We went here to see a kea up close. There are 4 kea in the enclosure and I was very excited when one walked right near my shoe. The other 3 were very sleepy. Sadly I saw some groups of visitors walk right through the enclosure without even looking around for them. We also visited the kiwi exhibit where we saw a couple of kiwi towards the back of their habitat. We just went for these two birds but there are plenty of other animals here for zoo lovers.

A great day out with our 14 year old grandson. We decided to attend all the scheduled animal talks, which was an excellent way to navigate the zoo. All the rangers were enthusiastic and knowledgeable and kept us really interested. We were lucky to see up close nearly all of the animals. A special mention to a volunteer James who spent the day looking out for us and proved to be a great spotter. He really helped us to make the most of our day and is a great ambassador for Wellington Zoo.

Gone are the days of dropping half a tab of acid and jumping the Zebra enclosure at 2am in the morning, for a visit, you would be better buying a ticket and having a laugh with the front counter staff, and they give you a map. The Otters snuggled together in the afternoon summed up my experience, as did the Chimpanzees and the Sun Bear, who was too lazy to swat a fly of its back. Everything was laid back. Well, it was not a public holiday, or school holiday for that matter. The staff were friendly, and the other customers were chatty. There were of course the grumpy grannies looking for faults in the Zoo, that were lurking around, that were easily brushed aside. I enjoyed the Black and White Ruffed Lemar's, who feasted on fruits and nuts. The Snow Leopard was invisible, and the Lion just had an operation, so was recovering. I thought the little blue penguins were a myth, to slow down drivers, but they are real! I was surprised to find myself watching a group of Kangaroos relaxing in front of me, without a fence, or barrier. The Giraffe was hungry and was pacing around. There is so much to do. I would like to return and book an up close and personal experience with a Capybara.