Angelina Martelli
Veterinarian Nurse
After graduating from Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology in 2003 and gaining experience working at a small animal clinic in the city, Angelina moved to Wellington to join our team in September 2009.
She is delighted to now be working with some of the most endangered and amazing animals in the world. Her favourite moment at the Zoo so far was when Ishah the Red panda sat on her knee as she patted him and hand-fed him pears and grapes.
Besides Ishah, Angelina’s favourite animal at the Zoo is Sasa the sun bear, for her beauty and friendly nature.
Dr Francois Lampen
Manager, Veterinary Science
Since qualifying as a veterinarian in 1997, Francois has worked in a wide variety of interesting roles – including managing a coastal bird rehabilitation centre, a houbara bustard breeding centre and working as an intern at a zoo in the USA.
Wildlife has been the focus of his working life since 1992, and he sees it as a privilege to have experienced various so many different forms of medicine in the field. In 2005 Francois started his own wildlife clinic in South Africa, while at the same time working on an MSc in wildlife diseases.
For the most part, he really enjoys working with penguins – and is therefore especially looking forward to seeing the first little blue’s in the native at The Nest – Te Kōhanga. At the same time he has not yet had the opportunity to work closely with chimpanzees, and is really very keen for a chance to interact with them.
Francois believes the ability to bring various specialists together to apply their area of expertise to the task of conserving wildlife – be it in a captive or free situation – is a very important attribute of a wildlife veterinarian. He also really enjoys working with such a wide variety of species which can only really be found in a setting like Wellington Zoo.
Jo Webby
Veterinarian Nurse
Jo worked several different stints at the Zoo since 2006 – beginning with a ten-week contract – before she graduated to a full-time role in our veterinary team. During that time she gained vital experience working as a keeper, while she completed a captive wild animal course at Unitech, and worked at a small animal practice in Hawkes Bay.
She thoroughly enjoys the variety of patients that she cares for in the Zoo hospital, especially the process of helping and watching animals recover from various conditions.
Jo’s best stories come from her encounters with the cheetahs, which she thinks of as simply amazing. Her favourite animal was one that died of old age in 2009, Nippy the gibbon. However, she’s fast becoming fond of the sweet-natured Biddy, one of our spider monkeys.
Jo says that the most important attributes for a Zoo vet include adaptability, an ability to stay calm in challenging circumstances and time-keeping.