Orana Wildlife Trust is dedicated to environmental preservation and conservation of endangered species through involvement in captive breeding programmes.
| Park staff are proud to have made contributions to conservation of New Zealand fauna including kiwi, blue duck, brown teal, antipodes island parakeet, tuatara and yellowhead. Internationally, Orana is known for its breeding programmes for Rothschild's giraffe, southern white rhinoceros, cheetah, scimitar-horned oryx and sable antelope. |
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In this race against time to save species from becoming extinct, Orana Wildlife Park is an important link in the worldwide network of zoos and parks dedicated to the preservation of rare and endangered species. As a modern zoological park, Orana ascribes to the World Zoo and Aquarium Conservation Strategy and is therefore dedicated to becoming involved in more in-situ (in the wild) conservation projects in the future. |
Orana Wildlife Trust is a full institutional member of the following organisations: World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria (ARAZPA) and the New Zealand Conservation Management Group (NZCMaG), which is the New Zealand branch of ARAZPA. NZCMaG co-ordinates all the captive breeding programmes for New Zealand species on behalf of the Department of Conservation.
Orana is actively involved in recognised international and regional breeding programmes for most species displayed at the Park. Within such programmes, wildlife facilities either "breed" or "hold" any given species. Not all institutions can breed the same species as there are limited spaces to move offspring. Therefore, the role of a "holder" of an animal (examples at Orana include antipodes island parakeet, tuatara, otters and tigers) is to advocate for the conservation of that species and, if required, send animals to a breeding institution.
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Examples of species successfully bred at Orana, as part of a captive breeding programme, include: NZ brown teal, blue duck and kiwi as well as exotic species such as Rothschild's giraffe, southern white rhinoceros, cheetah, scimitar-horned oryx and spider monkeys. |
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Most of the endangered animals at the Park do not belong to Orana Wildlife Trust but to the relevant breeding programme which makes decisions as to which females are best bred with which males to ensure the most diverse gene pool possible in the captive populations. From time to time animals are moved between various zoos and parks to enhance the genetic diversity of their particular species.
Visitors to the Park may not see the conservation work as much of it takes place behind the scenes. This work costs a lot and Orana is only able to continue it by generous public support, through donations and bequests.
Blue Duckling >
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Brown Teal |
Perhaps the most significant conservation work currently carried out by the Park is the involvement in "breed for release" captive recovery programmes for endanered New Zealand waterfowl (blue duck and brown teal) as well as North Island brown kiwi. Blue duck and brown teal bred at the Park have regularly been released to the wild. |
Orana Wildlife Park is blessed with an attractive and varied bird habitat, which is home to many wild birds. The artesian waterways around the Park are teeming with rainbow trout and are of importance to many New Zealand native and migrating bird species. Paradise shelduck, pukeko, grey teal, New Zealand kingfisher, welcome swallow and New Zealand scaup along with a locally important breeding population of Australasian coot are all resident on and around the waterways. Pied stilts also find the environment much to their liking and can often be seen wading in the shallows in the waterways throughout the Park. Many species also frequent the Park seasonally, such as New Zealand shoveler, white-faced heron and Canada geese. In the areas of Orana Wildlife Park where native trees have established it is common to see fantails and grey warblers flitting through the bush. Occasional sightings of bellbird and shining cuckoo are also known to occur. In addition to birdlife, the Park is home to many other New Zealand native creatures. Two species of lizard, the common skink and spotted skink, also live and breed on the Park's grounds along with weta, stick insects and an abundance of other native invertebrates.
Conservation of endangered animal species is essential but habitat preservation is also critical. The Park's recycling programme aims to reduce solid waste dumped in landfill sites and educate visitors about the benefits of recycling. In addition, most hoofstock faecal matter is provided to the local Zoo Doo company (located on-site) who turn it into fine blend compost. By reducing waste, Orana is minimising the negative effects of landfill sites (such as methane gas).
Importantly, Orana Wildlife Park is also involved in research relating to endangered animals. The Park has carried out most of the captive research work on the highly endangered New Zealand yellowhead (mohua) in support of the Department of Conservation's in-situ efforts.
