Friday Five: What's new at Wellington Zoo

1. Two words: baby meerkats 

In August Wellington Zoo welcomed a new litter of meerkat pups to the world, and now a couple of months later they are big enough to get out of their burrow and explore. 

Be sure to give them a visit and see them while they're still tiny.

2. Help build a home for the snow leopards  

Asha and Manju the snow leopards are moving to Pōneke next year, and Wellington Zoo are currently fundraising to build them a new home.  

The new snow leopard habitat will be an amazing place for the whole whānau to enjoy, and have interactive spaces where visitors can learn about this beautiful and vulnerable species. 

As a non-for-profit organisation, the Zoo rely on community members to help their projects. Find out more and make a donation on the Wellington Zoo website. 

3. Sally the chimp is about to be a mum - again! 

Sally the chimpanzee is in her last trimester and is due to give birth any time now. Like human mothers, chimps can carry their young for up to 9 months, so it's been a long time coming for Sally. 

It's not her first experience of motherhood either, as she also gave birth to Bakari who is now 9 years old. 

Keep an eye on the Wellington Zoo's social media channels for updates about the new arrival. 

4. Pygmy Marmoset and a flat white anyone?

The pygmy marmosets have settled into their new home in the Mojo Cafe connected to the Zoo. 

The entire habitat was completely rebuilt earlier this year, so you can now watch the world's smallest monkeys while you sip on your flat white. They're not much bigger than your coffee cup! 

You can enjoy an adorable video of them exploring their new home on the Wellington Zoo's Facebook page. 

5. Meet Ngaru - the kororā with one flipper

Ngaru is a little blue penguin who was brought to the Zoo by a member of the community after she was caught in a discarded fishing net and severely damaged her flipper. 

The team at The Nest Te Kōhanga did a great job looking after her but unfortunately could not save her flipper and return her to the wild. 

Luckily, they were able to successfully introduce her to the existing kororā colony at the Zoo where she has settled into her new home, so you can go and see her for yourself!

Wellington Zoo is open under Alert Level 2 and are taking extra precautions to keep everyone safe. Please read their COVID-19 updates before your visit.

Watch out each Friday for a fun list of five great activities to do, places to explore, or things to discover in our awesome city (depending on our Alert Level!)