Orana Wildlife Park
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Orana turns 35!

On Sunday (25 September) Orana Wildlife Park marked 35 years of operation. In that time, Orana has become an internationally recognised zoo and achieved many significant milestones.

The past year however has been the toughest in the zoo’s history, according to Chief Executive, Lynn Anderson: “The earthquakes have had a significant impact upon the Park, putting Orana under extreme financial pressure. Traditionally, 45% of our visitors came from elsewhere in New Zealand or overseas and fundamentally those people are largely prevented from visiting. The two snowfalls in July and August resulted in further closures for the Park - five consecutive days in August, one of the longest periods of closure in Orana’s history!”

“Park management were left with no other option but to implement an effective ‘get through plan’ which sadly included a restructure and many other cost cutting initiatives. This plan will ensure the Park survives these difficult times and it must as Orana is an important asset to the city.”

Opened in 1976, Orana Wildlife Park was the vision of the South Island Zoological Society. The Society was formed in 1970 with the aim of establishing a major wildlife park in Christchurch. Six years later, their dream became a reality with the opening of Orana, a drive-through open range zoo. The Park opened with 26 animals from six different species set in 16 hectares. Orana is now home to over 400 animals from 70 species set in 80 hectares.

Key achievements include:
• Almost 100 threatened native birds have been released to the wild, all of which have been bred at the Park - 73 Brown Teal, 23 Blue Duck and 2 Kiwi.
• The Park is internationally respected for its contribution to zoo-based breeding programmes for Cheetah, Giraffe, White Rhinoceros and Scimitar-horned Oryx.
• Creation of unique visitor experiences such as the chance to travel through the Lion reserve, interact with a Cheetah, hand feed a Giraffe and meet Rhino ‘face-to-face’.
• Development of a daily animal feed presentation schedule (15 animal feeds daily, one about every 30 minutes whilst the Park is open). Each presentation includes key ‘take home conservation’ messages for visitors.
• Delivery of curriculum linked education programmes, endorsed by the Ministry of Education, to over 20,000 school children in recent times.
• Orana has been progressively constructed on a dry, stoney riverbed. Today, Christchurch has an internationally recognised zoo which has been achieved at remarkably economic cost - to date, less than $6 million has been spent constructing Orana and this is significantly less than many major zoos currently spend on a single new exhibit for one species!
• Orana is the only major zoo in New Zealand that is not owned and operated by local government. Therefore, its operational costs are not highly subsidised by the rate-payer and all capital developments are separately fundraised for from outside sources. All of the buildings and enclosures have been built in-house with input from volunteer labour. Many Canterbury businesses have also assisted in the construction by donating materials, consultancy and equipment.

“I am very proud of what Orana has achieved. The Park will continue to be a work in progress in years to come, continually evolving and adding new and exciting attractions. Our current work plan has been temporarily halted due to the earthquakes, but we are committed to completing new projects in years to come. A conservation habitat for the Nationally Endangered Maud Island Frog will be completed and we are hopeful of being able to establish New Zealand’s first ever Gorilla group in the future.

“Orana is a true community asset and we take this opportunity to thank the wider community for their dedicated support. We also encourage people to come and visit soon as this is the best way to help the Park at present. As an incentive we are offering a special ‘kids half price’ promotion for the October holidays” concludes Lynn.

ENDS

© Scoop Media