Trust Chair reportZoo People
Karen Fifield, the Zoo’s Chief Executive, has been elected to serve for two years as a board member of our regional Zoo association, ARAZPA. Karen has also ensured the Zoo maintains a high profile by presenting to local community groups and business networks.
The staff structure was reviewed during the year to align staff positions with the Zoo’s six strategic elements. This created several new management roles throughout the Zoo including Manager Husbandry Development, Senior Keeper and Collections Development Coordinator in the Life Sciences team. The Commercial Development team was established with the manager overseeing two important branches of the Zoo’s work – Fundraising and Marketing and Communication. This year we also established the position of Manager of Conservation and Veterinary Science.
There are always changes to the staff at the Zoo and during the last year we’ve had several people join the team who bring their knowledge and experience to Wellington Zoo from working with wildlife overseas. They included Leisje Meates, a herpetologist from the USA, Amy Souster an experienced animal handler from England and Hollie Jackson, a keeper, also from England. We’ve had Gemma Stewart start as full time volunteer coordinator; Arti Govind join as marketing and fundraising assistant and Toby Wilkes come on board as print and production assistant.
Brendon Veale, the Zoo’s Manager Fundraising, was working at Bristol Zoo, England before coming to Wellington in November 2007. He has been raising funds for the Zoo, increasing awareness of the Zoo as a charitable trust and forming valuable partnerships and networks.
Volunteers
Wellington Zoo would not survive without the help of those who selflessly donate their time. Our 50 volunteers worked around 5,835 hours last year – equivalent to almost three full time employees. Whether it is through making our events more special, making enrichment or helping out life sciences staff, the contribution made by our volunteers is impossible to overstate.
This year saw the appointment of the Zoo’s first full time volunteer coordinator. An emphasis for the new coordinator was to integrate the volunteer programme across all areas of the Zoo. Traditionally, volunteers worked predominantly with the Life Science section of the Zoo. Now there are volunteers working throughout the Zoo including with the marketing, learning, guiding and property teams.
The Zoo has also welcomed several full time volunteers from overseas through Live NZ. These students stay with us full time for one or two months and get a real feel for working in a New Zealand zoo.
Students
Wellington Zoo this year entered into a partnership with Massey University to create a new postgraduate degree for veterinarians in wildlife medicine. Four veterinary residents started working at the Zoo on a roster basis in March and enjoy the challenges of zoo and wildlife medicine for a month at a time. The three year Masters degree is run jointly by Massey and the Zoo and incorporates avian medicine, exotic species pathology and zoo medicine both on the Massey campus in Palmerston North and at Wellington Zoo.
Wellington Zoo also serves as a living classroom for Unitec students studying towards a certificate in Captive Animal Management. These students do practical experience at Wellington Zoo getting hands on in all sections of the Zoo, so they get the chance to work across all species groups and learn the realities of life as a zoo keeper.
Our Ambassadors
Wellington Zoo Trust is proud to welcome Saatchi & Saatchi Wellington’s General Manager, Cameron Harland, to the Ambassador programme this year. We are also very grateful for the continued support of Tana and Rochelle Umaga and family, and Jane Diplock, AO, Chairman of the Securities Commission. These committed Ambassadors continue to be our voice in the community, supporting our fundraising efforts and lifting the profile of the Zoo. We thank them for their wonderful support.
New Trustee, Ross Martin
On 1st July 2007, Ross Martin was appointed by Wellington City Council to the Trust. Ross has quickly become a valued member of the trust board.