Orana Needs Your Help

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    Did you know that it costs over $100,000 each week to care for our precious animals?

    Orana is a registered charity. We desperately need increased annual funding support from the Christchurch City Council of $1.5M each year, equating to 68 cents a month per rate-payer, to ensure the on-going financial sustainability of Orana.

    Please be part of the Park’s positive future by making a submission today on the Council’s Draft LTP (their 10-year budget) in support of Orana. Please see below for details on how to make a submission including tips on how to write one and why we need the funds.

    Council have a tough job, your feedback will help us both.

    Anyone can submit on the Draft Long Term Plan including those living outside of Christchurch City. The submission should be in your own words and can be any length.

    Your submission must include your full name and email or postal address. Submissions close on 21 April.

    • Simply click here: Consult24 (ccc.govt.nz)
    • Enter your name and email in Section 1.
    • Skip to Section 8 where under ‘Anything Else’ you can add your comments about Orana.
    • Of course, we encourage you to comment on Sections 2-7 if you have other things to say.
    • When done, please click Submit in Section 10 by 21 April.

    Alternatively, you can submit by:

    • Email to CCCPlan@ccc.govt.nz  
    • Fill in a submission form at any Council Service Centre or Library (Section 8 ‘Anything Else’ is where you can add your comments about Orana).
    • Post a letter to Freepost 178, Long Term Plan Submissions, Christchurch City Council, PO Box 73016, Christchurch 8154.
     

    Please let the Council know you want them to support Orana and how the Park positively impacts you and/or your organisation. For example:

    • What a visit to Orana means to you and/or your group; your favourite memory of Orana, etc.
    • How Orana complements and/or supports your work or business.
    • The importance of our conservation and/or education work.
    • The role Orana has in attracting visitors to our region.
    • Why you already support Orana and for how long.
    • How the Annual Pass benefits you or how volunteering opportunities have helped you and/or your group.

    Thank you very much for your support! By making a submission you are being a part of our positive future.

    • Orana will be in severe financial difficulty in less than two years without increased Council operational funding support.
    • COVID was a silver lining as central government funding bought time, but increased Council assistance is crucial for the future financial sustainability of Orana Wildlife Park.
    • The Trust’s budget is managed on a ‘critical expenditure only’ basis, which does not allow for crucial maintenance funding.
    • Operating a world class zoological facility is expensive. The same high costs apply regardless of lack of income, given our responsibility to care for our animals 24/7, 365 days a year.
    • Admission prices cannot keep pace with inflation and the continual rising costs of operation. It is not practical to dramatically increase admission prices as we need to remain affordable and competitive. Until 2018, visitor income covered 90% of annual operating costs; visitor income now covers only 65% of annual operating costs.
    • Financial sustainability – The future viability of Orana Wildlife Park remains at risk.
    • Deferred maintenance – Many of our old buildings and infrastructure require major maintenance to ensure the risks of visitor dissatisfaction (i.e. Orana can appear rather ‘rustic’) and failures of infrastructure are mitigated.
    • Specialised staff – Poaching of our technically skilled team remains a serious issue. There is a limited pool of experienced staff in New Zealand. Having appropriately qualified and experienced staff is an absolute requirement to maintain our MPI zoo registration. Paying fair salaries is essential to retain our awesome people.
    • Orana contributes internationally, nationally and regionally to nature conservation.
    • The Park delivers benefits socially, economically and environmentally for Canterbury and hosts up to 200,000 visitors each year.
    • The Christchurch City Council contributing long term funding of $1.5M per annum will help secure all these benefits in an incredibly cost effective way.
    • Please be part of the Park’s positive future by making a submission on the Draft LTP in support of Orana today (and by 21 April).

     

    For more than 48 years, Orana Wildlife Trust has operated Orana Wildlife Park, an internationally recognised zoo. Orana’s charitable aims include:

     

    Community Engagement & Participation

    We care for over 1,000 animals from 90 different species. The Park is here for the enjoyment and well-being of our community and visitors to the region.

     

    NZ Native Species Conservation

    Our team make significant contributions to six key Department of Conservation recovery programmes for NZ taonga species (e.g. kākāriki karaka).

     

    Exotic Species Conservation

    The Park participates in 20 conservation breeding programmes for exotic threatened species (e.g. Sumatran tiger and white rhinoceros).

     

    Conservation Education, Advocacy & Engagement

    Orana educates and inspires people to care about conservation and environmental issues, especially children, who are the future caretakers of our biodiversity.

     

    Building a Better Wildlife Park

    We continue to make Orana an even greater regional facility that attracts visitors to Canterbury and improves the Park for the whole community. Up to 200,000 people visit Orana Wildlife Park each year.