Orana Wildlife Park Orana Wildlife Park News 2020

Orana Wildlife Park successfully hatched seven Blue Duck (whio) last week. The zoo have released 90 whio so far as part of their breed-for-release programme for the species.

Source: Orana Wildlife Park's Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=643001029743372

 

Orana Wildlife Park have opened their new amphibian habitat - Frog House. It includes nine Maud Island Frogs (Leiopelma pakeka) on-display, Southern Bell Frogs/ Growling Grass Frogs (Litoria raniformis) and Axolotl. In total, the zoo currently houses 17 (6.11) Maud Island Frogs and they are currently between ages 18 to 25. Orana is also trying to breed this species. If you fast forward the video to 0:35 you can get a better view of the facility. I have to say, it's very pleasing to see an open-range zoo give some attention to amphibians.

 

Another species has arrived for Orana’s new amphibian habitat - nine Chinese Fire-bellied Newts (Cynops orientalis) are now on-display opposite the Maud Island Frogs.

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After arriving last year from the Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust, Orana Wildlife Park have announced that their Canterbury Mudfish are breeding well in the waterway near the cheetah habitat (a bit like the Southern Purple-spotted Gudgeon breeding in the lion enclosure at Dubbo).

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I wish the Cheetah would breed well in the Cheetah habitat! With two young males, a young female and a successful breeding female amongst their population; I hope they will be successful in welcoming their first litter in six years this summer:

0.1 Mazza (09/04/2009) Jonah x Kura
0.1 Nia (28/10/2014) Gizmo x Mazza
1.0 Quake (16/11/2015) Imported 2017
1.0 Quantro (16/11/2015) Imported 2017

These cats are currently off display to focus on breeding; while Nia’s littermates (three brothers) are on exhibit.

 

Sumatran Tigers have arrived:

Orana Wildlife Park have received 2.0 Sumatran Tigers from Australia Zoo - Scout (Juma x Kaitlyn) and Reggie (Satu x Maneki). They arrived over a week ago and are now on-display as of today. They are the only tigers on the South Island.

Full article: New Sumatran tigers to be unveiled at Orana Wildlife Park - NZ Herald

 

It is nice they invest in local fish species!

Would a full aquarium cum paludarium be a possibility for Orana over time?
(They have an excellent herp collection)

 

In Orana’s end-of-year summary the zoo mentioned that they bred Black-and-white Ruffed Lemurs this year. 2020 has been a particularly successful year for this species with births at Perth and Mogo as well:

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