A new walk-through aviary has opened at Pukaha Mount Bruce, holding seven native bird species. Story here: New Free Flight aviary opened at Pukaha Mount Bruce | Zoo and Aquarium Association
Nice to hear that a former NZ rugby giant as Bob Francis is among the driving force pushing Pukaha / Mt. Bruce forward. Great engagement by a great man!
I managed to go to Mt Bruce last week to see the new walk-thru aviary. From the outside it looks fantastic, but once you walk in you are confronted with a black mesh aviary containing the Blue Ducks. In effect it is an big ugly rectangular aviary within a magnificent walk thru aviary, taking up about a third of the floor space. The other birds can fly around and over the top of blue duck area. Sadly I didn't have enough battery power left to take any photos. It could have been a magnificent space if they had decided to keep only one duck species, or if the blue ducks were kept in an adjoining space separate from the main area. I feel that not a great deal of thought went into the internal design of the space, with viewing windows into the Blue Ducks being covered up with branches to prevent the other birds in the larger aviary flying into the glass. On a slightly different note; the keeper talk at the only captive kokako in the world was very good. Kahurangi is a real charmer and her wolf-whistle would put many builders to shame.