Daily distractions for sufferers of World Cup fatigue, from Ally Mullord.
Another weekend is about to consumed by the Rugby World Cup. While flatmates and friends plonk themselves in front of the TV, what are you going to do?
Well, you could go to the Zoo.
I went to Auckland Zoo because I am in Auckland, but Christchurch and Wellington also have very nice zoos. Dunedin does not, but it does appear to have a ‘Penguin Place’.
Auckland Zoo has the usual menu of zoo animals – elephants, hippos, assorted monkeys – but has also just opened a new exhibit, Te Wao Nui, which is all native New Zealand flora and fauna.
Flora and fauna is ‘plants and animals’, for the less zoo-savvy among us.
Some people, wildlife bigots that they are, think that New Zealand plants and animals are boring. To these people I say: have you ever actually had a decent look at them? Te Wao Nui is absolutely stuffed full of New Zealand animals, you’re bound to find one you like.
The exhibit is massive (it takes up over 20 percent of the zoo’s total area) and split into six sections, each of which has a 'highlight animal'. (Please note the highlight animal is not nominated by the zoo, it’s just the one I think is best.)
The Coast
It is impossible to pick the best animal on The Coast as it has seals and little blue penguins. The penguins are adorable, tiny and mostly rescued from beaches and nursed back to health; the seals can high five you and put their rubbish in the bin. Would highly recommend you schedule the trip to include a seal encounter because the seal tricks are awesome. Also, the gentleman zookeepers are cute.
The Islands
The Islands feature New Zealand skinks and geckos and other things that mean ‘looks like a lizard’, but they are also home to the tuatara. I always put the tuatara in the “might be interesting if it ever actually did anything” category of animals (see also: sloths, jellyfish) but it’s completely different when you actually see one! Somehow its stillness makes it more interesting. Tuatara: favourite.
The Wetlands
The Wetlands has lots of nice ducks and other birds but let’s not talk about them because it also has a tank full of eels. As a child I stood on an eel’s head and it bit my toe (fair enough) so now I have a healthy respect for them. Interesting fact: eel capacity is calculated by weight, not by number – so for example a tank can hold 60kg of eels, made up of however many eels you like.
The High Country
The High Country has a walkthrough kea enclosure. Kea, for those not in the know, are a) birds and b) ridiculously friendly. At Arthur's Pass in the South Island wild kea will walk up and steal the bacon straight from your camping stove, and you will become annoyed and shout expletives at the kea, and your mother will tell you off because they’re a lovely native bird- anyway, I digress. If you go in the walkthrough enclosure at the Zoo you can interact with the kea. If you’ve never hung out around kea before, I thoroughly recommend it.
The Forest
The Forest doesn’t really have a highlight animal for me because it’s pretty much all birds and I don’t know a lot about birds, but it’s the most tranquil, peaceful part of the zoo. It’s set in a huge aviary (hence all the birds) with a viewing platform set amongst the native treetops, and bird feeders on the platform so that you can pick your own highlight animal from the lineup in front of you.
The Night Forest
The Night Forest has a lot of classic New Zealand animals (kiwi! morepork! weta!) but it also has the little native bats. Hands up who knew New Zealand had little native bats?
See? You clearly need to go to the zoo.
For more information, visit the Auckland Zoo website
For more entertainment that’s not rugby, go to FOUR