Community Connections
After last year’s successful neighbours’ barbecue, held in conjunction with Wellington City Council’s City Housing unit, over 400 of Wellington Zoo’s closest neighbours came to the Zoo on a late summer evening to find out about their wild neighbour. This has become an annual fixture on our calendar and is an important way for the Zoo to connect with our local community.
Face-painted Wellington Zoo staff accompanied the Go Wellington/Wellington Zoo bus on its inaugural journey as part of the Cuba Street Carnival street parade.
A continuation of Wellington Zoo’s partnership with Stagecoach/Go Wellington saw the return of the ‘Catch the bus to the Zoo and get in for half price’ promotion in May and June 2007. Encouraging Zoo visitors to catch the bus helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reinforces our conservation messages. 12 percent of all adult visitors to the Zoo during this time caught the bus to the Zoo.
‘$2 Winter Wednesdays’ in August at Wellington Zoo gives a large number of community groups an opportunity to spend the day at Wellington Zoo. Thanks to a particularly sunny Wednesday in August 2006, one of our $2 Winter Wednesdays was the busiest day of the year with around 2,500 visitors.
Publicity and media
Interest in Wellington Zoo and the stories we have to tell has been reflected in a high media profile throughout the year. Through using all media channels we get our most important stories out to the widest audience possible. Stories covered this year include Wellington City Council’s support for the Zoo Capital Programme, our centenary celebrations and Tahi the kiwi’s debut for Zoo visitors as a conservation advocate. Wellington Zoo’s strong connections with children were highlighted by iconic children’s television show What Now broadcasting live from the Zoo in July 2006.