NEW ZEALAND
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Orana Wildlife Park's walk - through aviary is one of the largest in New Zealand, providing a natural environment for a variety of New Zealands endangered native birds. Most of our native birds face similar problems which include competition for their food, introduced mammalian predators and the destruction of their habitat. |
Kiwi conservation is of major importance at Orana Wildlife Park and the North Island brown kiwi is bred here in our kiwi breeding unit. The North Island kiwi is the least endangered of New Zealand's three kiwi species.
The great spotted kiwi is found in the South island while the little spotted kiwi is now restricted to the Kapiti Island sanctuary.
- Click here to see the New Zealand Animals
AFRICA
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Africa
used to be called the Dark Continent because so much of
it remained mysterious to Europeans. Many strange and wonderful
animals came out of Africa to be paraded in the zoological
gardens of Europe. The first giraffe in London created an
uproar with many people refusing to believe that such an
animal could exist, despite the evidence of their own eyes.
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Modern
anthropologists believe that humans first evolved in Africa, so
at a very basic level we are kin to the wonderful diversity of
large mammals that used to roam the interior. Tragically, human
population pressure and poorly controlled commercial exploitation
have led to the extinction of many African animals and many others
are still coming under increasing threat.
This is where places like Orana Wildlife Park can play a vital
role by breeding endangered species and preserving the diversity
of the gene pool.
- Click
here to see the African Animals
AUSTRALIA
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Australia
is the dry continent and many of the animals inhabiting
its arid interior have adapted to cope with the conditions.
Because Australia has initiated its own programs for endangered
animals, Orana Park maintains only a few common species
for display and educational purposes.
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Australia
is New Zealand's nearest neighbour and the prevailing winds often
bring wildlife vagrants here. Amongst the birds, the white-faced
heron, the spur-winged plover and the royal spoonbill have all
made New Zealand their home within the past 50 years.
- Click
here to see the Australian Animals
