Insider's guide to Auckland Zoo

Meerkat antics. Just one of the things you can look forward to at Auckland Zoo. Photo / 123rf

Michelle Whybrow is an animal lover and a Conservation Fund Administrator at Auckland Zoo. With the attraction now open again, get to grips with all that's new and exciting.

Michelle Whybrow is a Conservation Fund Administrator at Auckland Zoo. Photo / Auckland Zoo

I've just celebrated my 20th year / "zooniversary" at Auckland Zoo. I started as a keeper working with primates before moving to the NZ native fauna section, developing my passion for native birds and reptiles, and particularly enjoying our breed-for-release programmes.

I have loved animals my whole life and became interested in the environment and conservation as I got older. Here at Auckland Zoo, I've been able to merge these passions into a career. Highlights include watching kiwi chicks hatch out of their eggs (simply amazing, no matter how many times you see it), hand-rearing whio ducklings and kākāpō chicks and getting out into the field mist-netting in special places like Hauturu-o-Toi (Little Barrier Island).

The zoo is all about connecting our visitors with wildlife and giving them experiences they can't get anywhere else. It is hugely important that we inspire people to make small changes in their lives that can have a positive impact globally.

Now open at traffic light red, I'd say no visit to Auckland Zoo is complete without a walkthrough of Te Wao Nui to check out some amazing and unique taonga. We all need to appreciate what's in our own backyard and as a self-confessed "bird nerd" and lover of Aotearoa's wildlife, I'm a big fan.

We all need to appreciate what's in our own backyard, such as the wildlife and birdlife. Photo / Chris McLennan

If you're also into the exotic and mysterious, then get along to the High Canopy primate habitat to see our siamangs and orangutans moving through the trees and canopy climbers, or possibly swinging high above you on their aerial pathways that extend over the lake. Te Wao Nui a Tane (The Forest) in Te Wao Nui is the most peaceful spot in the zoo, and just magic on a hot summer's day. And if you have kids (or even without!), you must swing by our Little Diggers for a ride. As well as being heaps of fun, all the proceeds go to the Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund.

Visit Auckland Zoo's High Canopy primate habitat to admire the siamangs and orangutans. Photo / 123rf

Something you might not know is that we work hard outside the zoo, too. Our staff spend thousands of hours each year working out in the field throughout Aotearoa on projects that range from monitoring an array of endangered frogs, lizards and birds, predator control, utilising drone technology and working on new ways to help provide shelter to wild sea lion pups.

The last secret I'll spill is this. Auckland Zoo turns 100 years old next December and we are planning year-long celebrations for our centenary, so keep an eye on our social media channels.
aucklandzoo.co.nz, facebook.com/AKLZOO, instagram.com/aucklandzoo

Check traffic light settings, vaccine requirements and Ministry of Health advice before travel. covid19.govt.nz