This looks like quite a nice little park (if small and overpriced), the bird aviaries, especially the large ones for stilt, pigeon and falcon look especially good. Is most of the site flat, with just the left hand side being a steep hill? Did you go Maori hunting in the village on the right? Did you do the audio guided tour? I'm guessing not, and I'm sure its pretty basic info anyway, but I think that could be quite interesting. I have done a couple in Europe (in museums, not zoos), and they certainly added to the experience (and cost). This park definitely seems to be maximising the education aspect - detailed signage, smartphone things, and this tour, as well as a "conservation show" and kiwi feedings.
there is a hill at the bottom of the map (from the entrance to the second entrance), and the left side is steep pine forest. The rest is all flat. Part of the Maori hunting village is a walk-through weka enclosure. There is a stuffed Maori outside this as well (or at least a statue of a Maori anyway). I threw some stones at him if that counts as hunting? The audio tour is actually included in the entrance fee. They give you a phone sort of thing when you enter, and you listen to it at each aviary and it tells you basic information about the birds etc.
So you walk across the slope to the Kea enclosure, and then back to walk down the hill? What are the "large trees" at the bottom of the hill? Another weka walkthrough! These are popping up everywhere (Otorohanga, Hamilton, Auckland, etc). I think Maori used to hunt that way, so I think that counts. So would the audio tour be pretty cool for average visitors? It would be cool if they had an advanced guide for enthusiasts. Good that it is free too, all the ones I used cost extra. The one at Westminster Abbey was voiced by Jeremy Irons, which was a bit unsettling as I kept thinking it was Scar from the Lion King talking.
yes, walk from the kiwi house past the morepork to the kea and then down the slope to the black stilt. The map is quite misleading in terms of aviary placement, e.g. the black stilt, oystercatcher and scaup are all in one aviary, the pigeon and blue duck/shoveller are in the one next to it, and then the yellow-crowned kakariki in their own aviary next to them; so only three aviaries on that bit of path rather than seven on either side of the path as the map makes it appear. The giant trees are Sequoia, or Sequoiadendron, I forget which. Sample of the kiwi part of the audio tour here: Self-guided audio tours enhance the Kiwi Birdlife Park experience Its not really basic, so for your standard visitor would be well worth it. It's just that I know it all already so not so much value for me unfortunately.
That snippet was great, I really want to push 301 to hear about their daily feeding/care routine now! That sort of information would be what would interest me most, as well as enclosure specific notes, like "that tree in the left hand corner is 300 years old and is a rimu" or "the morepork tends to sit in the manuka tree on the right of the enclosure, look for it there". Also, the calm, soothing voice probably makes visitors stay longer, so they have a better chance of seeing the kiwi (and other birds) and therefore improve their perceptions of the park.
