NZ zoo list

NZ zoo list
05-01-2008

Here is a list of the places in NZ that display captive wildlife, including zoos, bird parks, aquariums, etc. They are arranged roughly in order from north to south. There may be some missing, so feel free to post about them. I have included some of the ones that have closed down (because their names still pop up on the internet, in books, etc). Websites are given for those that have them. ARAZPA member institutions are noted.

The larger zoos and aquariums in NZ are generally either council affairs or operated by charitable trusts. The smaller wildlife parks, bird parks, etc (i.e. most of the animal collections) are usually just peoples' hobby collections that have been opened to the public and usually have relatively non-exotic species. There are lots of hobby farms or commercial farms (eg, deer farms, ostrich farms, even prawn farms and paua farms) that are open for tourists but I haven't included most of those. Many public botanic gardens (run by city or town councils) have an aviary or aviaries and I have included many of these even though most keep only common aviary birds (the best of the notable exceptions is Dunedin's Botanic Gardens which have a fantastic parrot collection, including all the NZ species except the kakapo).


NORTH ISLAND

Millennium Nocturnal Park (Kaitaia) [formerly Kaitaia Nocturnal Park; there is a kiwi house here; sample text from their website: "There is a Kiwi house in natural environment showing full knowledgement of kiwi"] Millennium1st Group Ltd.

Gumdigger's Park (Kaitaia) [I think there's some captive native wildlife here -- possibly just a gecko display -- but the website isn't much help] Home

The Parrot Place (Kerikeri): [there doesn't appear to be a website, but I found the following article about them] Unlimited - Polly is a cracker

Lily Pond Farm Park (Paihia)

Aquatic World Aquarium (Paihia)

Heritage Museum and Kiwi House (Whangarei) [kiwi house and gecko house] The Whangarei Museum and Kiwi House - Heritage Park in Whangarei, Northland, New Zealand

Museum Of Fishes (Whangarei) [now closed]

Zion Wildlife Park (Whangarei) Zion Wildlife Gardens

Serendipity Farm Park (Whanagarei) Serendipity Farm Park & Nosebag Cafe, Whangarei, Northland, New Zealand

Bluewater Farm Park (near Whangarei) [also known as "Whangarei's Zoo" but appears to be mostly a petting zoo]

Ti Point Reptile Park (Ti Point) [formerly known as Ti Point Wildlife Park] [ARAZPA member] Reptile park home page

Keystone Wildlife Reserve/Conservancy (Warkworth)

Auckland Zoo (Auckland) [ARAZPA member] Auckland Zoo Homepage

Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter and Underwater World (Auckland) Kelly Tarlton's Antarctic Encounter & Underwater World

Butterfly Creek (Auckland) [butterfly house] Australasia`s Premier Butterfly House

Mark Vette's Rescue Zoo (Bombay, Auckland) [formerly Whangarata Zoo Park. I'm really not sure what to make of this place] Mark Vettes Animal Behaviour Clinic, expert dog behaviour advice, dog behaviour consultant, cat behaviour consultant, dog trainers, aggression, barking, pet behaviour advice, problem pets, animal training, positive dog training, dog behaviour problem
the following article is also interesting: DECISION

Franklin Zoo (Pokeno) Franklin Zoo

Whitford Bird Garden (Whitford)

Glenbrook Farm Park (Glenbrook)

Waipipi Bird Gardens (Waipipi)

Orua Bay Bird Park (Waiuku) Orua Bay Bird Park & Birdcage Tearooms

Tropical Butterfly Garden (Thames) [also known as Butterfly and Orchid Garden; recently up for sale] Butterfly and Orchid Garden, Thames, New Zealand

Hamilton Zoo (Hamilton) [ARAZPA member] Zoo

Living Art Wildlife Park (Tauranga) Living Art Wildlife Park, Tauranga, New Zealand

Marshall's Animal Park (Tauranga) MARSHALL'S ANIMAL PARK - A large selection of interesting, friendly, axotic and domestic animals in Tauranga, New Zealand

Katikati Bird Gardens (Katikati) Katikati Bird Gardens, Attractions and Luxury B&B Accommodation in Tauranga Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

Rainbow Springs Nature Park (Rotorua) Rainbow Springs Nature Park & Kiwi Encounter

Paradise Valley Springs (Rotorua) [ARAZPA member] Paradise Valley Springs Wildlife Park

Whakarewarewa Maori Arts and Crafts Institute (Rotorua) [kiwi house] Te Puia, Rotorua, New Zealand

Huka Village (apparently there is a kiwi house here but I can't find anything about it) (Taupo)

Otorohanga Kiwi House and Native Bird Park (Otorohanga) [ARAZPA member] Kiwi House Otorohanga

Altura Gardens and Wildlife Park (Te Kuiti) ["Come and relax in our magnificent 5 acre award winning country gardens and see why Tom Cruise enjoyed his visit"] Altura Park :: Waitomo Caves :: Gardens and Wildlife Park

National Aquarium (Napier) [ARAZPA member] National Aquarium of New Zealand - Napier, New Zealand -

Marineland of New Zealand (Napier) [ARAZPA member] Marineland of New Zealand, Napier

Westshore Wildlife Reserve (Napier) [kiwi captive breeding facility; not open to the public] [ARAZPA member]

Napier Botanic Gardens (aviaries) (Napier)

The Seahorse Farm (Napier) [now closed]

Cornwall Park (aviaries) (Hastings)

Brooklands Zoo (New Plymouth) [ARAZPA member] Brooklands Zoo

Stoney Oaks Wildlife Park (Inglewood) Stoney Oaks Wildlife Park

Ashley Holiday Park (aviaries) (Waitotara)

Virginia Lake Gardens (aviaries) (Wanganui)

Buttercup Acres (Levin)

Kowhai Park (aviaries) (Feilding, near Palmerston North) [ARAZPA member]

Victoria Esplanade Gardens (aviaries) (Palmerston North) [ARAZPA member]

Owlcatraz Native Bird and Wildlife Park (Shannon) [also known as Owlcatraz Tourist and Educational Park] Owlcatraz

National Wildlife Centre (Mt. Bruce) Wildlife viewing, kiwi, guided eco & nature tours, and conservation

Nga Manu Nature Reserve / Sanctuary (Waikanae) [ARAZPA member] Nga Manu Nature Reserve - "A REAL KIWI NATURE EXPERIENCE"

Reikorangi Pottery and Animal Park (near Waikanae)

Emudale (Paraparaumu) [farm park, mainly emus]

Staglands (Akatarawa Valley, Upper Hutt) Staglands wildlife reserve and café

McArthur Park Seaquarium (Titahi Bay, north of Wellington) [now closed: the following article is on the happy fate of the fish after closure...] NZAVS - Mobilise! 30, Page 25

Wellington Zoo (Wellington) [ARAZPA member] Wellington Zoo

Nikau Gardens and Butterfly House (aviaries and insects) (Wellington)

Marine Education Centre (Island Bay, Wellington) Island Bay Marine Education Centre



SOUTH ISLAND

Eco World Aquarium and Terrarium (Picton) [formerly called Seahorse World; also known as Picton Aquarium] Seahorse World
EcoWorld Aquarium & Terrarium - Tourist Attraction - Picton, Marlborough Sounds, South Island of New Zealand

Touch the Sea Aquarium (Mapua, Nelson) [also known as Mapua Aquarium] Touch the sea aquarium, Nelson, New Zealand

Natureland Zoo (Nelson) Natureland Zoo, Nelson, New Zealand

Glenshire Education Centre and Petting Zoo (Kaiapoi)

Spencerville Wildlife Reserve (Spencerville, near Christchurch) [now just a few decrepit aviaries]

Southern Encounter Aquarium and Kiwi House (Christchurch) [ARAZPA member] Southern Encounter Aquarium and Kiwi House

Orana Park (Christchurch) [ARAZPA member] Orana Wildlife Park - Christchurch, New Zealand

Willowbank Wildlife Reserve (Christchurch) [ARAZPA member] New Zealand Wildlife Viewing New Zealand Kiwi Bird Tourist Attraction Christchurch New Zealand

Peacock Springs (Christchurch) [also known as Isaacs Wildlife Trust; not open to the public] Isaacs Construction

International Antarctic Centre (Christchurch) [ARAZPA member] [has little blue penguins; and an Antarctic fish tank] Christchurch Attractions International Antarctic Centre Christchurch New Zealand Attractions

Woodham Park (aviaries) (Christchurch)

North (New) Brighton Zoo and Aquarium (Christchurch) [now closed; was also known as "The Mini Zoo"]

Birdlands (Little River, near Christchurch) [now closed as an animal collection, being instead a forest reserve, although they still have a box for entry fees and signage implying the animal collection is still there!] Birdlands Habitat Sanctuary

Ashburton Botanic Gardens (aviaries) (Ashburton, near Christchurch)

Marchmont Wildlife Reserve (Hanmer) [now closed apparently]

Westland's Water World (Hokitika) [also variously and formerly known as Hokitika Water World; The NZ Eco Centre; and Jacquie Grant's Eco Centre]

Moana Zoo (Moana, near Lake Brunner) [now closed]

DoC captive-breeding centre for Black Stilt (Twizel)

Enkle Doo Very Korna (wallaby park) (Waimate)

Caroline Bay (aviaries) (Timaru)

Timaru Botanic Gardens (aviaries) (Timaru)

Landon Creek Bird Sanctuary (north of Oamaru) Landon Creek Bird Sanctuary & Garden Walk

Butterfly and Bird Haven (Palmerston) East Otago Butterfly and Bird Haven

Dunedin Botanic gardens (aviaries) (Dunedin) [ARAZPA member]
The Aviary

Westpac Trust Aquarium / NZ Marine Studies Centre (Dunedin) [also known as Portobello Aquarium] marine.ac.nz

Discovery World Tropical Forest, at the Otago Museum (butterfly house) (Dunedin) Otago Museum :: Dunedin, New Zealand

Arahua Gardens (aviaries) (Clyde)

Kiwi Birdlife Park (Queenstown) Kiwi Birdlife Park, Queenstown, New Zealand -- Wildlife, Nature and Eco Tours

Te Anau Wildlife Centre (Te Anau) Te Anau Wildlife Centre: Te Anau area places to visit

Maple Glen (aviaries) (Southland) Maple Glen Gardens

Gore Botanic Gardens (aviaries) (Gore)

The Reservation Animal Park and Zoological Gardens (Gore) ["Welcome to the World's Southern-Most Zoo!"] The Reservation Animal Park Zoo - Zoological Gardens Gore Southland New Zealand (New Zealand Zoos)

Southland Museum and Art Gallery's "Tuatarium" (tuatara) (Invercargill)

Queens Park (aviaries) (Invercargill) [ARAZPA member]


STEWART ISLAND

Empress Pearl Centre (includes an aquarium) (Oban)

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05-01-2008

Is there a Franklin Zoo at Pokeno... ...south of Auckland?

05-01-2008

Franklin Zoo now added. I'd never heard of it before!

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05-01-2008

Very comprehensive list, well done

05-01-2008

Wow... Thanks for the fantastic to do list...

Picton also has this:

EcoWorld Aquarium & Terrarium - Tourist Attraction - Picton, Marlborough Sounds, South Island of New Zealand

06-01-2008

that's interesting. That place is Seahorse World with a new name and new website. I've added it to where Seahorse World was on the list

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06-01-2008

I thought it was a bit strange Picton "had" two Aquariums...

Looks like they removed the shark tank and added terrariums...

06-01-2008

yep, one of the things that is quite noticeable is how many places have (often regular) name changes, or have various alternative official names (even on their own websites sometimes!)

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09-01-2008

that's right. The shark pool was the best thing there. It was a doughnut-shaped one with a staircase going up above it then down into the middle, so you could see the sharks from above and then through the window (they were small sharks, because its only a little aquarium).

Shark pool's gone, but the stairs up to the first platform remain. The new terrarium section is displaying species that are being reintroduced to Maud Island in Cook Strait. DoC is using the opportunity to allow the aquarium to display them in order to enhance the local awareness of the island and the conservation work going on there. There are or will be tuatara, various skinks and geckoes, and weta. Native frogs may be in the works too but they don't make good display animals.

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09-01-2008

I came across a reference to a new bird place today, the Parrot Ranch in Levin

The Parrot Ranch - Tropical Birds & Reptile Park, Levin, New Zealand

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09-01-2008

franklin zoo looks great- a nice small collection! new zeland look to have a huge aray of zoos! for 5 mill ppl, new zleand certainly has an extensive collection!

franklin zoo also is joining arazpa the sites says.

09-01-2008

I've never been (in fact I've never been to S.I.) I just compared the two maps...

The Parrot Ranch I just stumbled onto too (website that is)... They have quite extensive reptile collection from the looks of things all held in Exo terra's... Privately run it looks like...

09-01-2008

They weren't accredited were they.. Is it usual for non-accredited facilities to get Tautara, etc..?

10-01-2008

do you mean because they're not part of ARAZPA? Its not really relevant. DoC checks the enclosures where native wildlife is displayed, if DoC don't approve it then you don't get them. None of the DoC-run facilities are part of ARAZPA either (Mt. Bruce, Te Anau Wildlife Centre, etc)

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10-01-2008

few of them are actual zoo-type zoos (like Wellington, Auckland, Hamilton, Orana, for example). Most are small "hobby zoos" if you like, or privately-run bird collections, things like that.

Also, there aren't 5 million people in NZ -- there's only about 4.1 million I think.

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