Zoo offers kids Passport to Asia these holidays

Auckland Zoo is offering kids an opportunity to take a journey through Asia these September school holidays from Monday, 27 September to Sunday, 10 October.

To teach children more about some of its Asian animals – the endangered Sumatran tiger, Nepalese red panda and Asian elephant – the Zoo will give each child their own Passport to Asia with activities to complete centred on these animals.

Equipped with their passports, children will be able to go through customs and travel around the Zoo to find out more about these animals and collect passport stamps.

New Zealand Customs officials will also be on site on Saturday, 2 and Sunday, 3 October, to show visitors confiscated items that were in breach of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and chat about the important role of CITES.

Each day of the holidays will feature animal encounters, roving entertainment, and the chance to win spot prizes. Passport to Asia also offers visitors one of the last opportunities to see some very special Asian animals, who will shortly be taking overseas journeys of their own.

Female Nepalese red panda Khosuva, now in quarantine, leaves Auckland Zoo for India’s Darjeeling Zoo on 30 September to take part in an international breeding programme, but visitors can visit her mother Maya and sister Amber at the red panda exhibit. Given successful breeding, Khosuva’s offspring will be released into the wild – which will be an historic first for Auckland Zoo. In addition, two young Sumatran tigers, siblings - male Jalur and female Cinta relocate to Simbio Wildlife Park in New South Wales in late October as part of the international captive breeding programme for this critically endangered big cat. Jalur and Cinta, along with their brother Berani, made history at Auckland Zoo when born in June 2008 to mum Molek and dad Oz – becoming the first tigers to be bred here, and their progress has been closely followed by many tiger lovers.

“We know that these animals are very much-loved, so we want to celebrate them and the role they are about to play in important conservation programmes,” says Auckland Zoo conservation officer, Peter Fraser.

“Passport to Asia’s also a great opportunity to find out more about why these three stunning Asian animals are so endangered, what the Zoo is doing to help them in the wild, and how visitors can join us in our efforts,” says Mr Fraser.

Red Panda Day – Saturday 25 September

If you’re particularly fond of the red panda, the Zoo is celebrating Red Panda Day on Saturday, 25 September from 10am to 2pm. There will be red panda-related activities, keeper encounters with these animals, and for some lucky visitors, the chance to go behind-the-scenes with a keeper to meet red pandas up close!

Normal Zoo admission prices apply for the September school holidays activities. Visit www.aucklandzoo.co.nz or phone 360 3805 for more information.

ENDS

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