The kiosk in Te Wao Nui looks nice. With the serval enclosure, I'd suggest they fill it up and put glass viewing windows in.
The water dragons are in there for the forseeable future - I helped rebuild that one, hauling logs around and wheelbarrowing soil up from Te Wao. The building behind the gators is off display housing for them - basically it's going to be a warm room with a small pond in case any of them need to be isolated as there's limited suitable space up at the CCM.
Thanks for the info Bailey13. It looked like the alligator building was still being worked on, the roof and sides didn't look complete.
Yeah, it's still underway. I haven't been in to volley for a little while due to having messed up my elbow, but we visited on the weekend and it's looking better. Not sure of time frame for completion.
The Servals are currently being relocated. Auckland Zoo is replacing the four they had with a reproductive pair.
Exciting New Arrival! According to the Auckland Zoo maintenance works page: This is a large, walk-in aviary within Te Wao Nui that currently houses Blue Duck and Kakariki. I think the Takahe have been planned for here since day dot, but its great to see them arrive (Te Wao Nui is two years old already!). Takahe are an endangered endemic rail, closely related to the Pukeko/Purple Swamphen which has an almost cosmopolitan distribution. Takahe are rarely displayed in captivity, although they are/have been kept at other wildlife parks (notably Mount Bruce, Te Anau Wildlife Park (both DOC facilities), Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, Zealandia), as well as offshore islands.
This clip shows the pair of takahe on Tiri and at the zoo, and includes some shots of Te Wao Nui. Recommended Viewing: On a very important mission with DoC - TV News Video | TVNZ Worked for me in Australia, so might be viewable by all.
this is good news. You are right that Auckland Zoo was one of the holders in line for a takahe pair when Te Wao Nui was still being built. Willowbank in Chch was the first non-DoC facility to get retired takahe for display (in 2010), followed by Zealandia (2011) and then Orokonui in Dunedin (2012). Now Auckland Zoo (2013). Hamilton, Orana and Otorohanga were also in line but I don't know how those are progressing.
they're already in more display situations than lots of the "common" zoo animals! Even taking out Zealandia and Orokonui as not "real" zoos, they are still in four places (Auckland, Willowbank, Mt Bruce and Te Anau) which in NZ is more than, say, chimpanzees, rhinos, any of the antelopes, red pandas......
Facebook Update from 8 October 2013: Which is excellent news, as it means she is still alive! She is also the last of her species in NZ. I'm not sure if she is on-display or not, but if so would be with the Little Red Flying-foxes near the entrance. In other news, the Zoo Map has been updated to show the area off-display while the Tasmanian Devil enclosure is built, and also now shows Eastern Water Dragons. Sadly the Red Kangaroo has also disappeared from the map, and as I didn't see it last time I suspect it may have died - anyone know anything about this? The zoo was also closed today due to high winds, which is pretty unusual.
REd wasn't there last time I went either. Going in to volunteer again next week (first time in a while due to an injury) so will ask. The dragons are in the old tuatara enclosure on the back end of the porcupine (ex-kiwi) house. I helped rebuild it There are two (three?) females and a male which recently moved back down after a stay up at Ti Point.
Sumatran Tiger Oz, who arrived at Auckland Zoo in ~2006 from Israel is moving to Hamilton Zoo according to this facebook post: Although it doesn't say when, presumably the move is imminent. And presumably he is moving there to breed with the new female there (Sali from Dreamworld).
They are actually doing a "tiger-swap" with Hamilton. Auckland Zoo will hold non-breeding tigers, while Hamilton will finally get a chance to breed cats. From the facebook:
The new male serval is Moholo from Mogo Zoo. Who was born to Sika who was born at Auckland Zoo in 2002 to Indlozi and Mzimba. https://www.facebook.com/AKLZOONZ
The Tiger swap between Auckland and Hamilton has been delayed: Can Auckland Oz tame feisty Sali? | Stuff.co.nz
