Coolest Little Zoo
We have been living in Wellington for almost a year, but for some reason we never found the time to visit the Wellington Zoo in Newtown. Now that we are both off work for the holidays we planned a visit, made easier by a buy-one-get-one offer from the Absolutely Positively Wellington Advent Calendar.
We felt we had pretty high expectations as I grew up with the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium and Seth has visited the San Diego zoo in the past. We can say with absolute certainty that Wellington Zoo is indeed the best little zoo in the world.
The trip was off to a wonderful start with the first animal on display being the little blue penguin. It's hard to compete with penguins, especially ones as cute as a little blue. The zoo only got progressively better as we moved on to the kiwi exhibit. Kiwi's are nocturnal so we weren't really expecting to see much activity in the enclosure which is a part of a mock research crate that features facts about the kiwi and tuatara contained within. There are two kiwi enclosures, both of which are dark and lit only with red light. When we first entered there was nothing to be seen, but as we peered into the darkness and whispered "Can you see anything?" we heard a rustling as a kiwi emerged from his hut. This was Tahi, a very special kiwi. Years ago Tahi lost his leg to a hunters trap, the lovely folks at Weta Workshop crafted a prosthetic for him, but it was decided that his new leg wasn't very comfortable so eventually it was removed. It doesn't seem to bother him much, he simply hops around his enclosure searching for bugs to nibble.
As we continued through the zoo, many animals appeared, almost as if on cue, some of which actually interacted with us. There seemed to be no fear of humans and approaching the glass. Our favourite animal interaction was completely unexpected. After stopping for lunch at the zoo's only cafe we noticed a bird enclosure on the opposite side.
It wasn't immediately obvious where the birds were perched so we were inspecting the area when suddenly, "hello!" We looked down to find a cockatoo staring up at us. "Did you just say 'hello'?" we inquired, "Hello!" was her jovial reply. Turns out Puff the cockatoo is quite the conversationalist and enjoys playing games such as hide and seek. She is such a fun companion we visited her twice!
After just one visit it is easy to see why the animals feel so comfortable interacting with people, the zoo does an excellent job of caring for them. All the animals are given ample space, the zoo actually no longer houses elephants because they know they lack the room needed for such a large animal. The zoo is also home to The Nest, an animal hospital for both zoo animals and local wildlife. Much of The Nest is open to public view via large glass walls and intercom systems that allow you to ask questions as the veterinarians work to make sick animals well again.
It was a great adventure and we can't wait to return to participate in one of the zoo's Close Encounters. These special packages allow you to get up-close and personal with one of six zoo animals.
If you are planning on visiting a zoo, be it the Wellington Zoo or another, I highly recommend attending on a cloudy, cool day. The animals are more likely to be active and the crowds light. We attended on the first day of summer vacation and practically had the zoo to ourselves because the forecast was threatening rain.
