Cool Creatures
Orana Wildlife Park staff are relieved that the Park will be able to re-open tomorrow following one of the longest
periods of closure in its 35 year history. Orana has been shut since Monday as a result of the snowfall and the
subsequent damage to trees and fences around the zoo.
Chief Executive, Lynn Anderson, says her team has worked tirelessly to get the Park open: “our dedicated crew have been
tending to exhibit fences, re-connecting broken electrics and clearing trees so that we can ensure the welfare of our
animals and make the Park safe and enjoyable for visitors. I am thrilled that we will be able to open again tomorrow.
The animals are all fine - they have warm dry shelter and are all well fed. In fact the Rhinos were bounding around
their exhibit today and the Lions had spread themselves to different locations in the outdoor reserve - it seemed they
must have developed cabin fever having spent a few days inside together. Now that the snow has cleared and the zoo is
ready to re-open, we just need people to visit our beautiful animals!” concludes Lynn.
About Orana Wildlife Park
Orana Wildlife Park is NZ’s only open range zoo and is home to over 400 animals from more than 70 different species. The
Park is owned and operated by Orana Wildlife Trust, a registered charitable trust, which also runs Natureland Zoo in
Nelson. The Trust also owned Southern Encounter Aquarium & Kiwi House (Cathedral Square) until February when it was closed indefinitely after a devastating 6.3 magnitude
earthquake that struck Christchurch. The Trust is committed to the conservation of wildlife diversity on this planet.
Our aims, along with being dedicated to the conservation of endangered species and the welfare of our animals, are to
provide education, recreation and enjoyment to the public and to support research relating to endangered animals. The
Trust is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia
(ZAA) and ZAA NZ.
ENDS