Auckland Zoo

Auckland Zoo has New Zealand's largest collection of animals and is recognised as one of the most progressive zoos in the world. A winner of national and international environmental-related awards, it is home to 179 different species and over 1300 animals.

There is lots to see and do all year, including events, eye-to-eye encounters, Zoom (behind the scenes) tours and more!

Auckland Zoo plays a key role in many breeding recovery programmes for threatened and endangered native species. Through its Conservation Fund, the Zoo supports field-based conservation projects, locally and overseas.

Auckland Zoo is open everyday from 9.30am to 5.30pm (except Christmas Day), with last admissions into the Zoo at 4.15pm. During winter (1 June to 31 August), the Zoo closes at 5.00pm.

The zoo covers 50 acres (0.2 km2) next to Western Springs Park, not far from Auckland's central business district. The current exhibition areas include:

* Animal Planet Elephant Clearing - This is the home of the zoo's two female Indian elephants, Kashin and Burma.

* Aussie Walkabout - Wallabies, kangaroos and emu share a mixed walk through exhibit which leads to an Australian bird aviary featuring rainbow lorikeets.

* BNZ Kiwi and Tuatara house - This nocturnal house features native New Zealand species. Kiwis, tuataras and an endemic owl species, the morepork, can be seen here.

* Hippo River - This area of the zoo has been made to imitate an African wetland environment. It features hippopotamus, serval, chamca baboons, cheetahs and flamingos.

* Just Juice Primate Trail - Auckland's two families of Bornean orangutans can be found in this part of the zoo along with the ring-tailed lemurs.

* Native Frog Research Centre - This centre attempts to recreate the frog's native habitat.

* Newstalk ZB Rainforest - Full of naturalistic exhibits this area boasts tarantula's, agouti, fruit bats and primate species namely; golden lion tamarins, cotton topped tamarins, spider monkeys, siamang gibbons and bonnet macaques.

* Paddlepop Kidzone - The children's zoo has a play area, plus small and rural animals.

* Pridelands - The large African mammals and ostriches are kept here. Giraffes, zebras, springboks, white rhino and Auckland's pride of five lions are the features.

* Sealion and Penguin Shores - Home to Californian sea lions, New Zealand fur seals, a sub-antarctic fur seal, little blue penguins and several shore birds.

* Tiger Territory - Featuruing two rare Sumatran tigers, a male called Oz and a female called Molek. On June 12, 2008 Molek gave birth to three tiger cubs.