Protecting our environment

Connecting with our Visitors

Wellington Zoo’s commitment to operating sustainably was increased this year with the formation of the Environmental Management Group. We asked all Zoo staff members for at least one innovative idea on how we could ‘green the Zoo,’ with several of these having already been implemented.

These include:

  • the removal of individual rubbish bins from offices throughout the Zoo;
  • installing timers for the charging of our Zoo carts;
  • ensuring the paper we use is FSC certified;
  • a battery recycling programme;
  • ensuring computer monitors are switched off at night by having our security officers double check all PCs;
  • installation of a worm farm.

In addition to our staff innovations, several other steps were made to make the Zoo more environmentally responsible this year. Our old fleet cars were replaced with a hybrid, two compact fuel efficient cars and a work vehicle which is twice as fuel efficient as its predecessor. And, to offset the purchase of these cars, we’ve planted over 750 trees in the Zoo this year.

We asked all Zoo staff members for at least one innovative idea on how we could ‘green the zoo’...

We have increased the number of rain water reservoirs in the Zoo to 13, with a plan to install a further three next year – this water is used for cleaning, refilling animal ponds and in cisterns and basins in visitor toilets. Due to the installation of the reservoirs and a concerted effort we have continued to reduce our water use and have used 3.5 million litres less water than we did last year. In 2007-08 year we used nearly 24 million litres less than we did in 2004-05.

Our in-house composter, purchased with a grant from the Shell New Zealand Sustainability Fund, was installed and our first batches of compost have been produced and used throughout the Zoo. This composter allows us to compost all organic waste onsite at the Zoo, including bones and animal waste that were previously sent to landfill.

We became members of the Central Region Sustainable Business Network this year, and staff have attended numerous workshops and functions held by the SBN including a waste workshop.

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