PEOPLE

There is no such thing as a typical day at Wellington Zoo – each one is different. Wellington Zoo doesn’t close when everyone goes home for the day – throughout the day, and night, there is always something happening at the Zoo. Ever wanted to be a zoo keeper or wondered what goes on behind the scenes at the Zoo?

5:30

Our gibbons wake up and start to sing which wakes up a school group doing a Zoo Sleepover.

5:45

The first Zoo staff arrive for the day of work. Our stores staff or “Zoo chefs” start to prepare food for the 500 animals we have at the Zoo.

6:00

As the sun comes up the crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) animals: the wallabies, porcupines and red pandas are at their most active.
7:00

Most of the animals at the Zoo start to wake up for another fun filled day in the Zoo.
8:00

Zoo staff arrive at work. The keepers and guides have a 5 min catch up to plan their day and then set out delivering food to enclosures, making sure all the animals are where they should be, and that they’re all in good health.

8:30

The otters, meerkats and capuchin monkeys get their first feed of the day. The otters and meerkats will eat mice for breakfast while the capuchins get a breakfast of rice.
9:00

The spider monkeys are let out onto Monkey Island, the chimpanzees are let out into their park and the tigers are let out into their enclosure. The servals are also out for their daily walk around the Zoo.
9:30

The zoo is now open to visitors. The guides will be busy opening the Wild theatre and making sure the Zoo is ready for the visitors.