Auckland Zoo 2007 » Auckland Zoo

Auckland Zoo 2007
26-05-2007

Today I visited Auckland Zoo , before I head back home .
Very little has changed from my previous trip , but alot of animals were active , and Auckland Zoo is a very enjoyable place to visit in itself .

They have almost completed a Conservation/Medical Centre behind the tiger enclosure . Nobody was very clued up about this complex , apart from the fact that it is a new addition to the animal hospital , and will do things like surgery for kiwis caught in traps etc ( They wont bother with possums in traps , though )

The tiger enclosure doesnt provide much opportunity for tiger to hide , but it appeared that it doesnt bother the tiger at all . The tiger comes right up to the glass to greet the people .
It is the last of the old pit enclosures in Auckland Zoo .

Many parts of the zoo are designed that the "people area" is cramped , narrow , rusty passageways , and the animals spaces are spacious and green . I think this was a deliberate design choice

I asked them about their drop out of the Australasian Zoo elephant acquisition saga .
It seems that the real reason was that the elephant destined for Auckland Zoo had behavioural risks , and didnt like the keeper who went to Thailand to assess the animal on offer . As Aucklands elephants are let out of their enclosure many times , there was a strong potential for some sort of negative incident with a stroppy elephant . The keepers have a very close working relationship with the elephants ( similar to mahouts ) so a " hands off " approach is not wanted just because of a new elephant .....

The keepers were all busy , so the only people available for many questions were PR staff .

I have a few copies of their Friends of the Zoo newsletter for anyone that would like one . Please send me an email with your address ( and real name ) if you want me to post you a sample .
For those who are interested , there are 2 DVDs available at the zoo shop of the TV series of Auckland Zoo . Jay has seen videos of some of these .
The first DVD is Series 1 to 3 , and the second is of Series 4 to 6 .
If need be , I can give you details of how to contact the zoo shop -- they can deal with overseas orders .

Anyone coming to NZ should visit Auckland Zoo -- it is a real gem

26-05-2007

if ever i get the opportunity to go to new zealand, hopefully one day, i promise i will go to the auckland zoo
just on new zealand zoos, i know youre not an expert but a s a new zealander youre in a better position to say what species do you think will your zoo collections consist of in a few years time?
obviously white rhinos, giraffe, lion, cheetah, hunting dog, tiger....what else? in alot of cases single zoos hold the only animals of their type in new zealand (aucklan-elephant, wellingotn-sun bear), and what have you heard on the rumour mill in terms of new species for NZ? if any

NZ Zoo future exhibits
27-05-2007

As you are aware , NZ is very constrained to what it can have in their zoos
so I think that the emphasis is to develop those species within the regional breeding programmes , rather than adding alot of new species .
Auckland Zoo has the regions only Borneo Orang Utan -- two family groups , and they are planning to breed more from these .
Auckland will no longer have chimpanzees for breeding or display -- Hamilton and Wellington will major on those .
Fairly new animal exhibits include the Hunting dogs , servals , red pandas , maras , meerkats , cheetah ..... and Madagascar animals ( lemurs etc )
I think that some zoos will happily accept any Aust species -- wombats , koalas for Auckland etc --- if the Australian Authorities will release them to NZ .
And I think that there will be more NZ fauna displayed for visitors to see up close -- especially tuatara and kiwi , which are nearly impossible for the average visitor to see in the wild .

But most of the effort is trying to breed Sumatran tigers , white rhino , and the likes as part of the regional breeding programme , rather than adding many new species .
Auckland Zoo has historically had a large range of different species , and unless there are big hassles ( see bears ) they still keep and breed what they have if at all possible .

28-05-2007

I really liked Auckland Zoo - we visited about 5 years ago and were quite impressed ... unfortunately haven't had time to go back during any of my subsequent visits to Auckland - all work trips

30-05-2007

You might not recognise the place now , Sim !!
But you are right , for a relatively small city of Auckland , it has a zoo to rival some of the larger places in the USA etc
And you Australians will feel quite at home there , as they are keeping all the gum trees in the park .
I asked them about the prospects of housing koalas -- the PR folk thought that it was Australia Govt regulations that were preventing koalas coming to Auckland . There are no end of gum leaves to feed them !

31-05-2007

Australian Government regulations? i think koalas are being exported more frequently all the time, particularly to Asian zoos. WPZ even has a purpose-built breeding facility for koala breeding, with many animals produced there earmarked for overseas animal exchange programs.

31-05-2007

i reckon a koala is definately worth a couple of kiwis - maybe even throw in a tuatara for good will.... whatya reckon?

31-05-2007

Cool. Though maybe two koals for a couple of breeding pairs of kiwis.

01-06-2007

Fair call . I am sure Auckland Zoo could arrange some kiwis for you ....
They have just bred the 150th kiwi chick for their breed and release programme , so I am sure they could spare a few kiwis .....

I am only going on what I am told by zoo staff that I met there -- maybe they have got it wong about Australian politics .....

Auckland zoos response to questions
24-06-2007

I found someone who was happy to take on my questions at Auckland Zoo , and I asked them about the elephant breeding programme , and the flamingoes ( recent hot potatoes )

the following is the response ;

Does the zoo still hope to use AI on the younger
elephant to try and
breed ?
No. The zoo is no longer perusing AI due to
Burma (the younger
elephant) showing some discomfort during the
procedure.

Does the zoo hope to breed from the ( somewhat
small ) flock of
flamingoes that were brought over from the UK ?
Yes, the flamingo have just reached maturity and
are starting to show
mating behaviours, we are hopeful they will breed
in the new few years.


So there we have it .
The elephants will be for dispay and education only , but hopefully better luck with the flamingoes

24-06-2007

I really liked Auckland Zoo when I visited many years ago. For a small(ish) city it was a surprisingly large zoo in a very pleasant setting. I've seen the DVD's of the more recent ZOO! series too and they seem to have come on great deal with new enclosures(and species) since I went there.

One question- do they still play any role in hatching or rearing Kakapo as they did when I was there? I presume they don't have any on display as any they rear would be for the reintroduction programme.r

Kakapo
25-06-2007

I dont think the zoo is involved in that programme -- they are leaving it to other more specialised DOC conservation programmes .
But I have asked Abigail to confirm this .

And if you went to Auckland Zoo a number of years ago , you wont rrecogniser the place now !!

25-06-2007

Hi - Abigail here from Auckland Zoo.


At the request of DOC's National Kakapo Team, Auckland Zoo signed a Memorandum of Understanding as the designated provider of veterinary services for kakapo.

This achievement comes about following a long history of involvement with the kakapo, and as a highly regarded service provider to DOC.

In the early 1990s, Auckland Zoo became the first institution to hand-rear a kakapo. Subsequently DOC established its own dedicated facility for rearing kakapo chicks at Burwood Bush, near Te Anau. However, Auckland Zoo vets continued to provide advice and occasional clinical services to the Kakapo Recovery team. A veterinarian was employed by DOC to work with kakapo for several years and, during this time, established sound health management protocols for the island populations of these birds.

This position was recently disestablished and the Zoo was approached by DOC’s National Kakapo Team to provide future veterinary needs for these critically endangered parrots.

Auckland Zoo is delighted to accept the invitation and, to date, has been called out to just one ‘home visit’ – to examine and treat an eye injury in Richard Henry, the oldest known kakapo and the only representative of the Fiordland population. He has a cataract causing blindness in one eye, but has sufficient vision in the other eye to go about his daily business. He was in excellent body condition and veterinary opinion is that he is likely to have many more years of life in him

25-06-2007

I'm glad that Richard Henry is still alive and well. I love the story of his discovery and subsequent history. I believe he also has two or three young nowadays so his genes are secure? Or has he been able to breed again more recently. Does he now live on the island in Milford Sound?

26-06-2007

Hi Grant
there is a lot of information about Richard Henry on Kakapo: Meet the Kakapo: Whakapapa
which should answer your questions.