What are the opening hours?

Monday 9:30am - 5:30pm Tuesday 9:30am - 5:30pm Wednesday 9:30am - 5:30pm Thursday 9:30am - 5:30pm Friday 9:30am - 5:30pm Saturday 9:30am - 5:30pm Sunday 9:30am - 5:30pm

Auckland Zoo

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Auckland Zoo

Auckland Zoo is a not-for-profit organisation focused on conserving wildlife and wild places.

At the heart of all Auckland Zoo's work and activities is its mission: "to bring people together to build a future for wildlife”. Auckland Zoo plays a vitally important role in breeding, research and recovery programmes for threatened wildlife. In fact, a portion of your ticket goes towards the Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund to support both local and international field-based projects.

25/12/2024

A Christmas wreath makes the perfect frame for these kararehe!

This gorgeous wreath was made by our animal experiences kaimahi out of pine supplied by our browse team, and decorated with pōhutukawa blossoms.

It’s natural for birds to bite and tear into leafy vegetation, and it’s a great way to keep their beaks in good condition.

“We know from experience that some plant species are preferable (more tasty!) than others and the chance to chew on pōhutukawa is irresistible to a lot of the parrots - the cockatoos and lorikeets in particular love them,” explains animal experiences keeper Emma.

The parrots enjoyed star-shaped ice blocks made with raspberries and frozen peas - a nice Christmas treat to cool them down on summer days - and bearded dragon Jim also received some yummy raspberries as a Christmas treat.

We hope you’re enjoying some delicious kai today!

24/12/2024

Meri Kirihimete from Auckland Zoo to you!

Can you spot these Christmas-tree shaped ice blocks? To spread the cheer, carnivore keeper Kristin created species-appropriate icy treats for the animals to savour.

With a variety of tastes to cater for, this calls for some creativity – we have grape-infused ice blocks for red panda, peas and corn for porcupines, blood and milk for the big cats and Tasmanian devils, and seafood for otters and fur seal Orua!

Did you know? Christmas Day is the only day of the year that Auckland Zoo is closed to our wonderful manuhiri (visitors) – yet our keepers will continue their mahi today, ensuring the animals are well cared for.

We hope you’re enjoying the good times and kai today. Stay tuned as we’ll be sharing more Christmas content from the Zoo!

23/12/2024

Our Australia Bush Track fully opens today for you and your whānau to explore this summer!

A fabulous addition to this experience is an expansive new 4m high habitat for rock-dwelling skinks and arboreal dragons. Already moved in and making themselves at home are 18 Cunningham’s skinks – animals that were previously housed in ‘Lizard Lane’ but were moved to safety just ahead of the infamous January 2023 Auckland flood that swept through this area.

Joining them in 2025 will be some spectacular frilled-necked dragons – an extraordinary and unique arboreal lizard native to northern Australia - which will be new to the Zoo and a first for New Zealand.

For now, emus (Elvis and Ellie-May) and brolga have the run of rest of this revamped habitat. The arrival of a mob of Eastern grey kangaroo from Australia has unfortunately been delayed, but these Aussie icons are still coming – they’ll just be arriving a little later into 2025.

Our regular visitors will notice another great upgrade to this track - the spacious and attractive new entry/exit into and out of the walkthrough Australian aviary – designed to ease visitor flow on busy days while still ensuring the safety and security of the aviary birds.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Track – where you’ll encounter other birds and reptiles, as well as fish and Tasmanian devils!

21/12/2024

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

We’re looking forward to seeing you and your whānau at the Zoo this summer. Auckland Zoo is open every day of the year except Christmas Day - yes, that’s 364 days a year, and includes all other public holidays!

Our summer opening hours are 9.30am – 5.30pm, with last entry at 4.30pm.

Keep following our Zoo channels for updates over the Christmas break!

20/12/2024

Intan and Kera recently celebrated their birthdays together – as they they’re only 22 days apart!

For this joint birthday celebration, primate keeper Sam prepared a beautiful and delicious enrichment bundle filled with edible flowers like hibiscus, Chinese lantern, pansies, and marigolds. Adding to the feast were fragrant herbs such as basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, pineapple sage, and fennel, all topped off with their absolute favourite – tree lucerne browse.

In the wild, siamangs thrive on a diet rich in plant material, especially the tender young leaves. To ensure we’re meeting these dietary needs our kaimahi provide them with a variety of leafy vegetation, and their food is scattered around their habitat to promote foraging and exploration.

This pair has a close bond, and you’ll often see them playing, grooming and resting together. This tight bond is normal for siamangs who are monogamous and mate for life.

Swing down to their habitat this weekend and check out what they’re up to!

19/12/2024

We’re got a new arrival to our Zoo – female meerkat Adia!

This nine-month-old female has joined our mob of male meerkats, brothers Tazama and Jua. Our carnivore keepers have given her the name ‘Adia’ (A-dea) as it means ‘gift’ in Swahili.

She arrived in November from our friends at Natureland Wildlife Trust as part of the zoos advocacy and breeding programme for this small yet charismatic African mongoose. It’s our hope that once she reaches maturity (around 12 months old) she will be able to have young of her own – which for meerkats can be 2-5 pups a litter.

“Yesterday we introduced Adea to our meerkat males and all three are getting along well. They were found sleeping together in a puddle of meerkats this morning, and can be seen digging and interacting together throughout the day. It's still early days with them adjusting to their new group dynamics, but it's going incredibly smoothly!," explains carnivore keeper Emma.

Come and see if you can spot her at our Africa Safari Track this week! Top Tip - she has a slender face and is slightly smaller than the males.

18/12/2024

How do you care for 100+ chicks at one time? Lots of expert hands!

We’re pleased to have been able to assist our friends at the Dunedin Wildlife Hospital for the third year in a row, in hand-rearing and treating vulnerable hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin) chicks.

This endemic and rare species is severely impacted by two serious and deadly diseases in the wild - Diphtheritic stomatitis (DS) and Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), but early intervention has a huge impact on chick survival.

This year we sent five of our Zoo kaimahi over staggered weeks – bird keepers Suzie and Adam, vet nurses Celine and Jess, and vet Adam. When vet nurse Celine arrived the hospital was caring for around 30 chicks – which soon ramped up to 100 – and as you can imagine, it takes months of planning to be able to achieve such a massive undertaking.

Newly hatched chicks and/or eggs are collected by Department of Conservation rangers and the Wildlife Trusts from Rakiura, The Catlins, Otago Peninsula and North Otago and brought to the Wildlife Hospital for care and treatment.

Prior to these interventions roughly 30% of hoiho naturally survived to fledging, while the chicks that come through the Wildlife Hospital have an over 90% survival rate!

Learn more – www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/news/conservationists-join-forces-to-care-for-precious-penguins.

16/12/2024

PSA: Auckland Zoo to close early on Tuesday 17 December.

If you’re visiting us on Tuesday afternoon please be aware that the Zoo will be closing an hour early at 4.30pm for a staff event. Last entry is at 3.30pm.

We will be open for our standard summer hours (9.30 - 5.30pm) from Wednesday 18 December onwards.

16/12/2024

Southern white rhino Jamila has delivered her third offspring in a record three minutes!

Born on Friday morning, her male calf was standing within 10 minutes and began suckling within the hour.

“Jamila’s last two births - females Nyah (4) and Amali (2) - took just under an hour to deliver, which is still a relatively short labour, but to witness everything happening within a speedy few minutes, was just incredible,” says ungulates keeper Dion.

“She has produced a very healthy, hungry, and active calf. He’s suckling at least every hour, is quite vocal, and while he looks tiny in comparison to Jamila (who weighs approximately 1800kg), we estimate he already weighs close to 70kg!”

The next few weeks are a critical period for Jamila and her calf to bond, and for this newborn to fully find his feet and gain the mobility skills he’ll need to be able to safely venture out into their Africa Safari Track habitat where there is varied terrain.

For now, Jamila and her calf will continue to have the comfort and safety of the rhino barn and its adjoining outdoor yard and will gradually be introduced to the rest of the rhino herd. We’ll be guided by them, so it’s hard to give an exact timeframe on when you can begin seeing them out in the habitat – but this may not be until around early New Year. We’ll keep you updated!

Read more - www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/news/auckland-zoo-rhino-jamila-delivers-newborn-in-record-time

13/12/2024

Watch serval Shani in action!

Servals are extraordinary hunters with the longest legs in proportion to their bodies of any cat species. These powerful legs allow them to leap up to 3 metres high, making them highly effective predators.

Their large ears function like a radar, allowing them to rely on sound more than sight to detect prey. In the wild, servals will hunt prey which includes rodents, birds, reptiles, insects, and fish.

To encourage Shani’s natural behaviours, carnivore keeper Sue places a piece of meat high on this feeding pole. This challenge provides Shani with physical exercise and mental stimulation as she quickly and efficiently retrieves her enrichment.

Next time you visit our Africa Safari Track, keep an eye out for Shani. Her perfectly camouflaged coat makes her tricky to spot in her habitat, so be sure to look closely!

12/12/2024

Jez’s love of birds and words takes flight!

If you’ve had a childhood passion that’s taken flight into your adult life (or have dreams to make this happen) you’ll relate to Jez from our wonderful Animal Experiences team.

A curious little kid with a big love for animals and nature, Jez has turned his life-long fascination for birds into a full-time career and recently become a published author with his children’s book ‘Pu and Ru’s Bird Beak Clues’.

Jez grew up in England where he excelled in roles at Colchester Zoo and London Zoo caring for and connecting visitors with some of the world’s most incredible bird species – from tiny burrowing owls and ground hornbills to large falcons, hawks, eagles and more!

In 2019, the opportunity to fly down under to Aotearoa and take up a role at Auckland Zoo where he could work with some of our country’s unique birds was irresistible. It is what has inspired ‘Pu and Ru’s Bird Beak Clues’ – an addictive rhyming read that Jez hopes will get more tamariki hooked on and inspired to care about and help protect these “out of this world” animals.

If you’re looking for a great affordable Christmas gift for young tamariki (that many a big kid will love too!) signed copies are available now at our Zoo shop and our online shop.

Read more about Jez’s inspiring story - www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/news/jezs-love-of-birds-and-words-takes-flight

11/12/2024

Breeding season for tara iti is in full swing!

This season we’re caring for eight tara iti (New Zealand fairy tern) chicks at the Zoo as part of a strategy to bolster their wild population.

This marks the fifth year of the Department of Conservation and Auckland Zoo conservation recovery programme where our expert bird keepers hatch and hand-rear tara iti in a dedicated incubation and breeding facility at Auckland Zoo, for eventual release into the wild.

Intensively managed programmes like this are a key conservation strategy for increasing the populations of vulnerable species, and it means the wild birds have the chance to lay again, effectively increasing the number of eggs laid each year. This is especially important for a critically endangered species like tara iti which numbers less than 35 birds in the wild.

Once the precious eggs are brought to the Zoo by DOC rangers, they are placed inside temperature and humidity-controlled incubators and are weighed and candled each day by our bird team to track their development. After hatching, the Zoo’s bird keepers’ tweezer-feed the chicks every 90 minutes until they’re old enough to reach the next stage in their development – eating fish by themselves!

We’ll be sharing more updates later on in the season – so stay tuned.

10/12/2024

Congratulations to our winner for November...Catherine!

"It's rare to see the American alligator in motion, so it was incredible to catch one reaching out of the water and snapping its jaws right as I took the photo. It was such an exciting moment!," explains Catherine.

December is your last chance to enter our Zoo Snaps competition for 2024, so keep tagging in your Instagram posts or upload your photos at aucklandzoo.co.nz/zoosnaps and you'll go into the draw to win one of our monthly prizes!

Our monthly photography competition is kindly supported by Nikon New Zealand. Each of our 12 monthly winners will go in the draw to win an overall photography prize pack–as voted by you! – which includes a Nikon mirrorless camera.

09/12/2024

Our Swamp Forest reopens today and if you haven’t experienced it for yourself - check it out this summer!

This steamy habitat is home to Sunda gharial crocodilians, shoals of Indonesian fish and a myriad of humidity-loving plants – from orchids to banana palm and a towering ficus!

Our Jungle Track’s tropical dome was temporarily closed while a second set of doors was built outside of the original entry and exit. These second doors act almost like an airlock and will mean that we can more efficiently control the temperature and environmental performance of the building.

If you missed our video showing the science behind the creation of this incredible experience, find the link in the comments.

06/12/2024

Keeping Captain engaged with pumpkins, pinecones, and play!

Ensuring the animals at the Zoo are happy and healthy is a top priority for us. One way we do this, is through creative enrichments designed to create curiosity and encourage natural behaviours like foraging and feeding.

Take Captain, for example! His latest enrichment is a pinecone packed with kūmara, pumpkin, and seeds, all wrapped in long grass. It's a challenging puzzle that mimics his foraging experience in the wild, keeping him entertained and engaged for hours.

Want to see Captain in action? Join the Strangely Beautiful Australia keeper talk every morning at 11am. Captain loves meeting visitors and saying a cheerful ‘hello Captain’ as he goes on his day.

06/12/2024

Come and see the pride this weekend, ahead of essential works!

The African lion habitat will be receiving a refresh next week (9 – 13 December) and this essential mahi includes installing new infrastructure to ensure a better flow of water through the Zoo, as well as regular maintenance of the lions’ moat.

While you won’t be able to visit the Zoo’s pride of lions – sisters Aziza, Kibibi and Ilola – during this time, you’ll be able to visit the rest of our stunning Africa Safari Track as you usually would.

You can learn more about what maintenance and upgrade works are happening at the Zoo here - www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/essential-maintenance-and-upgrades.

05/12/2024

Have you downloaded our award-winning* PalmOil Scan app?

Palm oil is found in half of all supermarket products – this is everything from food items to toiletries, and even pet foods. This free and easy-to-use app helps you to make sustainable choices with the products you purchase – choices that will have a positive impact on critically endangered wildlife like orangutans and tigers.

When you’re buying presents, or planning your Christmas kai, you can help wildlife by choosing products from companies that use certified sustainable palm oil. Scan products at the supermarket or in your whare to find out if the companies that make them are committed to protecting wildlife and wild places.

PalmOil Scan is the initiative of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums in partnership with experts from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Chester Zoo and Auckland Zoo.

*We’re delighted to share the app recently won the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Innovation Award. The award, which was presented to WAZA, recognises innovative approaches to challenges in any area of the palm oil sector and was presented at the Annual Roundtable Conference on Sustainable Palm Oil 2024.

We’d like to encourage all of our wonderful community to download the app to use this festive season and into 2025! Learn more - https://www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/get-involved/palm-oil.

04/12/2024

It’s – and we’re celebrating cheetah sisters Qia and Quartz!

Cheetahs are carnivorous hunters that roam Africa’s plains, feeding on rabbits, warthogs, springboks, gazelles, and birds. In this video, Qia and Quartz are seen munching on raw chicken—an essential part of their well-balanced diet at the Zoo.

Like their wild counterparts, these sisters spend most of their day resting—a staggering 88% of it! Apart from a burst of activity to find food, cheetahs are active for only about 12% of the day, which means roughly one hour of movement for every seven hours of rest.

Sadly, cheetahs face numerous challenges, including habitat loss, diminishing prey populations, and conflict with humans. These threats have resulted in cheetahs being listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with just an estimated 9,000-12,000 individuals remaining in Africa.

We’re proud to be partnered with Cheetah Outreach since 2005, contributing to the annual placement and monitoring of 20 livestock guarding dogs on farms within the cheetah range in South Africa – protecting livestock and mitigating human-wildlife conflict.

You support this work every time you visit the Zoo! Learn more here - www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/the-conservation-of-cheetah-in-south-africa

Address

99 Motions Road
Auckland
1022

Opening Hours

Monday	9:30am - 5:30pm
Tuesday	9:30am - 5:30pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 5:30pm
Thursday	9:30am - 5:30pm
Friday	9:30am - 5:30pm
Saturday	9:30am - 5:30pm
Sunday	9:30am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+6493603805

Website

http://www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/

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