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.

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!  

Wellington City Council are in the formal consultation phase for their Animal Bylaw, Dog Policy, and Domestic Animal Policy. Your input is highly valued, and they encourage everyone, whether you own an animal or not, to give feedback. They have designed this consultation to help you provide feedback on the topics and animals that interest you the most.

We have submitted on this and would like you encourage you to submit as an individual if you wish. 

Zealandia’s iconic fence is designed to keep mammalian predators out of the sanctuary but is being compromised by items on the outside of the fence being left leaning against it.

Want to get involved in backyard trapping but you’re a bit unsure on what it involves and have no idea how to set up a trap? Our Marketing Manager Sam felt exactly the same way until she recently contacted her local Predator Free group and was delivered a rat trap.

Sam shares her experience in joining a community group and setting up a trap for the first time at home.

During Te Wiki Tiaki ao Tūroa/Conservation Week our Learning Team were out and about visiting schools around the region involved in our Nature at Your Place programme, a free programme offered to Wellington schools and kura, deciles 1-6.