Wellington Zoo

Wellington Zoo is home to over 500 animals and more than 100 different species. These are just some of the animals that call Wellington Zoo their home.

Tuatara

Species: Reptile

Origin: New Zealand

Animal fact: Tuatara don’t eat very often and do everything slowly. They live for up to 60 years.

Golden Lion Tamarin

Species: Mammal

Origin: Brazil’s Atlantic coastal forest

Animal fact: An endangered specie, there were fewer than 200 left during the 1970s. Thanks to zoos and other conservation organizations, there are now approximately 3,200 living in the wild.

Meerkat

Species: Mammal

Origin: Southern Africa

Animal fact: Meerkats are carnivorous and mostly eat insects. Every meerkat has a special duty that benefits the group. The babysitter stays close to the burrow, with youngsters under their care. The sentry scans the sky for predators, and the hunters dig for food. The teacher shows juveniles how to hunt.

Agouti

Species: Mammal

Origin: Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Trinidad and Tobago

Animal fact: These medium-sized rodents look a bit like large Guinea Pigs, and their powerful teeth grow continuously throughout their lives. Agouti are one of the few animals in the world that can open Brazil nuts without tools, thanks to their strength and sharp teeth – making them critically important to the survival of Brazil nut trees and the people who depend on them. These hard-working rodents open the fruit, take some of the nuts and bury the rest, which germinate to become new trees.

Tasmanian Devil

Species: Mammal

Origin: Island of Tasmania

Animal fact: In Tasmanian Devil society females are in charge. They go for dominant mates, and spurn the advances of males who are too timid.

Giraffe

Species: Mammal

Origin: Kenya and Uganda

Animal fact: Giraffes spend up to 20 hours a day feeding, but you’re unlikely to catch them sleeping it off – Giraffes sleep the least of any mammal, and only need between 10 minutes and two hours of sleep each day.

Goliath Stick Insect

Species: Invertebrate

Origin: Australia

Animal fact: Goliath Stick Insects are herbivorous and are very talented at camouflaging themselves. They like to hide in the tops of Eucalyptus and acacia trees. The females are much larger than the males, with large, heavy abdomens. This means that although both sexes have wings, only the lighter, slimmer males can fly.

Emu

Species: Bird

Origin: Australia

Animal fact: Their diet includes chopped up vegetables and pellets and they also swallow stones to aid in digestion! Males and females communicate using different sounds - Females make a booming sound, while males make a loud grunt. Next to Ostrich, they are the second largest bird in the world.

Capybara

Species: Mammal

Origin: South America

Animal fact: The Capybara is the world’s largest rodent and they share similar features with rats, mice and Guinea pigs such as their ever-growing front teeth. One of their notable features is their partially webbed feet, making the Capybara excellent swimmers! Capybaras are herbivores, eating mostly grass, water plants and vegetables, as well as fruit and tree bark. They are also a herd species, which means they are a very social animal.

veiled chameleon

Species: Reptile

Origin: Arabian Peninsula in Yemen and Saudi Arabia

Animal fact: Coloration can be affected by several factors, including social status. In experimental conditions, young veiled chameleons reared in isolation are darker and duller in color than those raised with other individuals. Females change color across their reproductive cycles. Chameleons also tend to change to a much darker color when stressed.

Baboon

Species: Mammal

Origin: Ethiopia, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen

Animal fact: Their bright pink bottom serve as cushions, so they can sit on thin branches high up in trees for really long stretches of time to stay safe from predators. Baboons don’t appreciate eye contact and toothy smiles - both of these things are considered threats in their societies. They respond by raising their eyebrows, showing the whites of their eyelids or baring their teeth to intimidate their enemies.

Cheetah

Species: Mammal

Origin: Southern, North and East Africa

Animal fact: Cheetahs are best known for their incredible speeds and are able to reach speeds of up to 100 kph in 3 seconds. Their bodies are well adapted for this: they have non-retractable claws, a long heavy tail to help with turning, and they’re much leaner than other big cats.

Ostrich

Species: Bird

Origin: Savannahs of Africa

Animal fact: The Ostrich is the largest living bird, weighing up to 140 kg and standing as tall as 2.5m. It is also the fastest two–legged animal in the world, and can reach speeds of up to 70kph.

Grand Skink

Species: Reptile

Origin: New Zealand

Animal fact: Skinks are critically endangered with around 2000 of each species thought to remain in the wild. They make their homes in sheltered crevices in large outcrops of schist rock.

Red Panda

Species: Mammal

Origin: Mountains of Nepal, northern Myanmar and central China

Animal fact: These solitary animals form pairs during breeding season, which is short-lived – females are only in season for one day a year, making Red Panda cubs very rare and precious.

Madagascan Giant Day Gecko

Species: Reptile

Origin: Northern and northwest Madagascar

Animal fact: These beautifully bright green geckos can attach themselves to nearly any surface. Their feet are not sticky, but instead are covered in microscopic ridges. They prefer to crawl and bask on horizontal and diagonal perches, so you can sometimes see them attached to the other side of the glass.

Cotton Top Tamarin

Species: Mammal

Origin: Colombia

Animal fact: They’re omnivores with a diet based on insects, spiders, flowers, fruit, sap, nectar and occasionally eggs and lizards.

Wallaby

Species: Mammal

Origin: Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand

Animal fact: All Wallabies are marsupials belonging to the macropod family, which means ‘large-footed.’ They are largely nocturnal, so they’re sometimes a bit harder to spot during the day.

Dingo

Species: Mammal

Origin: Australia

Animal fact: Dingoes are highly agile, great climbers and spend an average of 65 per cent of their day active. Just like other wild dogs, Dingoes communicate with each other by barking, howling or snuffing.