More great music events at Auckland Zoo

MEDIA RELEASE

19 May 2005

Look forward to more great music events at Auckland Zoo

Aucklanders and visitors to Auckland can look forward to more great music events at Auckland Zoo next summer.

The zoo’s hugely popular second six-concert ASBZooMusic series, which ran from late January through to March this year, attracted 15,000 visitors, a 53 per cent increase in attendance on the previous year’s series. Headline acts included Dave Dobbyn, Nathan Haines, Yulia, Katchafire, Goodshirt and Nesian Mystik.

“Auckland Zoo is totally committed to innovative events such as ASBZooMusic, which not only attract new audiences, and give visitors an amazing experience, but more importantly directly contribute to the zoo’s conservation work,” says Auckland Zoo Marketing Manager, Alistair Kirk.

The gradual increase in evening concerts and other events at the zoo over the past couple of years has this week seen the zoo’s Marketing and Life Sciences (zookeeping and veterinary staff) departments make a number of recommendations to the Zoo Enterprise Board, all of which have been accepted unanimously.

These recommendations are intended to ensure noise levels at concerts are at an acceptable and safe level, and do not have any adverse effect on animal welfare.
“Partnerships within the zoo are vital, and the zoo’s marketing, life sciences and education teams work very closely together. Essentially, we are all working for conservation success, and are committed to ensuring the welfare of our animals, as well as ensuring our visitors have an outstanding and enjoyable experience,” says Mr Kirk.

“The zoo’s management team have pro-actively developed a comprehensive set of guidelines to manage noise levels at zoo events, which the Zoo Enterprise Board fully endorses,” says the Zoo Enterprise Board chairperson, Councillor Leila Boyle.

“Auckland City Environments will work closely with the zoo to monitor noise in and around the zoo when events are taking place.”

“This summer, funding permitting, we would once again like to be able to offer music lovers an outstanding line-up of artists. We’re aiming to build on the success of the last two years, so concert goers can expect some new twists,” says Mr Kirk.

“While our preference will be for artists to play an acoustic set, the zoo will not be placing any kind of blanket ban on the likes of electric guitars or drums. But we now have a very firm noise restriction policy in place, which all performers will need to comply with.”

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