Fyffe View Ranch Adventure & Animal Park

zooboy28

zooboy28

Well-Known Member
This place appears to be an adventure park (luge, archery, horse riding), with a farm park attached, near Kaikoura at the top of the South Island, New Zealand.

Official Website: Fyffe View Ranch Adventure Park - Farm Park

The place actually looks pretty tidy, with a large amount of mostly domestic animals. There is a good number of photos on their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kaikoura-Adventure-Park/134614066594352

Species held include a range of standard domestics, including the slightly exotic Red Deer, Fallow Deer, Llama and Alpaca. There are a number of parrots, pheasants (Ring-necked, Golden & Silver) and various fowl (notably Black Swan & Cape Barren Goose) as well as a Magpie, Ostrich and Emu. Native birds include Kakariki, Wood Pigeon and Gulls (not clear if these are on display). There are also some introduced mammals, such as Ferret, Rats, Possums and Wallabies, and notably a Tahr.

The owner has recently received permission to care for native birds, and is hoping to get permits to display some, such as Kea.

Story here: Sanctuary for all sorts | Stuff.co.nz

Interestingly, the owner has also had discussions with Franklin Zoo about rehoming their two elderly female zebras. I believe Orana Park have provisionally agreed to take these animals already.
 
Deadly Beast Relocated to Kaikoura Animal Park!

Well, a slightly bad-tempered Mute Swan anyway.

The Cob (male swan) named Aragorn, was living in the Maitai River, in Nelson (top of South Island), happily terrorising locals (both human and otherwise), resulting in excessive media exposure and death threats (possibly). As such, the swan was captured by the local SPoC team (a mixture of highly-trained SPCA and DoC officers) who transported him to Kaikoura, where he can live out the rest of his days in a fenced paddock in this farm park.

Brief General History:
Kayaker falls foul of Aragorn the swan | Stuff.co.nz
Hostile Nelson Swan May Stay - news - nelson-mail | Stuff.co.nz
Feisty swan's fans say leave him in peace | Stuff.co.nz
Aragorn nurses wounds - news - nelson-mail | Stuff.co.nz
Nelson's Swan Aragon Nearly Drowns Whitebaiter Sarah... | Stuff.co.nz
Has Aragorn done his dash on the river? | Stuff.co.nz

Capture: Aragorn's Maitai swansong - news - nelson-mail | Stuff.co.nz

New Home: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kaikoura-Adventure-Park/134614066594352?fref=ts
 
Deadly Beast Found Dead

Aragorn the Mute Swan has died at the Fyffe View Ranch Animal Park, just three weeks after being moved there.

Story here: Attacker swan Aragorn found dead - national | Stuff.co.nz

The white swan Aragorn has died three weeks after being moved from Nelson's Maitai River to Kaikoura.

The Department of Conservation said Aragorn was found dead at his new home at an animal farm park by the park owner on Tuesday night. There was no sign of injury and he was found in a peaceful position on a pond.

DOC staff moved the swan on October 23 to the park out of concern for his welfare and safety and for public safety. It followed the swan attacking a woman whitebaiter on the Maitai River the previous week.

Aragorn had also been attacked. In July, the swan was treated by a veterinarian after being bitten several times by a dog and then taken by the SPCA to Natureland Zoo to recover before being released back on the river.

There had been previous incidents of aggressive territorial behaviour towards people by the swan at this time of the year when it is the breeding season.

DOC acting Motueka area manager Brian Paton said today the death was gutting, but there were no obvious signs of the cause of Aragorn's death.

"He lost some weight, which often does happen when birds are moved as they take time to adjust to a new environment, including in foraging for food. In DOC, we frequently move native birds to new locations as part of measures to increase their populations and prevent species' extinction. For the most part birds do settle into their new homes and thrive there in time."

Mr Paton said Aragon was being kept in a quiet paddock away from the public to give him time to adjust to his new surroundings, which was advised when moving swans and other birds. The swan was being regularly checked.

He had been calm, showing no sign of distress, and he moved around the large paddock he had been placed in and between two ponds there.

"The Kaikoura Adventure Park was selected from several options for placement of Aragorn as we considered it offered the best situation in the interests of his welfare. We are confident it offered a caring environment for him."

The park owner had veterinary training and wide experience with wildlife, including black swans that had been moved there.

SPCA senior inspector Craig Crowley said today he believed DOC had made the right decision in shifting the swan because of what had happened on the Maitai river.

"He was by himself and he was open to abuse by some sections of the community and he caused problems himself."

Sarah Derecourt, the Nelson woman who was attacked while whitebaiting, said news of the swan's death was awful.

After the attack she said the swan needed to be moved.

"I thought it would be better for him, that he would go somewhere with a more relaxing existence. It's a real shame," she said today.

Fyffe View Adventure Park owner Linda Pharazyn said they were deeply saddened.

During his time at the park Aragorn had seemed happy enough and had not shown any reclusive or pining behaviour. He had wandered about, exploring and grazing, she said.

On a trip past the pond she had seen Aragorn floating as if sleeping with his head tucked under his wing, but when she made a noise he did not move.

"The thing was he was in a sleeping position. There was no sign of trauma at all," she said.

Aragorn has been buried on the farm.
Click to expand...
 
Orana has two Zebra from Franklin, I don't know if they were the only two or if there are others left.
 
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