Tuesday 27 December 2005
Wild Animals on the Move!
Wild animals from Orana Wildlife Park are on the move throughout Christchurch ! People need not panic though as the animals are images that have recently been printed onto the Sunshine Shuttle, a local transport company.
 |
"The Sunshine Shuttle provides a dedicated service to Orana on a daily basis. The vehicle also travels to a variety of destinations in Christchurch and so gives us (Orana) the perfect opportunity to increase our profile throughout the city. We have branded the vehicle with a montage of some of the Park's most charismatic creatures making it very eye catching - we are delighted with the end result. |
I am certain that the graphics will help to keep Orana top of mind with the public and also raise the profile of the service provided by the Sunshine Shuttle" says Orana's Marketing Manager, Nathan Hawke.
 |
Owned and operated by John and Bridget Cameron, the Sunshine Shuttle has provided a transport service to Orana Wildlife Park for nearly 3 years. When the company decided to dedicate one vehicle to the Orana Wildlife Park circuit, staff members took advantage of the opportunity to brand the vehicle.
"We are both wildlife enthusiasts so think the vehicle looks fantastic! We are also committed to and appreciate the philosophy of conservation in line with that of Orana Wildlife Park " comments Mr. Cameron. |
The Sunshine Shuttle is the only transport service with scheduled daily departure times ( 10am and 1pm ) from Cathedral Square to the Park. Alternative pickup and drop off points can also be arranged. The Sunshine Shuttle's fleet of vehicles is capable of transporting groups of up to 50 people per trip.
"We hope that the vehicle proves to be highly visible and gets people excited about visiting us soon" says Hawke.
TOP
Thursday 8 September
Orana Goes Clucky over Latest Arrivals!
Orana Wildlife Park keepers are thrilled with the arrival of two highly endangered Brown Teal (pateke). The 9-month-old birds were transferred from Peacock Springs (Christchurch).
Head keeper of NZ Natives, Tara Atkinson-Renton, is delighted to welcome the animals: "They are stunning, beautiful birds and genuinely significant animals in a genetic sense. We are very excited to have them on display to enable visitors to view these precious native animals" . |
|
Orana became involved in the captive breeding programme for Brown Teal in August 2004. Since then, 12 ducklings have been reared and all of them have been released to the wild! Following the successful season, the Park's pair were separated - the female was released to the wild, whilst the male has been re-paired at another facility to spread the genes. The fact that the pair bred at Orana is a wonderful achievement for staff because the male was considered unlikely to breed - he is a rescue bird, having lost a wing after being hit by a car.
"As a result of our success, the Park has received a more genetically significant pair which were flock mated, meaning all viable birds are placed in one aviary and the ducks choose their own mates. This method is considered the most successful way of maximising breeding opportunities and has worked in this case because the pair has produced their first clutch of eggs! |
|
The really neat thing is that all offspring from the pair will be released to the wild so Orana will continue to make a significant contribution to the recovery programme!" comments Atkinson-Renton.
|
The transfer of the Teal co-incided with Orana winning an institutional award for its waterfowl (Brown Teal and Blue Duck) conservation programme at the recent New Zealand Conservation Management Group Conference. Orana has also made a significant contribution to the Blue Duck breeding programme. A new breeding pair was established at the Park in 2000 and has virtually produced fertile eggs every season. |
Since 2000, a total of 55 Blue Ducks (from all institutions) have been released to the wild and of those, 18 were bred at Orana (33% of all captive bred Blue Ducks) and released into Mt. Taranaki . The Blue Duck pair has already produced their first clutch of eggs for this season!
Staff are delighted to have received the award: "I am chuffed! The award means a great deal. The breeding programmes help us 'walk the walk' in a conservation sense and form a critical part of our mission, although they are extremely labour intensive - so it is nice to be recognised for our efforts" comments Atkinson-Renton.
Orana is dedicated to ensuring that its involvement in the waterfowl project is ongoing. A purpose-designed aviary for Brown Teal is planned and the Park is committed to becoming involved in further breed for release programmes in the future.
The Department of Conservation list Brown Teal and Blue Duck as "Nationally Endangered" species. Brown Teal number less than 1,000 in the wild making them New Zealand 's rarest waterfowl on the mainland and the world's fourth rarest waterfowl species! The wild Blue Duck population is estimated at 2,500. Both species are endangered due to introduced mammalian predators as well as habitat loss.
TOP
Thursday 1 September 2005
Ancient Reptiles Lurking in Cathedral Square !
Two pre-historic reptiles have made their way into Christchurch 's Cathedral Square and found a new home amongst a range of unique aquatic species at Southern Encounter Aquarium & Kiwi House! A fantastic new Tuatara enclosure has been completed at the facility. Two 8-year-old year old Tuatara were transferred from Orana Wildlife Park recently and have settled in well to their new inner city home. |
|
The new exhibit offers visitors magnificent views of these unique New Zealand native reptiles and provides a wonderful insight into the habits of these amazing creatures. Heating pads encourage the animals to venture out of their burrows for visitors to observe them.
Operations Manager, Dave Bradshaw is delighted with the addition of Tuatara to the facility: "They are amazing animals and perfectly complement the other native fauna on display. The new exhibit is fantastic and significantly enhances the visitor experience because with Kiwi and now Tuatara we have two of New Zealand 's most unique and special native species on display!"
Southern Encounter has been designed to take visitors on a journey of discovery to view the splendour of the South Island 's unique aquatic wildlife as well as Kiwi. The Tuatara display is an important addition to the experience, particularly for the SEA School , Southern Encounter's Ministry of Education supported formal education programme.
Southern Encounter is owned and operated by Orana Wildlife Trust, a registered charity, which also runs Orana Wildlife Park . The Trust is involved in the captive breeding programme for Tuatara and holds 5 juvenile reptiles (as well as others at Orana), which will be rotated between the two properties to ensure they are all exposed to natural sunlight and have the opportunity to hibernate over winter.
Tuatara are endemic to New Zealand . They are among the most primitive living reptiles and have remained virtually unchanged for millions of years, giving rise to their common description of "living fossil". They have a very slow metabolism and possibly because of this can live for 100 years or more - possibly even to 300 years! Tuatara were once common on mainland New Zealand , but are now restricted to offshore predator free islands. They are endangered due to predation by introduced mammalian predators and habitat loss.
Southern Encounter staff members sincerely thank The Sargood Bequest, Canterbury Foundation, Parklands Tavern and the Ron Greenwood Environmental Trust for their generous donations which made this exhibit possible.
TOP
Thursday 25 th August 2005
The Tigers are Coming!
Construction is underway on a massive, 6,000 square metre Tiger exhibit at Orana Wildlife Park ! Two 18-month-old Sumatran Tiger brothers have been sourced and currently live at Taronga Zoo, Sydney. They will be transferred to the Park on completion of the exhibit.
Last year, the Christchurch City Council approved a transfer of $330,276 from the estate of Leio Wilfrid Timperley as the development was considered consistent with Mr Timperley's Will. The bequest has enabled the Park to embark upon its most ambitious project to date. As a charitable trust Orana must separately fundraise for all capital developments. Where possible and to keep costs down, staff members design all exhibits and the Park's talented development team build them.
"We were delighted to receive the bequest and are pleased to report that the exhibit is well under way. This will be the most significant addition to the Park in many years. Tigers have been top of our animal "wish list" since our last two passed on in 1999 due to old age. Our visitor surveys show that Tigers are also the number 1 animal people would like to see at Orana" comments Chief Executive, Lynn Anderson.
The planning stage is now complete - the architect and engineer have signed over the plans which will now be submitted to the Council for the permitting process. Since the bequest was confirmed, staff have selected an area for the development and moved the previous occupants (Springbok herd) to another exhibit, completed concept drawings, cleared trees and old structures, marked out the area and excavated two large pools, the largest of which will hold approximately 400,000 litres of water! To retain the pools, staff have assembled gabion cages and loaded 450 tons of boulders into them. |
|
"This is a huge project! It is the largest scale single exhibit that has been completed in more than 10 years and is an important development for the Park." The exhibit will feature two massive pools, two viewing platforms - one will be 60 metres long and the other will have a raised viewing deck. The "wow factor" or "show piece" of the development will be a central viewing pavilion with floor to ceiling glass panels - only 31mm of glass will separate the public from the Tigers!" comments Development Manager, John Spicer.
The development will have 3 exhibits, each with different environmental stimulants for the Tigers. Along with two pools, a climbing pole and an established tree will be used to create enrichment devices for the animals. There is also provision for personalised behind the scenes tours through the dens, to show visitors how big cats are managed in captivity.
Sumatran Tigers are the smallest of the world's Tiger subspecies (Siberian are the largest) and typically, males weigh between 100-150 kg. They are rainforest dwellers and are "stalk and ambush" predators relying on their extraordinary athleticism to reach prey before it can run away. There are only an estimated 300-400 Sumatran Tigers surviving in the wild so captive breeding programmes are essential to their survival.
Orana Wildlife Park will become involved in the captive breeding programme as a holder of Sumatran Tigers meaning the Park will fulfil a conservation advocacy role, educating visitors on the plight of the creatures and, if required, will send its animals to a breeding facility. Staff members eagerly anticipate the completion of this exciting development.
TOP
1 August 2005
Kea Display a Labour of Love for Passionate Park Volunteer
Nestled deep within Orana Wildlife Park , a fantastic Kea display has been completed at a special complex known as Sam's Place. The building is named after its devoted 'occupant,' Sam Roberts, who has completed six different interpretive displays since 1997, all of which have helped educate visitors on the plight of some of New Zealand 's most charismatic native species.
"Sam is a truly remarkable man. He has completed more than 19,500 hours voluntary service since 1988! Sam's Place is a fantastic resource because of the quality of his displays. He has a profound affect on visitors, impelling many to personally write to him after their visit. Sam is a superb storyteller and gives a lot of public presentations many of which are part of formal education programmes. |
|
He is an inspiring person to be around and I don't think I could do my job without him", comments Head Keeper of NZ Natives, Tara Atkinson-Renton.
Sam's Kea display was completed in time to help celebrate Conservation Week, which runs from 1-7 August. The event is a Department of Conservation initiative to promote awareness of New Zealand 's national treasures. The aim this year is to celebrate New Zealand 's natural and human history and the tremendous work that people have put in to help protect New Zealand 's natural heritage.
Sam chose to focus on Kea for this display because of their iconic stature. The display incorporates unique and interesting characteristics of the birds, information on how visitors can help stop their dwindling numbers and why Kea are considered endangered. "Kea are one of our most charismatic native animals. They are probably the most likely endangered native bird that people will meet in the wild. Their comic, destructive nature, coupled with beautiful red underwing colouration makes them very appealing. They also have an interesting history because they are still recovering from years of bounty slaughter. Sadly, no-one knows how many are left, so they are the perfect subject for my new display and as it happens their story is a great match for Conservation Week" , comments Sam.
About 8 years ago Sam developed Parkinson's disease and at the time turned his attention to developing advocacy displays. Because of the significant educational nature of his creations, Park management set aside an unused room for him to develop his projects and named the building in his honour. To avoid the risk of his displays becoming outdated and stale, Sam constructs temporary high quality displays (changed about every 2 years) and focuses on high profile natives such as Kakapo, Kiwi and Tuatara. Sam thoroughly researches the topic so that he can confidently communicate information to visitors.
Sam's reason for volunteering is simple: "It provides a form of escapism. I love New Zealand wildlife and want it preserved. I believe very strongly that education is the way to achieve conservation - we can't have one without the other. Through the support of other wonderful volunteers who bring me to the Park and help with the displays, I like to think that we can do our bit to help educate visitors, and hopefully have a positive impact on them!"
Orana Wildlife Park relies on volunteers such as Sam. In an environment where high profile species like Lions, Cheetah, Giraffe and Rhino are often the prime focus of visitors' attention, Sam fulfils an important role, because in him the Park has a charismatic and extremely biased spokesman and fan for New Zealand native animals!
TOP
Monday 18th July 2005
Wonderful Ape Exhibit Tribute to Long Serving Volunteer
Orana Wildlife Park staff members are delighted to report that the fantastic new Siamang Gibbon exhibit has been completed. This high profile addition to the Park, constructed by Orana's Development team, is located near the entrance and consists of a house situated above a landscaped island. The house and island are connected by a series of high ropes, 7.5 metres above the ground, some of which visitors may walk under.
Animal Collection Manager, Ian Adams says " the new Siamang exhibit is fabulous - we are extremely proud of it as the design concept and construction was all completed in-house. The exhibit is a particularly significant addition because this is the first time Orana has displayed any ape species, which is especially important for educational observation. Apes are very different from monkeys. Apes lack tails and their arms are longer than their legs unlike monkeys where it is usually the opposite" .
Long time Park volunteer, Mabel McClelland, personally funded the project, through a $110,000 donation. Park staff members take this opportunity to sincerely thank her for the gift. As a charitable trust, Orana must separately fundraise for all capital developments so also relies on the generosity of such donations.
" Mabel is an incredible woman who has not only helped with development funds for the Park, but also works tirelessly as a devoted Orana Wildlife Park volunteer - she has volunteered here for 18 years and completed over 24,500 hours of voluntary work. Additionally, she has raised thousands of dollars through selling raffle tickets and face painting " comments Chief Executive, Lynn Anderson.
A 15-year-old female Siamang, named Peggy , moved to Orana Wildlife Park in March. She has now settled in well to her new home, and is accustomed to the many visitors who have enjoyed meeting her. Peggy has recently been conditioned to swing across the ropes to the island and h as enjoyed basking in the sun.
|
|
"Peggy is a wonderful, personable animal - a real character. Our primate keepers take great pleasure in working with her" comments Mr Adams.
Siamangs have a spectacular movement pattern known as brachiation in which they swing below branches using their arms alternately to fling themselves with great precision across the most unlikely gaps. The Park's exhibit is perfectly suited to demonstrate such movement. In addition, Siamangs are very noisy animals, arguably the loudest of all apes. In the wild they call, or sing, regularly. Their large throat sac inflates to almost the size of their head, amplifying its sound which travels for at least 3 kilometres. Peggy sings regularly each morning from within her house.
Siamangs are the largest of the gibbon ape species. Their natural range is high up in the rainforest canopies of Sumatra and Malaysia , Southeast Asia . They are threatened mainly due to habitat destruction for logging and agriculture. Siamangs hate water and cannot swim. Their lifespan is around 30 years in the wild.
Staff members are awaiting a recommendation from the Species
Co-ordinator to arrange a suitable male for Peggy so she can contribute to the breeding programme for this endangered species.
TOP
For more information, please contact:
Nathan Hawke
Public Relations Manager
Email: nathan@oranawildlifepark.co.nz
