Spreading the word

We continue to emphasise the important issues of conservation in our programmes. All keeper talks integrate conservation messages; public statements – media interviews, speeches, etc – feature conservation concerns; and several learning programmes are built around conservation concepts. Our aim remains that of encouraging people to recognise the importance of conservation and sustainability, and to commit to a sustainable future for us and for the species with which we share the planet.

Regional collaboration

Reflecting the Zoo's greater role in this important regional collaboration, the following staff have been given leadership positions for the Australasian Species Management Programme (ASMP) run by the Australasian Regional Association of Zoos, Parks and Aquaria (ARAZPA):

• Paul Horton is species contact for greater kudu.
  
• Suzette Nicholson is species contact for Patagonian cavy.
  
• Mandy Richards is species coordinator for common tree shrews.
  
• Katja Geschke is the veterinary advisor for Miscellaneous Exotic Mammals, and the Artiodactyl Taxon Advisory Groups (TAG) and Marine Mammal TAG convenor.
  
• Simon Eyre is TAG convenor for Miscellaneous Exotic Mammals and the species contact for common tree shrews.
  
• Mauritz Basson is the Artiodactyl TAG husbandry advisor.
  
• Barbara Blanchard is the Captive Management Co-ordinator for tuatara. Barbara is also the records adviser for NZ Fauna for the ARAZPA ARKS SAG.
  
• Edy Macdonald is convener of the Research SAG.
  
• Sarah Satterthwaite is a member of the Primate Education Advisory Group.

Greening the Zoo

As conservation advocates, we have to put our own house in order if we are to influence our visitors and stakeholders. Accordingly, in March 2006, we appointed a Coordinator and began to implement our Environmental Management System. An early success has been cost-savings and practical changes in the waste disposal system. Not only have we reduced our landfill volume by 97 percent, but our waste disposal costs have been lowered by nearly $1,000 a month. Waste is now sorted into compostable (85%) and non-compostable, which includes both recyclable (12%) and “general” waste (3%). The compostable waste is sent to a commercial operation at a much lower cost than the previous delivery to landfill. And it’s being reused to help city gardens.

We have also made significant savings in water usage. The Zoo went from using 49 million litres of water in 2004/05 to 33 million litres in 2005/06. This represents a 33 percent reduction in usage which is a great conservation effort. We will continue to make changes to further reduce the Zoo’s water use.

We look forward to reporting further success as this programme continues to be implemented.

Breeding success

We have contributed to the conservation of biodiversity in the Australasian region by our breeding programmes for regionally managed species.

As described in the Animal Collection section, we also exchanged or imported several individuals – gibbons, agouti, and servals – to support breeding programmes.

Sharing staff

Zoo staff members have continued to make contributions to conservation in the field. Katja Geschke helped with the satellite tagging of the female NZ sea lions in the Auckland Islands and assisted DoC on Kapiti Island to diagnose and treat lesions on the ears of Short-tailed bats.

Four of our keeping staff were asked to do the monitoring of Kaka breeding at Karori Wildlife Sanctuary. Eight nest sites were recorded and the monitoring of egg development, hatching, weighing, and banding of chicks kept them busy until the chicks fledged. Some chicks were fitted with radio transmitters to enable monitoring to continue.

Chris Castles, the Zoo’s bird keeper, helped the Department of Conservation with blue duck banding in the wild.

Chimpanzee keeper Jo Turton, volunteered at the Ugandan Wildlife Education Centre for work experience.