What's On at Zealandia

Two captive tuatara who have called Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne (Zealandia) home for the past decade have found a new home at Wellington Zoo.

Staff from Zealandia and Wellington Zoo, and representatives of Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika, Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Ngāti Koata, came together yesterday to move the sibling pair, Tāne and Tuahine.

Recently, two young kākā siblings were discovered in the sanctuary at Zealandia, all alone without a nest or parents around.

Explore the magic of “Two Birds of a feather,” an exhibition that celebrates art, conservation, and the power of a shared vision by two extraordinary artists, Helen Casey and Shawna Chow.  

Attracting birds to your garden can be a wonderful experience. Watching them search for nesting material, find a cozy spot to sing, or enjoy a tasty treat is fun. In the urban setting of Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne, we're fortunate to see a variety of birds in Wellington backyards.

Lately, a common question has been arising: Is it okay to use sugar feeders and bird baths at home? Let's dive into this.

In the last century, there have been some amazing stories of conservation, but none quite like the story of the takahē - from being thought extinct to rediscovery and now steadily making a comeback with ongoing conservation efforts.

Let's rewind to 1948 when one person's obsession kickstarted one of the most amazing rediscoveries ever.

Wellington’s ecosanctuary Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne has been named the top tourism operation in Aotearoa New Zealand as winner of the prestigious Air New Zealand Supreme Tourism Award.  

The awards, presented by Tourism Industry Aotearoa, showcase and celebrate the very best of New Zealand tourism’s individual and business successes.  

As well as taking out the top award, Zealandia also won the category of the Airbnb Tourism Excellence Award (Small-Medium Business).  

Tangoio Marae representatives from Napier visited Wellington recently to learn restoration skills from Te Papa and Pouhere Taonga/Heritage New Zealand experts.

Cyclone Gabrielle earlier in the year caused severe damage to their marae which included various prized art works.

The group visited the sanctuary and were gifted one head of kiekie to contribute to the materials needed for their restoration work.  

Our “fur-babies” are important members of our families, but they can also impact our local environments. 

That's why Gini, our Senior Communications Advisor who knows a thing or two about responsible cat ownership (she even wrote her thesis on it!), is here to help. She's got some great tips on how you can keep both your pets and native wildlife safe and happy!  

"Little is known about Aotearoa New Zealand’s freshwater sponges. To date, only one species has been studied, yet there is a high likelihood that many other exist without us knowing. For my master’s project, I am investigating the diversity of species within New Zealand."

Dive into the world of freshwater sponges with Ella, a passionate master's student from the University of Otago, New Zealand. 

We have all heard it—spending time in nature can improve your health.  

Western science is finally catching up with what Māori and many other knowledge systems have always known. People are part of nature, and being separated from it affects our health. 

Zealandia researchers have had leading roles in new discoveries about how nature improves our health.  

Here are five ways through which reconnecting with nature can improve your wellbeing...