20
December 2006
A Tall Order!
Two
male Giraffes, born at Orana Wildlife Park , were transferred
to a private institution north of Auckland yesterday.
Orana Wildlife Park staff farewelled Flynn and Orly two, two-year-old,
male Giraffes who were transferred to Keystone Wildlife Reserve
north of Auckland yesterday. The transfer is part of the Australasian
Species Management Plan for Rothschild's Giraffe.
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"We
are sad to see Flynn and Orly leave the Park; they
were born here and staff have developed strong bonds
with them. However, it is important that they move
as infighting would occur amongst the group as these
boys mature. Keystone is likely to hold a bachelor
herd of Giraffes which is necessary for the programme
as those animals may be required for future breeding" says Animal Collection Manager,
Ian Adams.
Orly
and Flynn will travel by sea from Lyttelton to Auckland
(Onehanga) and then have a three hour road trip to Keystone
Wildlife Reserve. The Giraffes will be accompanied by
two keepers from Keystone and an Orana animal keeper
who will remain with the animals for a few days to help
them settle.
"Giraffes
are pretty easy going, laid back, animals. I am certain
that this will be a smooth transfer and that Orly and
Flynn will settle in quickly to their new home. Our
keepers have worked hard over the past few months conditioning
them for the move" adds Adams.
Giraffes
are one of the Park's most popular animals owing to a special
experience offered twice each day where visitors have the
opportunity to hand feed these majestic creatures. Orana's
display herd currently numbers six Giraffes (excluding
Orly and Flynn) and includes two gorgeous babies (the oldest
is aged three months).
Orana
Wildlife Park has been involved in the international captive
breeding programme for Rothschild's Giraffe for over 20 years
and 13 babies have been born. Rothschild's are a sub-species
of Giraffe which are endangered due to habitat loss and hunting.
Their natural range is the dry savannah and open woodland of
central Africa , in Kenya and Uganda . |
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13 December 2006
Natives go Nutty
Orana
Wildlife Park 's Native Section Keepers are in a flutter
with baby birds to look after and a range of transfers taking place.
| Whilst
the new Tigers and baby Giraffes are plenty of work for
exotic section keepers, Orana Wildlife Park 's native section
team has been busy nurturing baby animals and arranging
numerous transfers. In addition, staff were privileged
to have two high profile guests in the past few weeks.
Minister of Conservation, Chris Carter (right), took time
to view some of Orana's conservation work and leading wildlife
photographer Rod Morris photographed some of the Park's
native geckos. |
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Native
keepers are busy monitoring seven Brown Teal (Pateke) ducklings
that reside in the Park's tranquil walk-through aviary. The
ducklings are heavily guarded by their tiny father who "thinks
he is a Rottweiler". In fact, the aviary is only open for guided
tours owing to the aggressive nature of the small bird.
"He
has been attacking visitors so we had to close the aviary
for his safety. His precious ducklings will all be released
to the wild next year so it is critical that he looks after
them" comments Native Section Head Keeper, Tara Atkinson-Renton.
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The
seven ducklings are the second clutch produced by Orana's
Brown Teal pair this year (five ducklings have been transferred
to Peacock Springs, Christchurch , to complete their pre-release
conditioning to the wild). Orana has been involved in the
captive recovery for the species since 2004 and has bred
and released 27 Teal to the wild. Brown Teal are the world's
fourth rarest waterfowl and number approximately 1200 in
the wild. Along with the fluffy ducklings, a bellbird chick
has successfully hatched, the first in four years at the
Park. |
A number of animal transfers have also occurred. The Park's
12 year old female Barn Owl, named Alexis, was transferred to
Wellington Zoo as her mate died earlier this year. Alexis will
live with the only other two Barn Owls in captivity within New
Zealand .
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"We
were really sad to see Alexis go. Owls are such wonderful
creatures and people really relate to these awesome birds
of prey. This transfer is a last ditch effort to save
this species in captivity in New Zealand and is an example
of how zoos work together for the benefit of the species.
Barn Owls are considered native animals but are vagrants" adds
Atkinson-Renton. |
Staff are also conditioning Mamaku, a 6 year-old male Kiwi,
for transfer to Rainbow Springs (Rotorua) to pair with an amputee
bird. Rainbow Springs are trailing a prosthetic limb for the
bird so Orana staff are busily preparing Mamaku for his move.
| "We
are also playing musical chairs with Kereru (Wood Pigeon).
We have just received a very handsome 8-year-old male
from Auckland Zoo and will soon swap our female for a
male with Queenstown Kiwi and Birdlife Park ! This will
give us four male Pigeons which will be great in the
walk-through aviary" says Atkinson-Renton. |
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A
female Antipodes Island Parakeet is due to arrive at Orana
this week to pair with one of the Park's three males (off
display). At present Orana holds a bachelor display group,
but staff are thrilled to have the opportunity to become
a breeder of the species. These birds, the largest of New
Zealand 's parakeets, are restricted to the sub-Antarctic
Antipodes Islands. |
The
species is considered threatened due to its isolation (for
example if one rat reached the islands the species could be
devastated). Hence, captive facilities provide a crucial "backstop" population.
"It
is great to have so much going on. We are genuinely dedicated
to making a difference to New Zealand conservation and one
of our roles is conservation advocacy. The babies and animal
acquisitions all help as they enhance our displays giving
us the perfect opportunity to educate visitors on the plight
of our precious fauna" concludes Atkinson-Renton.
6 December 2006
A
Tiger Tale!
Pre-schoolers
from Kidsfirst Kindergartens Bassett Street have raised
$1,750 towards Orana Wildlife Park 's Sumatran Tiger programme.
A visit by Kidsfirst Kindergartens Bassett Street to Orana Wildlife
Park in March sparked an interest in the children for animal
conservation. Children from the Kindergarten have been avidly
fundraising for Sumatran Tigers, a critically endangered species,
in anticipation of the arrival of the cats at Orana. The group,
now diamond adopters of the Tigers, also donated $800 towards
Orana's Chapman Zebra programme in 2000.
Children
in the Tiger viewing pavilion, with their 'T
for Tiger' pose.
Children viewing one of the Tiger boys up close
Kindergarten
teachers presenting the cheque and a poster showing the fundraising
initiatives to Orana volunteer Joe Brizzell. Teachers
from left to right are: Pat Plimmer, Susie Seddon-Nicholas
and Jill Papps.
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"We
visited Orana to learn about the animals and on returning
to our Kindergarten started brainstorming on ways
we could help. The children selected their five favourite
animals (Giraffes, Monkeys, Kiwi, Tigers and Meerkats),
we spent five weeks researching those creatures and
then voted to decide which animal we would support.
The children suggested the ideas to raise money and
we (the teachers) really facilitated things and had
the passion to carry out their ideas" says Head Teacher, Susie Seddon-Nicholas.
A
range of fundraising initiatives were implemented, including
a Tiger coin trail, a Crusaders red and black day and
in-house raffles, which the children donated towards
(often using pocket money). A Tiger Tea was arranged
where families were invited to the Kindergarten (Tiger
themed) and a chocolate wheel was used to raffle donated
goods made into fabulous gift packs.
"This
fundraising programme has been a tremendous effort
by the children and we are extremely proud of them.
The benefits go beyond the achievement of raising money.
Our children have taken so much on board, have learnt
about the living world and become very passionate about
animals.
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Importantly,
they have been exposed to a wide range of learning opportunities
and had the excitement and drive to give something of their
own for another cause. It
has been a wonderful process and journey for us. We acknowledge
the support of the many organisations, parents and community
as well as Sue White from The Breeze radio station and Orana
volunteer Joe Brizzell" adds Susie.
The
group visited Orana this morning to present the cheque and
meet their adopted animals - two beautiful Tiger
brothers named Sendiri and Dumai. The fantastic new Tiger habitat
officially opened last week and the Tigers are already very
popular with visitors. The Park is operated by a registered
charitable trust as a not-for-profit organisation and so relies
on fundraising programmes, such as the animal adoption scheme,
to carry out its valuable conservation work.
"We are just blown away by the efforts of these passionate
young people. Conservation and education are key parts of our
mission and it is critically important that children take an
interest as they are the future caretakers of these precious
endangered species. We sincerely thank the children, teachers
and supporters of the Kindergarten for their fantastic efforts - they
are making a genuine difference to our conservation programme
for Tigers" comments Orana's Chief Executive, Lynn Anderson.
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1 December 2006
Cripes, it's Stripes!
Orana
Wildlife Park 's fantastic new Sumatran Tiger habitat is
open.
After more than two years of planning, development, construction,
permitting, quarantine and animal conditioning, Orana's Tiger
habitat (the largest in New Zealand) was officially opened by
Mayor of Christchurch, Garry Moore, at a function last evening.
Park visitors now have the chance to view the Tigers. The three-year-old
brothers, Dumai and Sendiri, were born at Taronga Zoo, Sydney
and spent the last year at Western Plains Zoo (Dubbo, Australia)
awaiting the completion of their new home.
"We are absolutely ecstatic to have Tigers back! Our last
Tigers died of old age in 1999 and since that time these beautiful
animals have been top of our animal wish list. Before getting
more Tigers we set out to create a stunning new habitat and
development commenced in 2004. We are extremely grateful and
take this opportunity to publicly acknowledge a bequest from
the estate of Leio Wilfrid Timperley and a grant from the Josef
Langer Charitable Trust, both of which fully funded this project.
Sendiri and Dumai are stunning creatures - the public will
simply adore them" comments Chief Executive, Lynn Anderson.
Staff members are delighted to have another big cat species
to work with. The Tigers arrived a short while ago and animal
keepers have worked hard to condition the animals to the habitat.
"Sendiri
and Dumai are great to work with. I have been really impressed
how well they have adjusted to life at Orana. These awesome
cats are located next to the Lions and add a totally new
dimension to the visitor experience " comments
Animal Collection Manager, Ian Adams.
The
Tiger Habitat has been a massive project for the Park's development
team and is the most ambitious assignment undertaken in many
years. Where possible, and to keep costs down, staff members
design all exhibits and the Park's staff build them.
"This is the largest scale single exhibit
that has been completed in more than 12 years." The exhibit
features two massive pools, which hold 700,000 litres between
them and two raised viewing platforms which provide great
views. The "wow factor" is
the central viewing pavilion with massive glass panels - only
32 mm of glass separates the public from the Tigers! We have
extensively planted the site so in years to come this habitat
will look better and better" comments Development Manager,
John Spicer.
The
habitat has three separate enclosures and den facilities which
provides suitable 'future-proofing' for the Park. There
are provisions for behind the scenes tours to show visitors how
big cats are managed in captivity. Within each enclosure, there
is a range of different environmental stimulants for the cats,
including trees, a 'hot rock' and a six metre high climbing post - these
are complemented by the range of conditioning programmes implemented
by animal keepers. A range of colourful and informative interpretation
is positioned around the habitat.
Tigers are a critically endangered species. The Park is part
of global network of institutions involved in the captive breeding
programme for these animals and is associated with the 21 st
Century Tiger Campaign. Orana is currently a holding institution
for Sumatran Tigers, the smallest subspecies, which number less
than 500 in the wild. As a holder, the Park advocates for the
conservation of these animals. In the future, Orana may acquire
a female for breeding.
"It
is appropriate that in Orana's thirtieth year of operation
we have completed such an important development. The exhibit
opening is our opportunity to thank everyone who has aided
the Park with this project. We are thrilled that visitors
can now view Tigers at Orana" says Ms Anderson.
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3 November 2006
Second Baby Giraffe for Orana - A beautiful baby Giraffe was born at Orana Wildlife Park on Monday night!
Two baby Giraffes are now on show at Orana Wildlife Park . Park staff are delighted to report that, following a very quick labour, a healthy male Giraffe calf was born at 7.30pm on Monday night. The latest arrival is the second calf born within a month at Orana. Zuri, aged eight years, is the proud mother and this is her third calf.
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"The calf is gorgeous; I haven't seen a Giraffe baby as strong as this wee guy. He stood up on his first attempt and stayed standing for about one hour. Normally Giraffe calves have a number of goes at getting to their feet and usually crash a few times. We think he was so strong due to the quick labour meaning the calf wasn't stressed or tired" says Animal Collection Manager, Ian Adams. |
This is a busy year for Orana especially relating to managing its Giraffe herd of eight (which includes the baby). In the near future two of our Orana-bred males, named Flynn and Orly (both two years old), will be transferred to a private wildlife park in the North Island. In preparation for their move, Flynn and Orly have been separated from the other Giraffes.
"It is great to have two baby Giraffes again. Zuri and her youngster will be introduced to the rest of the herd soon. This is an exciting time for Orana. Along with two baby Giraffes we also have two, six-week-old Ringtailed Lemur babies so there is plenty for visitors to see at present. As well as the animal babies, our fantastic new Tiger habitat will be opened at the end of November so we are looking forward to a busy summer" comments Adams.
Orana Wildlife Park has been involved in the international captive breeding programme for Rothschild's Giraffe for over 20 years and 13 babies have been born (including the recent addition). Rothschild's are a sub-species of Giraffe which are endangered due to habitat loss and hunting. Their natural range is the dry savannah and open woodland of central Africa , in Kenya and Uganda.
3 November 2006
Orana Wins Supreme Resource Management Award
Orana Wildlife Trust was announced the winner of the Supreme Award of the
2006 Canterbury Resource Management Awards on Wednesday.
"A comprehensively integrated approach to resource management for helping to protect or enhance Canterbury 's natural or physical resources" has won Orana Wildlife Trust three environmental awards this week. The Trust won the Professional/Institutional category; was joint winner of the Target Zero award for business resource efficiency AND won the overall supreme award! This is an amazing achievement for the Trust, a registered charity that owns and operates both Orana Wildlife Park and also Southern Encounter Aquarium & Kiwi House.
"We are honoured to have received three awards - it means a great deal to our dedicated team who strive to operate our organisation in a commercially astute manner to achieve our charitable aims of recreation, conservation, education and research. We take this opportunity to sincerely thank all the organisations who have supported us in the development and implementation of the conservation programmes and Environment Canterbury for this recognition. The Trust is dedicated to ensuring that we make an ongoing contribution to conservation work and will strive to do even more in the future" comments Orana's Chief Executive, Lynn Anderson.
There are four broad areas of Orana's conservation work, which are outlined below:
Conservation breeding programmes for threatened New Zealand species
Orana aims to make a positive contribution to the captive 'breed for release' recovery programmes for endangered native animals, including Kiwi, Blue Duck (whio) and Brown Teal (pateke). "Since 2000, 52 Orana-bred native birds have been released to the wild and we rehabilitate injured native animals such as Paradise Shelduck and Bellbird. Our conservation work is very rewarding, but it is labour intensive, so we are extremely proud to receive these awards" comments Head Keeper of NZ Native Fauna, Tara Atkinson-Renton.
Habitat restoration
Orana's natural setting provides a home where more than 20 species of native animals choose to live and breed. Over the years, the Park has been developed from a dry, stoney riverbed to this lush environment where animals thrive. A predator and introduced pest eradication programme, as well as an extensive native flora planting programme, have been implemented to enhance this habitat and the surrounding area for native animals.
Environmental education programmes
The Trust utilises both Orana and Southern Encounter as "living classrooms" to their fullest extent. These motivating educational experiences (endorsed by the Ministry of Education) encourage children to act responsibly towards the environment, as they will be future caretakers of our biodiversity.
Waste reduction and recycling programme
The Trust aims to significantly reduce waste, to conserve resources and seek new and innovative ways to contribute to resource management. "As a conservation focussed organisation, it is important that we are very active in reducing waste and conserving resources because we want clean habitats for releasing native animals to the wild. Since we educate visitors to be environmentally friendly, we are very conscious of the need to lead by example" comments Orana's Development Manager, John Spicer.
Since the inception of the recycling programme, the Park has reduced its landfill waste by 50%. Animal faecal matter is provided to the local Zoo Doo company who convert it into a fine blend compost for gardens. A new irrigation system is progressively being installed and reduces water and energy consumption whilst improving grass growth for the animals.
"This is an important year for the Trust. In September, Orana Wildlife Park celebrated 30 years of operation. Combined with these wonderful environmental awards, the Trust was named Champion Host Medium/Large Enterprise at the 2006 Champion Canterbury Business Awards. In addition, a fantastic new Tiger habitat, the most ambitious project undertaken in many years, will be opened at the end of November. Once again we thank all those people who have supported and assisted us - without their input our achievements would not have been possible" comments Ms Anderson.
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13 October 2006
Orana's Tigers Are Here!
Orana Wildlife Park 's Tigers arrived safely on Wednesday afternoon and their quarantine period has now commenced.
Two, critically endangered three-year-old Sumatran Tiger brothers slipped quietly into Christchurch on Wednesday on their way to a brand new home at Orana Wildlife Park . The Tigers, named Sendiri and Dumai, were transferred from Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo, Australia. Orana's Head Keeper (Exotic Animals), has spent the last few weeks getting to know the animals, and accompanied them back to Christchurch .
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"It was really important to spend time with Sendiri and Dumai in Australia because I was able to form a bond with them, which helped reduce the stress of the transfer because there was something familiar for the Tigers on arrival. Both cats are great to work with. They have quite distinct personalities so our team will spend a fair bit of time getting to know them. I am excited that they are at Orana because we can start to put all our planning into practice and condition them to their new surroundings" comments Head Keeper (Exotic Animals), Graeme Petrie.
Whilst the Tigers have arrived, they must undergo quarantine at Orana and will then need time to settle into their new exhibit before visitors can view these beautiful animals. In the meantime, Park staff are pleased that the transfer process is complete. Orana works with MAF and Australian authorities (in this case) to gain necessary permits to transfer the animals.
"It's great that the Tigers are finally here. We've been working through the importation process for some time now and animal transfers can be stressful to a degree. I am relieved that the cats have arrived in top condition. They are stunning looking animals and it won't be long until visitors will be able to view them in their new habitat" says Animal Collection Manager, Ian Adams.
Orana has been planning for the return of Tigers since 1999 when the last animals died of old age. Construction on the new development commenced in 2004. The Tiger Habitat has been designed and built (where possible) by the Park's talented team and is the most ambitious project Orana has embarked upon for many years.
Orana gratefully acknowledges a bequest from the estate of Leio Wilfrid Timperley and a grant from the Josef Langer Charitable Trust, both of which made the Tiger habitat possible.
Tigers are a critically endangered species. Sumatran Tigers, the smallest subspecies, number less than 500 in the wild. The Park is part of global network of institutions involved in the managed captive breeding programme for these animals and is associated with the 21 st Century Tiger Campaign.
A special media encounter will be arranged once the Tigers have completed their quarantine and settled into their new home.
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9 October 2006
Orana-bred Kiwi Released to the WildA 17-year-old female Kiwi, bred at Orana Wildlife Park , has been released to the wild.
Two, critically endangered three-year-old Sumatran Tiger brothers slipped quietly into Christchurch on Wednesday on their way to a brand new home at Orana Wildlife Park . The Tigers, named Sendiri and Dumai, were transferred from Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo, Australia. Orana's Head Keeper (Exotic Animals), has spent the last few weeks getting to know the animals, and accompanied them back to Christchurch . |
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Orana , the first Kiwi to be bred at Orana Wildlife Park was released to the wild last month. She now resides in Pukaha in the North Island and recent monitoring from the release site indicates she is progressing well. In her time at the Park, Orana produced 3 offspring.
Orana is the second Park-bred Kiwi to be released to the wild this year. In May, 6-year-old Mana ( Orana's son) was released in the Rimutaka Forest Park. Orana and Mana are both North Island Brown Kiwi.
"We are so happy to have had two of our Kiwi released to the wild. It is extremely rewarding for staff members - such occasions are simply the best part of our job as animal keepers. Whilst we dearly miss the animals, we are chuffed that they are where they belong. We feel privileged to have worked with them and take immense satisfaction knowing that we raised such healthy Kiwi which will do just fine in their new homes" says Tara Atkinson-Renton, Head Keeper of NZ Native Animals.
Both Kiwi were released as part of a Department of Conservation (DoC) managed programme which aims to re-locate all captive, mixed provenance, Kiwi to the wild to create spaces in captivity to breed provenance pairs (offspring will be released to the wild). These Kiwi are being established in predator free sites where Kiwi have not lived for many years. This programme also enables researchers to learn more about these special birds and to conduct research. The released birds are fitted with transmitters to monitor their progress.
Orana Wildlife Park holds two breeding pairs of Kiwi. Two young Taranaki Kiwi arrived at the beginning of August and are progressing extremely well in the nocturnal viewing display (the female is 2 years and the male is 10 months). Orana also holds a Bay of Plenty pair which is yet to produce offspring.
"I am rapt with how well the young Kiwi have adapted to our nocturnal house. Whilst the relationship is not a love match yet - they aren't sharing a burrow - they don't fight, so that's a good start for now. I am hopeful that both Kiwi pairs will produce offspring in the future because we would like to be able to release pure provenance Kiwi to the wild" comments Atkinson-Renton.
Kiwi are under constant treat, particularly from introduced mammalian predators as well as habitat loss. There are currently 6 species of Kiwi recognised: Great Spotted, Little Spotted, North Island Brown Kiwi, as well as several 'brown' species in the South Island including: Okarito (Rowi), Haast and Tokoeka.
"The Park has been very active in recovery programmes for endangered native birds in the past 6 years. Since 2000, 52 Orana-bred birds including Blue Duck, Brown Teal and Kiwi have been released to the wild in various locations. Naturally, we are delighted with these achievements and our goal into the future is to ensure the Park makes an ongoing contribution to conservation by becoming involved in recovery programmes for other native species as well" says Atkinson-Renton.
2 October 2006
Baby Giraffe at Orana!
A gorgeous Giraffe calf was born at Orana Wildlife Park on Friday afternoon!
The pitter patter of baby Giraffe hooves are sounding around Orana Wildlife Park 's Giraffe House! Nathalie, a 17-year-old Giraffe, gave birth to a beautiful male calf (yet to be named) at around 1.20pm on Friday afternoon. Both mother and baby are doing very well.
"The baby is so cute. Nathalie is a great mother and we are delighted with how things have gone. It is amazing to see the progress of the little guy in just a few days. Nathalie is very relaxed and the calf is feeding nicely" says Animal Collection Manager, Ian Adams. |
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The baby is Nathalie's fifth calf and father Harold's eighth youngster (all bred at Orana - there are now seven Giraffes at the Park). The remarkable thing about Nathalie is that, since each pregnancy lasts 15 months, she has spent over 6 of her 17 years pregnant!
"It's fantastic for the Park to have another baby Giraffe, they are such gracious animals! Visitors have certainly enjoyed viewing the youngster over the weekend. When the weather warms up, Nathalie and her calf will have access outside and will eventually be integrated with other members of the herd" comments Adams .
This is a busy year for Orana with regards to managing its Giraffe herd. A second calf is expected in the next few months (Zuri, another female Giraffe, is pregnant) and in the near future two, two-year-old, male Giraffes (named Flynn and Orly) will be transferred from Orana to a private wildlife park in the North Island .
Orana Wildlife Park has been involved in the international captive breeding programme for Rothschild's Giraffe for over 20 years and 12 babies have been born (including the recent addition). Rothschild's are a sub-species of Giraffe which are endangered due to habitat loss and hunting. Their natural range is the dry savanna and open woodland of central Africa , in Kenya and Uganda.
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15 September 2006
Business Award for Orana!
Orana Wildlife Trust was named Champion Host Medium/Large Enterprise at the Champion Canterbury Business Awards in Christchurch last night.
Orana Wildlife Trust, a registered charity, operates two of the best leisure attractions in Christchurch - Orana Wildlife Park , New Zealand 's only open range zoo and Southern Encounter Aquarium & Kiwi House, a wonderful inner city facility. The Trust offers exciting up-close encounters with the world's endangered animals; have bred and released to the wild more than 50 endangered NZ birds; provide quality education programmes and continually improve each facility by adding new attractions.
"We are absolutely delighted to have received this award" says Chief Executive, Lynn Anderson. "It is great recognition for the efforts of our wonderful, dedicated team who strive to operate our organisation in a commercially astute manner to achieve our charitable aims of recreation, conservation, education and research. Orana celebrates 30 years of operation in the next few weeks so this is a fabulous way to mark the occasion!" adds Ms Anderson.
The Trust has been a Champion Canterbury finalist for three years in a row, which is a fantastic achievement in itself. Staff members are very proud to be acknowledged through the awards process and thrilled to be this year's Champions in such an important year for the Trust.
"It has given us the opportunity to review and evaluate our achievements and demonstrates that we are a leader in our field and a truly iconic Canterbury organisation. This award means a great deal to the team. We take this opportunity to sincerely acknowledge past and present staff and volunteers as well as all the organisations that have generously supported the Trust over the years - without their input our achievements would not have been possible" comments Ms Anderson.
13 September 2006
30 years of dedication to wildlife conservation!
On 25 September 2006 , Orana Wildlife Park celebrates 30 years of operation. In that time, Orana has hosted close to 4 million visitors, become an internationally recognised zoo and reached many significant milestones. The facility is unique within New Zealand and has been a successful operation owing to strong community support.
Charitable trust
Orana Wildlife Trust (a registered charitable trust) owns and operates the Park, as well as Southern Encounter Aquarium & Kiwi House. The aims of the Trust are fourfold: to provide quality recreation facilities for the enjoyment of the Canterbury community as well as domestic and international visitors; conservation of endangered New Zealand and exotic wildlife; education of visitors (particularly children) about the environment and conservation issues; and supporting research relating to endangered animals.
Recreational Experiences - Unique Encounters in an Open Range Zoo
Orana is New Zealand 's only open range zoo. The Park established a reputation for offering memorable animal encounters through having New Zealand 's only drive-through Lion Reserve from 1976 to 1995. Today, Orana continues to provide a range of exciting visitor experiences.
"Visitors can hand feed Giraffe, meet Rhino "face-to-face", witness the blistering speed of the world's fastest land mammal the Cheetah and travel through the Lion Habitat on board a specially designed feeding wagon for extremely close views of the "King of Beasts". Some of these experiences are not offered anywhere else!" says Chief Executive, Lynn Anderson.
Conservation Achievements
"Orana strongly pursues its mission of caring for the environment and making a real contribution to conservation" comments Ms Anderson. Some examples of New Zealand native achievements include:
Motivating Environmental Education Programmes for our Community's Children
Educating and inspiring visitors to care about the environment and conservation is a key focus. The Trust has delivered interactive, high quality, hands on, curriculum linked, conservation based education programmes to over 20,000 school children over the last three years.
"Our education programmes are supported and evaluated through a formal contract with the Ministry of Education through the "Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom" project. The Park is utilised as a "living classroom" in providing motivating educational experiences that encourage our children to act responsibly towards the environment, as they will be the caretakers of our precious biodiversity tomorrow" says Ms Anderson.
Financial viability
It is no secret that Orana Wildlife Trust was in financial difficulty by the mid-1990s. The team has demonstrated their ability to turn Orana Wildlife Park around over the last 10 years by running the organisation in a commercially astute manner. The Trust purchased the financially failed Southern Encounter Aquarium in October 2000. Southern Encounter is now achieving at least break-even financial results and visitor numbers have been steadily increasing since the opening of the Kiwi House in May 2002. Between the two facilities, the Trust currently hosts close to 200,000 visitors per year and visitor numbers are still increasing.
Development and funding
Orana is the only major zoo in New Zealand that is not owned and operated by local government. Therefore, its operational costs are not highly subsidised by the rate-payer and all capital developments are separately fundraised for from outside sources. Orana carries out the majority of tasks "in house" with little assistance from outside consultants and contractors. This is especially true in the case of design and construction of all new exhibits.
"All capital improvements at the Park have been funded through outside sources and this is no small achievement. All of the buildings and enclosures have been built in-house, with massive input by volunteer labour. Many Canterbury businesses have also assisted in the construction of the Park by donating materials, consultancy and equipment " adds Ms Anderson.
Orana has been progressively constructed on a dry, stoney riverbed. Every undulation in the landscape has been man-made and all soil has been brought in. Today, Christchurch has an internationally recognised zoo which has been developed without burden on the rate-payer. This has also been achieved at remarkably economic cost. To date, less than $5 million has been spent constructing Orana Wildlife Park and this is significantly less than many major zoos currently spend on a single new exhibit for one species!
Into the future
The Park will continue to be a "work in progress" in the years to come, continually evolving, improving and adding new and exciting attractions. A major new exciting complex incorporating three exhibits for the critically endangered Sumatran Tiger will be completed this year.
" Orana Wildlife Park is a true community asset which over the years has become a Canterbury icon visitor attraction. We take this opportunity to sincerely thank the wider community for their dedicated support and look forward to working with them in the future" says Ms Anderson.
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12 September 2006
Spring babies and arrivals at Orana!
Orana Wildlife Park staff members are excited by the arrival of the Park's first babies for Spring - 6 highly endangered native Brown Teal ducklings.
Orana's native section keepers have gone clucky over the Park's newest babies - six 12 day old nationally endangered Brown Teal ducklings. These beautiful animals arrived on the first day of Spring, and are now becoming increasingly confident in their home, the Park's walk-though aviary.
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"It is always a delight to have native Brown Teal ducklings bred at the Park especially since we know they will be released to the wild. Our involvement in the captive recovery programme for Brown Teal is a critical part of our conservation work so we are thrilled to see that this young pair has produced more offspring" says Native Section Head Keeper, Tara Atkinson-Renton. |
The babies will remain with their parents until they are 8-weeks-old at which time they will be separated and isolated for health screening. All 6 birds will then move to Peacock Springs ( Christchurch ) to complete their pre-release conditioning and will be released to the wild near Christmas. The separation also encourages the parents to produce more offspring.
"The ducklings are actually quite visual at present, so visitors have a good chance of seeing them. However, the father has been extremely protective of his family, right from the time the female started nesting - he has a lot of character for such a small animal" comments Atkinson-Renton.
The Park's Brown Teal were paired just before arriving at Orana in August 2005. Last season they produced 15 healthy ducklings which have been released to the wild. Park staff expect the birds to produce at least one more clutch of eggs this season.
Brown Teal are classified as nationally endangered and the wild population is currently estimated at 1,200 animals. Orana joined the captive recovery programme for the species in 2004 and since that time has bred 33 ducklings (including the latest 6), 27 of which have been released to the wild.
The birth of the Teal ducklings coincided with the arrival of 3 stunning male Auckland Green Geckos, a threatened native species. Orana will hold the species in a conservation advocacy role.
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"We are thrilled to have a new tree gecko species on display at Orana as it provides a nice comparison for visitors of the differences between the various subspecies we hold. In the past 3 years Orana has added 4 new gecko species and overall we have an excellent variety of native reptiles for visitors to see. New Zealand 's reptiles are very unique although the only opportunity many people have to see these precious animals is in places like Orana." |
All native reptiles are absolutely protected and only permitted holders can keep these animals.
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25 July 2006
Orana's Ape takes a break in Adelaide
Orana Wildlife Park 's search to find a suitable mate for its Siamang Gibbon Ape Peggy is complete and the new animal is on his way to New Zealand .
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Oscar, a 16-year-old Siamang Gibbon from Singapore Zoo took the first step of his journey to Orana Wildlife Park last week. He arrived safely at Adelaide Zoo on Wednesday and will spend 120 days in Australia before moving to Orana in December. Oscar is being transferred as part of the Australasian Species Management Programme (ASMP) and will be paired with Peggy. |
This transfer is critical because Oscar is unrelated to all Siamangs in this region meaning he is, genetically, a very valuable animal who will provide critical new bloodlines to the ASMP. Any offspring from the pair (Oscar and Peggy) will also be very important to the breeding programme. Orana has been working with the Species Co-ordinator to locate a suitable male since March 2005, when the Park's exhibit opened. In March this year, it was confirmed that Oscar was the most suitable animal for transfer.
"We are very excited that this transfer is underway. Oscar provides essential new bloodlines to the breeding programme, but just as importantly he is a companion for Peggy meaning they can live in a family type situation which replicates how they live in the wild. His arrival will also enhance the display for visitors" , says Animal Collection Manager, Ian Adams.
Whilst the transfer is critical for the breeding programme, the process is slightly complicated and has only just begun for Oscar. MAF regulations state that primates can only be imported into New Zealand from Australia and that the animal needs to have resided in Australia for at least 120 days. Oscar will spend 60 days in an exhibit at Adelaide but due to import/export protocols will undergo three quarantine periods before meeting Peggy - he will spend 60 days quarantined in Australia (30 from now and 30 before being transferred) and then a further 30 days on arrival at Orana.
"We can't wait to meet him! Reports from Adelaide are that he is a nice big animal in good condition. However, he will have a bit of a rough time getting here, having to go through three lots of quarantine. In saying that, we'll make sure he adjusts well to his new home and settles in quickly. Considering the genetic value of Oscar, the time he needs to spend in quarantine is just part of what is required for the wider benefits of the breeding programme " , says Adams.
Orana's Siamang Habitat was funded by a donation from Park volunteer Mabel McClelland. The exhibit is located close to the Park's entrance and consists of a house above a landscaped island. Peggy accesses the island by swinging across high ropes which are 7.5 metres off the ground, demonstrating the spectacular brachiation movement pattern of Siamangs. The Park won an institutional Exhibit Excellence Award for the development earlier this year.
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. Their lifespan is around 30 years in the wild.
22 May 2006
Tragic Loss of Orana's King!
Toby, Orana Wildlife Park's only breeding male Lion,
died suddenly yesterday.
Orana Wildlife Park staff members are devastated by the sudden death of 8-year-old male Lion, Toby. The big cat died of asphyxiation at around 11.30 am yesterday as a piece of meat became lodged in his throat.
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The animal keeper who fed Toby witnessed the entire incident. Toby ate his food, regurgitated a piece of meat and then proceeded to eat it again (which is not uncommon). However, the meat became stuck and the keeper immediately called for backup. By the time two senior staff members arrived, Toby was unconscious. The three keepers entered Toby's exhibit, managed to dislodge the meat and tried to re-vive him, sadly to no avail. |
"This was a freak accident but it was so frustrating that there was nothing we could do to prevent it - we could only stand by and witness. We are all just totally gutted to lose such a wonderful animal in this manner. Lions commonly swallow large pieces of meat and regurgitate chunks to then have a second go at them. Toby's probably done that dozens of times before so it's (regurgitating food) not something for us to be overly concerned about. However, on this occasion a bit of meat got stuck. I've been feeding Lions for 27 years at Orana and this is the first time something like this has happened" says Animal Collection Manager, Ian Adams.
The Park vet was called and a post mortem analysis confirmed that Toby suffocated - his internal organs were perfectly healthy and normal. The entire incident happened very quickly, so operating on him was not an option, and staff take some comfort in the knowledge that they did all they possibly could. Toby was buried in a behind the scenes area.
"This sort of thing (an animal death) is the worst part of our job. You become really attached to these animals, we work with them daily and they are like friends and family so it is very difficult when you lose them. In saying that our keepers are coping remarkably well" says Adams .
Toby arrived at Orana in 1998 and two females (Kiara and Priscilla) joined him to create a new pride. Toby sired 6 cubs (3 males and 3 females) all of which have grown to maturity and reside at Orana. It was initially hoped that the two lionesses and Toby could remain together with their cubs, but owing to management issues, this was not possible and Toby was housed separately.
"Toby was a stunningly beautiful animal. He was big, had an impressive dark mane and was very noisy, roaring most evenings, so he looked and acted exactly the way you'd expect a dominant male Lion to behave. We are shocked by his sudden passing" says Chief Executive, Lynn Anderson.
In 2004, Orana carried out a City-wide envelope appeal to raise funds for the creation of new Lion facilities (due to be completed next year) and it was hoped that Toby would sire more cubs once the new facility was open. The Park will communicate with the Species Co-ordinator for Lions to determine what options there are for sourcing new animals in the future.
Orana has always been associated with these awesome big cats, since it had New Zealand 's only drive-through Lion reserve from 1976-1995. Nowadays, the unique "Lion Encounter" enables visitors to have extremely close views of these mighty animals. Lions used to range throughout Africa and Eurasia but outside Africa only India 's Lions have survived. In the wild their lifespan is 12 to 15 years, while in captivity they may live for up to 25 years.
"Toby's death is a terrible blow. Lions are our most popular animals with visitors and he was an icon figure at Orana so we are very upset that he has gone" says Anderson .
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7 April 2006
Orana goes Ape over exhibit award!
Orana Wildlife Park has won an award for its Siamang Ape exhibit.
Orana's Siamang Gibbon exhibit has been recognised as an example of "excellence in animal display and exhibit design" by the Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria (ARAZPA). The Park won the exhibit award for small scale development (exhibits under $100,000) at the annual ARAZPA Conference in Perth last week.
"We are thrilled to have received this award. As a charitable trust, with limited funds, we must ensure that we make best use of our resources. All animal exhibits at Orana are designed and built (where possible) in-house by our talented team. I am extremely proud that we have been recognised for this development because exhibit design, animal welfare and conservation are at the heart of our business and we do not have the budget of many other zoos. Through this award, we have demonstrated that we can create magnificent enclosures for the animals that maximise the visitor experience" comments Chief Executive, Lynn Anderson.
The Siamang exhibit is situated near the Park's entrance and consists of a house above a landscaped island. Peggy (pictured below left), the Siamang, accesses the island by swinging across high ropes which are 7.5 metres off the ground, demonstrating the spectacular brachiation movement pattern of Siamangs.
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The goal of the project was to turn an unoccupied island into a high profile exhibit for an ape species to create maximum impact (or 'wow' factor) for visitors on entering the Park, whilst also maintaining Orana's open range theme and dedication to spacious, natural environments. |
Acquiring an ape species was also crucial for conservation, as the Park wanted to make a contribution to the Australasian Species Management Plan for Siamangs, and educational purposes as Orana previously had not held any ape species. Park staff wanted a big, noisy, active animal to draw attention to the exhibit and create more atmosphere at the Park.
"The Siamang Gibbon exhibit has been a major success owing to the characteristics of the endearing animal and the wonderful presentation of the exhibit. The ARAZPA award is welcome recognition for the efforts of staff, particularly our Development Team headed by John Spicer, on this exhibit" says Ms Anderson.
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. Orana is awaiting the transfer of a male from Singapore to pair with Peggy.
ARAZPA is the peak zoo and aquarium organisation in the Australasian region. Orana Wildlife Park was one of the founding members of ARAZPA when it was set up in 1990. ARAZPA's membership includes the major zoos and aquariums in Australia , New Zealand , Papua New Guinea and the South Pacific Islands and there are now 66 institutional members.
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15 March 2006
Grants help conservation focussed Orana save on water resources
A new irrigation system, worth nearly $80,000, is progressively being installed at Orana Wildlife Park to replace the old, outdated, setup. The new system will prevent water wastage and reduce electricity consumption whilst resulting in improvement of grass growth which in turn benefits the Park's animals.
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" As New Zealand's only open range zoo we are fortunate to be able to provide natural grass to many of the endangered species on display, such as Southern White Rhinoceros and Scimitar-horned Oryx (extinct in the wild). In fact, we believe that providing natural grass has played a large part in the breeding successes that have helped to secure the future of these precious animal species so we are committed to providing the best possible pasture for these animals" comments Orana's Chief Executive, Lynn Anderson. |
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As an organisation committed to conservation, Orana has chosen an irrigation system that will save on water resources, electricity costs as well as staff time, maintenance and feed costs. The old system had a number of underground leaks and sprinklers had to be manually repositioned meaning there was no control over the quantity of water applied. |
As a result, the old system leached soil nutrients that are necessary for peak plant growth and feed value. The new irrigation system contains sensors for rain, which will monitor the growing conditions and activate the irrigation only as required to achieve optimum pasture growth. Park staff will also have the capability to over sow with improved grass varieties because adequate irrigation is available. Such improvements will not only be better for the animals, but will improve the appearance of the public display enclosures.
" Orana Wildlife Park operates as a charitable trust and relies entirely on outside funding organisations to secure the money required to enable important capital projects to proceed. Thanks to generous grants from The Southern Trust and Metro Charitable Trust stage 1 of the irrigation upgrade is complete and working nicely. A grant from the Canterbury Community Trust will fund stage 2 of the project which will commence soon" says Ms Anderson.
The irrigation project is being completed in 5 stages so that only a small part of the Park is closed to visitors at any one time whilst allowing the Park to advance the project as funding is secured. Staff members are delighted with the performance of the new system and are thrilled that this project helps achieve the Park's conservation mission.
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13 March 2006
Gorgeous Water Babies on Show at Orana
A 9-week-old female Waterbuck and 5-week-old female Water Buffalo are the latest additions to Orana Wildlife Park and, to the delight of staff, both youngsters are progressing well.
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"The babies are welcome additions to our animal collection - they are a major boost for each exhibit as visitors enjoy seeing babies. The youngsters are also great for the animal groups, as both species live in herds" comments Animal Collection Manager, Ian Adams. |
The arrival of the Waterbuck takes the Park's group to 4 animals. The baby enhances the profile of the display and staff members are particularly delighted that the parent pair (which were transferred to Orana in 2004) has proven to be compatible. The female arrived at Orana pregnant, to a different male, and gave birth to a female calf in 2005. The birth of the latest calf demonstrates that the Park's pair is a good match.
"We're delighted with the Waterbuck birth - she is a beautiful animal - and her arrival justifies the investment in bringing the pair to the Park. The baby is already quite big and is growing like a weed! She has a striking white ring around her rump, which is characteristic of the species" says Adams .
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Orana is one of the few institutions in Australasia to hold these animals and is involved in the captive management programme for the species. A Park staff member has recently been appointed to the role of Species Co-ordinator for Waterbuck, ensuring that Orana will continue to make a valuable contribution to the management of these wonderful animals. |
Common Waterbuck are one of the heaviest of all antelope species and are found throughout most of Africa , usually in conjunction with water. They are excellent swimmers and will take to water to avoid potential danger. Whilst they are widespread in some places, they are threatened in others due to hunting and predation.
The Water Buffalo calf was a welcome surprise for Park staff members. The Buffalo 's parents were transferred to the Park in early 2004 and the male was castrated earlier this year!
"The Buffalo calf is a strong, healthy wee animal. We were astonished to find her the morning of her birth as we didn't expect a baby from the pair, but it was a nice surprise" comments Adams .
Asiatic Water Buffalo are considered rare in the wild, however they are bred domestically for farming purposes, both as working animals (for towing ploughs, pulling carts and logging etc) and in some countries for their meat, milk and thick hide. Males can weigh up to 1 tonne and females to 600 kilograms.
"We are thrilled to have the two babies on display. Hopefully the youngsters will encourage visitors to spend longer at each exhibit which in turn may encourage people to take an interest in the plight of each species" says Adams.
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For more information, please contact:
Nathan Hawke, Public Relations Manager, Orana Wildlife Trust
Ph: 359 7109 or nathan@oranawildlifepark.co.nz
