Wellington Zoo

Wellington Zoo is nestled in the green belt of Wellington, New Zealand. Now over 100 years old, it was the country’s first zoo and has 13-hectare (32-acre) dedicated to over 100 species of fauna from across the globe. Wellington Zoo is a significant contributor to conservation efforts including breeding programs for endangered species such as the sun bear and Sumatran tiger, as well as spreading conservation and sustainability messages to the wider community.

History

Wellington Zoo was opened in 1906 by the late Prime Minister Richard Seddon, after he was given a young lion - later named King Dick - by the Bostock and Wombwell Circus. Over time the zoo was expanded and upgraded, and committed itself to a future in environmental education, bringing animals and people closer together.

Historically, Wellington Zoo operated under the auspices of the Wellington City Council. However, in June 2003 the zoo became a charitable trust and is now governed by a board of six trustees, with the Wellington City Council as principal source of funds.

Wellington

Wellington (/ˈwɛlɪŋtən/) is the capital city and second most populous urban area of New Zealand, with 398,300 residents. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range. It is the major population centre of the southern North Island, and is the administrative centre of the Wellington Region, which also includes the Kapiti Coast and Wairarapa. Wellington is the world's southernmost capital city of a sovereign state.

The Wellington urban area comprises four cities: Wellington city, on the peninsula between Cook Strait and Wellington Harbour, contains the central business district and about half the population; Porirua on Porirua Harbour to the north is notable for its large Māori and Pacific Island communities; Lower Hutt and Upper Hutt are largely suburban areas to the northeast, together known as the Hutt Valley.

The 2014 Mercer Quality of Living Survey ranked Wellington 12th in the world. In 2011 Lonely Planet Best in Travel 2011 named Wellington as fourth in its Top 10 Cities to Visit in 2011, referring to it as the "coolest little capital in the world".