Invitation Evaluation – Minister of Conservation Name of requestor and
Karen Fifield MNZM, Chief Executive, Wellington Zoo.
reference #
24-I-0094
Due to Office
26 July 2024
Priority
Low
Medium
High
☒
☐
☐
Type of audience
Private
Public/Media
Iwi
individual
☐
☐
☐
NGO
Business
Other
☒
☐
☐
Nature of meeting
Standard
Event/Visit
Political
meeting
☐
☒
☐
Meeting purpose
To showcase the Wellington Zoo’s contribution to
conservation nationally and internationally and the support
they provide to the Department in the Wellington Region,
with a focus on their Whittaker Skink and other captive
breeding programmes for endemic species.
Recommendation
Accept, but defer until later in the year. Visiting Wellington Zoo would be of value to the Minister to
understand how the Zoo contributes to conservation,
specifically in Wellington. A visit would offer the Minister
an opportunity to gain insight into the strong partnership
the Zoo has with the Department and how they contribute
to the care and rehabilitation of native species.
Minister/SPS/Advisor/Press [For office use only – Office comment / Further actions
Sec comment
requested / Calendar conflicts i.e. House leave request
required]
Accept / Decline
Comment:
[i.e. alternative actions / decline for now but wrap into
future regional visits etc]
Opportunities
The Department has a strong and enduring partnership
with the Wellington Zoo Trust to support conservation,
including:
o Native species make up at least 70% of
patients at The Nest / Te Kōhanga facility
providing veterinary care and rehabilitation.
The facility was opened in 2009 and the
has an agreement to receive injured wildlife
from the Department.
o The Twilight Te Ao Māhina re-opened in
2016 for kiwi and tuatara.
o Meet the locals – celebrating Aotearoa’s
native species opened in 2017.
o The state-of-the-art, Te Piringa iti, captive
breeding facility opened in 2020 to support
the Wellington Green Gecko captive
breeding programme has expanded in 2024
to include Whittaker Skink captive breeding.
A behind-the-scenes visit will highlight the work the
Wellington Zoo does with us and their contribution to
conservation, including:
• providing in-field vet advice to the local
DOC office for marine mammal welfare,
such as injured fur seals. leopard seals and
blue penguin;
• collaborating with DOC on delivering
community workshops, advocacy, and
education to community conservation
groups through the Restoration Day
volunteer network;
• providing peer support to DOC vet with
technical advice and disease investigation
support;
• contributing to national guidelines and best
practice for animal health such as the kiwi
best practice manual;
• treating sick or injured threatened species
including critically endangered species
such as rowi, taiko and kakapo; and
• acting as a host site for post-graduate
wildlife veterinary residency programme
with Massey University Wildbase providing
wildlife vet experience in caring for native
and exotic species.
A joint Matiu/Somes island lizard project has been going
since 2017 with Zoo staff gaining valuable field experience
through the monitoring of Wellington Green Gecko and
Ngahere Gecko on Matiu/Somes Island in the Wellington
harbour, contributing to DOC’s understanding of species
on predator free islands.
Risks to consider
No risks identified
Background information
Wellington Zoo is New Zealand’s oldest zoo, established
in 1906. It was initially housed in the Wellington Botanical
Gardens, moving to their current location in Newtown Park
in 1907.
Wellington Zoo has a strong national and international
conservation and sustainability focus.
