Auckland City Council

Media release

28 August 2008

Meet the locals at Zoo’s Conservation Week event

A family fun day at Auckland Zoo on Sunday, 7 September to celebrate the start of Conservation Week will offer visitors the chance to meet some special wildlife locals, and participate in lots of other fun activities.

Auckland Zoo has joined forces with the Department of Conservation (DOC) and TVNZ 6, co-producers of the ‘Meet the Locals’ TV show about wild places and their inhabitants, to give Kiwis a greater insight into the incredible wildlife that’s unique to New Zealand.

The day (9.30am – 4.30pm) features exhibit encounters with fur seals, kea, frogs, and penguins, and at the Native Fauna Encounter Centre at 2pm, the chance to see kiwi, tuatara, kaka, and other wildlife up close. In the Zoo’s Grassland’s theatre, visitors can join ‘Meet the Locals’ presenter and DOC expert Nic Vallance, and the Zoo’s NZ Fauna expert Andrew Nelson, get up close with more local creatures, and watch episodes of the show.

Within the Zoo’s second plaza, kids can get their faces painted (10am to 1pm), meet some Kiwi characters, enjoy live Kiwi music, take part in fun games, and be in to win great spot prizes

Also in the plaza will be conservation group stalls, including DOC, Forest & Bird, Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund, the Motuihe Trust, Motutapu Restoration Trust, WWF, and Project Crimson – offering visitors the chance to find out more about conservation projects happening in their local area, and how they can get involved

Artwork entries for the Zoo’s inaugural ‘Trash to Taonga’ art challenge will be on display, and at 1.15pm, the winners of this Conservation Week themed competition will be announced.

“Conservation Week is a great time for everyone to stop and celebrate New Zealand’s incredible natural treasures, but also to look at how as individuals, we can all play a part in helping ensure we don’t lose what we have,” says Auckland Zoo director, Jonathan Wilcken.

DOC’s brand and campaign manager, Stasi Turnbull says New Zealand is full of plants, animals and landscapes that are found nowhere else on earth.

“Conservation Week is your opportunity to show them off, to learn more about them, and see them up close. So what are you waiting for? Get out and meet the locals!”

Normal Zoo admission prices apply to this event. The full schedule for Conservation Week Family Fun Day at Auckland Zoo can be found at www.aucklandzoo.co.nz . To find out more about Conservation Week, visit www.conservationweek.org.nz

ENDS

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