Wellington Zoo

Wellington Zoo

Wellington Zoo's Logo
Tahi the one-legged kiwi, Wellington Zoo's unofficial mascot. Tahi means 'one' in the Maori language.
Date opened	1906
Location	200 Daniell Street, Newtown, Wellington, New Zealand
Land area	13 hectares (32 acres)
Coordinates	41°19′11″S 174°47′03″E
Number of animals	500+
Number of species	100+
Memberships	ZAA
Website	wellingtonzoo.com

Distinguished from the fictional Wellington Zoo near the Forest of Dean in England in the Primeval (TV series).

Wellington Zoo is nestled in the green belt of Wellington, New Zealand. Now over 100 years old, it was the country’s first Zoo and has 13-hectare (32-acre) dedicated to over 100 different species of fauna from across the globe. Wellington Zoo is a significant contributor to conservation efforts including breeding programs for endangered species such as the Sun Bear and Sumatran tiger, as well as spreading conservation and sustainability messages to the wider community.

History

Wellington Zoo was opened in 1906 by the late Prime Minister Richard Seddon, after he was given a young lion - later named King Dick - by the Bostock and Wombwell Circus. Over time the Zoo was expanded and upgraded, and committed itself to a future in environmental education, bringing animals and people closer together.

Historically, Wellington Zoo operated under the auspices of the Wellington City Council. However, in June 2003 the Zoo became a charitable trust and is now governed by a board of six trustees, with the Wellington City Council as principal source of funds.

Conservation and Sustainability

Rokan, a Sumatran tiger at Wellington Zoo, showing off for visitors at the daily Tiger Talk.

Wellington Zoo is committed to the welfare of animals and wildlife both within the Zoo and around the world. As well as caring for their own animals, Wellington Zoo participates in breeding programs both locally and internationally, and contributes to conservation and research programs both within the Zoo, around the country and even overseas.

It works co-operatively with other Zoos around the world through studbook keepers, who are responsible for maintaining relevant data on a particular species within a programme to ensure genetic diversity. Wellington Zoo is a full institutional member of the Australasian Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria.

In addition to breeding programmes, the Zoo is also involved in a number of community conservation projects. The Kereru Discovery Project is a cooperative effort with Zealandia: Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, Te Papa and Pukaha (Mount Bruce). This project aims to make Wellington a better place for kereru, the native wood pigeon. Places for Penguins is a cooperative effort with Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand to identify and protect nesting areas used by blue penguins around Wellington coastal areas.

Wellington Zoo is further committed to reducing the environmental and social impact of its activities. Its dedication to conservation includes a focus on sustainable building practices in all its ongoing and future projects; including insulation and construction materials to reduce energy consumption, rainwater recovery systems for cleaning animal enclosures, the use of FSC-approved or recycled timber and solar water heating, as well as a range of other responsible approaches.

Interaction

Delta, one of Wellington Zoo's two cheetah brothers that visitors can meet up close.

Wellington Zoo is focused on providing an immersive and interactive experience for Zoo visitors and has several unique activities on offer.

A variety of talks and demonstrations are held on a day-to-day basis including the chance to meet Wellington Zoo’s unofficial mascot, Tahi the one-legged Kiwi, up close.

The Zoo has Close Encounters opportunities with cheetah, giraffe and red panda, where visitors can meet, touch and learn about the animals. In the Big Cat Experience, visitors can see how the lions and tigers are trained to make medical care simpler, and can participate in feeding the animals. At The Nest – Te Kōhanga, visitors can observe and ask questions of the Zoo veterinarians while they provide previously behind-the-scenes medical care to a wide range of animals on a daily basis. In the Living Room, Zoo educators entertain children with fun and informative sessions that have proven to be a great hit.

For children, the Zoo accommodates school visits and sleepovers, while for adults there are a variety of locations for holding functions. These experiences can include guided tours and the chance to meet the Zoo’s contact animals.

Zoo Capital Development Programme

The Wild Theatre.

Over ten years, Wellington Zoo is spending $21m to create a more unique, accessible and interactive environment to the benefit of the animals and visitors alike. The already completed Wild Theatre has become the heart of the Zoo, hosting presentations about the animals and available for concerts and Christmas parties. The Nest – Te Kōhanga animal hospital allows the public to watch the wildlife vets at work, narrating as they handle check-ups and surgeries and answering questions through an incorporated intercom system. Coming soon is 'Meet the Locals', an area dedicated to local fauna and conservation. Much more will be unfolding over the next few years, including the Asia Precinct and The Roost native bird care and breeding facility.

The Nest – Te Kōhanga

The Nest – Te Kōhanga.

The Nest - Te Kōhanga is Wellington Zoo's latest major edition. State-of-the-art facilities and equipment provide the dedicated veterinary staff with everything they need to treat every animal resident of the Zoo, except the giraffes, and is also used for rescued native wildlife. Each of the main surgical rooms has an open viewing gallery and a communication system, allowing staff to narrate procedures for visitors and visitors to ask questions of staff. Whether it's a routine check-up or first-of-its-kind surgery, there is always something going on in this unique animal hospital.

Resident animals

Bud and Gem, Wellington Zoo's otters, ready for treats at the daily Otter Talk.

Mammals

• Carnivores

African lions

Servals

Cheetah

Sumatran tigers

African wild dogs

Dingoes

Asian small-clawed otters

One of Wellington Zoo's Malaysian sun bears relaxes in the sun during the daily Bear Talk.

• Omnivores

Malaysian sun bears

Chimpanzees

Hamadryas baboons

White-cheeked gibbon

Capuchins

Emperor tamarins

Cotton-top tamarins

Pygmy marmosets

Meerkats

Hedgehogs

Peccaries

Brown rat

Visitors at Wellington Zoo have the chance to feed the giraffes at the daily Giraffe Talk.

• Herbivores

Giraffes

Nyala

Blackbuck

Black and white ruffed lemur

Spider monkeys

Little red flying fox

Eastern grey kangaroos

Tammar wallabies

Grevy's Zebras

Red pandas

African crested porcupines

Agouti

Jake the (female) cockatoo, out meeting visitors at Wellington Zoo's reception.

Birds

• Aquatic

Pelicans

Cape barren geese

Kotuku

Brolga cranes

Kingfishers

Australian shelducks

Little black shag

Little blue penguins

Campbell Teal

Scaup

• Terrestrial

Ostriches

Emus

Guinea fowl

Monal pheasant

Bantam chickens

Banded rail

Brown kiwi

• Parrots

Sulphur crested cockatoos

Red-tailed black cockatoos

Major Mitchell cockatoos

Red-fronted macaws

Sun conures

Kea

Kaka

• Pigeons

Crested pigeons

Emerald doves

Kereru

• Predatory

Tawny frog mouth

Morepork

Kookaburra

Magpies

One of Wellington Zoo's many contact animals, a bearded dragon, at the daily Reptile Talk.

Reptiles & Amphibians

• Aquatic

African clawed frogs

Southern bell frogs

Leopard tortoise

Red-eared sliders

Axolotl

Australian water dragons

• Terrestrial

Tuatara

Grand skinks

Otago skinks

Blue-tongued skinks

Cunningham skinks

Shingle backed skinks

Common skinks

Duvaucel's geckos

Madagascan giant day geckos

Forest geckos

Auckland green geckos

Common geckos

Eastern bearded dragons

Inland bearded dragons

Insects

Goliath bird-eater spiders

Redkneed tarantulas

Chilean rose tarantulas

Costa-rican zebra tarantulas

Peruvian pinktoe tarantulas

King baboon spiders

Fish

Inanga

Turquoise discus

Rummy-nose tetra

Cochu's blue tetra

Cardinal tetra

Bristlenose catfish

German blue ram

Clown loach

External links

• Official website