Visit to Auckland Zoo Feb 2008
I visited the zoo today .
The animal health/conservation centre is up and running , and some staff were doing a procedure on a lizard ( possibly a blue tongue ? ) but as they are behind glass I couldnt ask them .
The otters and red pandas have new enclosures -- next to the tiger exhibit
Next week it should be confirmed if the female tiger is pregnant . She have recently mated with the male .
A new NZ section is starting to be built where the aquiriam is , but this is not due to open for a few years yet .
This will mean that the zoo poo operations will relocate , and the kiwi , kea , whio and tuatara will move location .
One of the elephant keepers showed me the angkus that they use . The sharp point that is on most angkus' has been removed from the ones at this zoo .
There is a large amount of education on conservation , ecology , global warming , plastics , deforrestation , recycling .... you name it . This zoo is more than just displaying and breeding animals .
One of the signs near the bonnet macaques mentioned that the zoo has been directed not to breed any more of these species , but to start towards more endangered macaque species . Unfortunately they didnt specify what these would be !!