Orana is open and kids can enter free this week!

Orana is open and kids can enter free this week!

Despite the earthquakes and heavy snow, Orana Wildlife Park is open for business and during the school holidays (that end this Sunday) two children (5 to 14 years) can enter FREE with each paying adult. Whilst the Park was fortunate to re-open with minimal material damage following February’s earthquake, visitor numbers (and therefore income) have dropped significantly putting Orana under financial pressure.

Chief Executive, Lynn Anderson, says the snow this week has not helped the Park: “We are starting to wonder how else our income could dry up at present as snow during the school holidays coupled with the earthquakes has not been great for visitor numbers. We re-opened yesterday around 12.30pm once a check of the trees and electric fences was completed. The animals are all fine - they have warm dry shelter and are all well fed but we now need people to visit them!

Unfortunately there is a perception that because we are open we are doing fine but that is not the reality. Traditionally 45% of our visitors come from elsewhere in New Zealand or overseas and as a result of the quakes, they are largely prevented from visiting. Furthermore, Christchurch people are spending cautiously in these difficult times.

Orana is a fantastic asset to the city and our team will get the Park through this difficult time, but as a charitable trust and not-for-profit organisation, we do rely on gate takings. Therefore the best way people can help is by visiting - in return, we will provide them with some unique wildlife encounters such as the chance to hand feed a majestic Giraffe, travel through the Lion Reserve or see a Kiwi. Additionally, our great value membership means that, for the cost of two Park visits, members can visit Orana as often as they like until June 2012!” concludes Lynn.

About Orana Wildlife Park
Orana Wildlife Park is NZ’s only open range zoo and is home to over 400 animals from more than 70 different species. The Park is owned and operated by Orana Wildlife Trust, a registered charitable trust, which also runs Natureland Zoo in Nelson. The Trust also owned Southern Encounter Aquarium & Kiwi House (Cathedral Square) until February when it was closed indefinitely after a devastating 6.3 magnitude earthquake that struck Christchurch. The Trust is committed to the conservation of wildlife diversity on this planet. Our aims, along with being dedicated to the conservation of endangered species and the welfare of our animals, are to provide education, recreation and enjoyment to the public and to support research relating to endangered animals. The Trust is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), the Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia (ZAA) and ZAA NZ. Website: www.oranawildlifepark.co.nz/.

ENDS

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