24 September 2012
Mazda Answers Call of the Wild
Mazda is now a proud sponsor of the Auckland Zoo, bringing a unique ‘Zoom-Zoo’ twist to New Zealand’s biggest home of
native and exotic animals.
As part of Mazda’s sponsorship, visitors will now see two new Mazda vehicles escorting animals and staff around the zoo.
The all-new BT-50 and Mazda3, which have been gifted to the zoo team, will help with day-to-day operations on site and
will also be used by staff in field conservation work throughout the North Island.
Just like a chameleon, the two Mazda vehicles have had to change their skin to fit into their new surroundings. The
Mazda3 sports fantastic endangered species images with Auckland Zoo branding that is sure to turn heads around town. The
all-new BT-50 reflects a selection of the many varied amazing animals that can be seen at the Zoo, kea, elephant, zebra,
tiger, giraffe and cheetah.
Glenn Harris, Mazda New Zealand General Manager of Vehicle Sales and Marketing, is thrilled to be supporting the
Auckland Zoo and the many exotic and native species the staff look after on a daily basis.
“The Auckland Zoo does a fantastic job teaching the public about the importance of caring for our wildlife and we are
very pleased to have the opportunity to support them with our vehicles.”
Jonathan Wilcken, Director of Auckland Zoo, says, “Our team does a lot of conservation work in the Auckland region and,
when necessary, around the country. Whether it is driving down to work with animals affected by the Rena disaster or
releasing kiwi chicks into the wild, we need reliable vehicles that can get the job done.
“We are very excited to be using the new Mazda3 and BT-50 which are both comfortable and hard working.”
The BT-50 has already been put to good use when it picked up the Auckland Zoo’s latest addition, Bo, a young female
Nepalese red panda, from the Auckland Airport.
Internationally renowned, Auckland Zoo is home to 138 different species and over 870 animals, attracting over 700,000
visitors annually.
A team of 188 permanent staff are focused on improving wildlife, research and education, as well as connecting the
public with animals through various events, encounters and tours.
ENDS