''Walkabout'' includes a 5,369 square-foot ''koala crossing'' and a 1,950

square-foot ''koala annex.'' It's one of only 13 American zoological parks

exhibiting koalas.

Look closely. Those cuddly-looking furry animals on the branches are not

stuffed toys. Watch them long enough and you see them move. One of the seven

koalas who live here was born at the zoo last year and now clings to its mom's

back.

While ''Walkabout's the newest attraction, it's far from the only one.

Sixty-five of the zoo's 125 acres of land are developed. The remainder are

scheduled for development over the next decade.

Be sure to visit the Primate Discovery Center, where you'll see 15 species,

including chimpanzees, orangutans, siamangs, lemurs, tamarins, mandrills,

monkeys and gorillas. The interactive, hands-on exhibits are fun and

educational.

As you walk the perimeter of the lowland gorilla compound, you'll gain new

respect for the great ape. Don't miss the exhibit that asks ''Do you measure

up?'' There on the wall is a body outline, marked off in measurements to show

a mature gorilla weighing 344 pounds, standing 5-feet, 3-inches tall, with an

arm span of 7-feet, 9-inches. Compare yourself to the outline for a lesson in

humility.

Seventeen species at the zoo -including African and Asian elephants,

Siberian and Sumatran tigers, black rhinos, greater onehorned rhinos, and

lowland gorillas- are managed as part of the Species Survival Plan.

On your way out, stop at the Mothers' Building, currently used as the Zoo

Shop. Eventually it will be restored as a museum. This handsome

renaissance-style structure, a national landmark, originally was designed as a

place where mothers could go to relax and to care for their young children.

If you have youngsters with you, be sure to visit the Children's Zoo. The

former Storyland features a play area and a five-acre park.