Wellington Zoo calls itself the “Best Little Zoo in the World,” and they just might be accurate. Having lived near large cities with somewhat famous zoos most of my life, I thought I had seen it all. Not so. Some of the unique animals at Wellington Zoo make it worth a visit.
More important than the animals at Wellington Zoo might be its strong conservation programme. Everything they do leads towards their goal of making a lasting change in the world.
“We are guided by our kaupapa, Me Tiaki, Kia Ora! We must look after our environment, so all things will flourish.”
The weather was warm and sunny but neither too hot nor too windy. The animals agreed, being active and playful.
Unique animals at Wellington Zoo
Interesting animals fill the zoo. While many are animals found at zoos around the world, there are a few that are quite unusual, either because of their status or as unique to New Zealand.
Malayan sun bear
The Malayan Sun Bear gets his name from that yellowish circle on his chest that looks like a rising sun. Classified as vulnerable, their native habitats are found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia.
The Malayan Sun Bear is the smallest of the world’s bear species. The female at the Wellington Zoo is currently the only bear in New Zealand.
We were lucky to see her active, as Sun bears are nocturnal. She stood on two legs for just a moment; we saw her distinguishing chest markings and those long sickle-shaped claws that make her such a good climber.
Kiwi bird
The Kiwi bird is a national icon of New Zealand. It’s also well-protected and nocturnal so spotting one in the wild is rare.
Even at Kiwi enclosures, they are often difficult to locate as enclosures are always in the dark. Flash photography is not allowed, so this shot was taken at an ISO of 25600 and then converted to black and white to filter out the red lighting of the enclosure.
Read next: Where to See Kiwi in New Zealand: Insider Guide to 27 Spots
Pelican (deceased)
“Lanky”, the pelican’s huge eyes, long neck, short legs, and big feet,\ made me smile.
Sadly, in April 2016, Lanky passed away, and New Zealand no longer has a pelican in captivity. Having been at the Wellington Zoo for 40 years, he was their longest-living resident.
Tasmanian Devil
Tasmanian devils are the world’s largest carnivorous marsupials. They are found in the wild only on Australia’s island of Tasmania and are classified as endangered.
Caracal
Another one-of-a-kind for New Zealand, these two Caracals joined the animals at Wellington Zoo from Denmark only five months prior to our visit.
It’s no surprise that these nocturnal animals were not too active on the day we visited, they were awake, with their big ears reaching up to the sky.
From a photography standpoint, I was a bit disappointed to watch them from behind glass, but realizing they are great jumpers, I got over it.
Some of the more traditional animals at Wellington Zoo
It’s not all rare and unique animals at Wellington Zoo. Here we also found animals common in New Zealand zoos, as well as those frequently found in animal exhibits worldwide.
Little blue penguins
We often see Little Blue Penguins (also called fairy penguins) when we sail in Auckland. We have seen wild Little Blue penguins in St. Kilda (Melbourne, Australia) and in Dunedin (New Zealand).
Native to New Zealand, these Little Blue Penguins are fairly common on our coasts and also found in southern Australia. They are one of several species of penguins in New Zealand.
They are the world’s smallest penguins, standing just over 25cm (10 inches) and weighing only about a kilogramme (2.2 pounds). They are flightless and use their wings for swimming.
Squirrel monkey
Bolivian squirrel monkeys are found throughout South America. The zoo is home to a large troupe of squirrel monkeys.
Babies cling on to the mother’s back for months, so be sure to look closely when you visit. (there is not a baby in this photo)
Giraffe
The giraffes have both an inside and outside enclosure. While I was enjoying the heat of the day, these magnificent creatures came inside.
They do have daily feeding opportunities, but we missed it.
This is only a small sample of the animals at the zoo. Check the zoo’s official webpage to see a more complete list.
Educational encounters and zoo keeper talks
While the unusual animals at Wellington Zoo tend to appeal to everyone, there are also many kid-friendly learning opportunities. Since no young children were nearby, my teen demonstrated it for the shot. There is also conservation information throughout the zoo.
Throughout the day, there are zookeeper talks, often with a chance to get up close and personal with the animals.
A few practical tips for visiting Wellington Zoo
- The Wellington Zoo is one of the best things to do in Wellington with kids.
- We liked it so much that we featured it among our recommended Wellington Activities and on our list of things to do when travelling from Auckland to the capital city.
- It’s not a huge zoo, although it’s built on a hill. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes.
- If you have favourite animals that you want to learn more about or you want to know when to feed the giraffes, be sure to check the daily schedule and plan your visit accordingly.
- We spent less than two hours at the zoo, saw all the animals and listened to one “zookeeper talk”.
- In addition to visiting the Wellington Zoo, while in the capital, be sure to check out the wildlife at Zealandia.
Getting to the Wellington Zoo
The zoo is located in Newton, about a 10-minute drive from downtown.
- Bicycle: There is a bicycle rack in front of the zoo for those inclined to get some extra exercise and help the environment. Hiring an electric bike is a great way to get to the zoo and see more of the city.
- Private Vehicle: The drive from downtown to the zoo is well-signposted. There is limited free parking, so our best tip for drivers is to get here early. If you are thinking about renting a car, we recommend Rentalcars.com. With worldwide rental partners and outstanding customer care, they have been our favourites since the first time we rented with them.
- Public Bus: Stopping right outside the Wellington Zoo, the number 23 or 23z bus is the easiest options from downtown. Check out Metlink for current timetables.
Save on your NZ trip with these resources
These are our go-to companies when we travel. We believe this list to be the best in each category. You can’t go wrong using them on your trip too.
- Flights: we use Expedia for the best and cheapest flight options.
- Accommodations: we use Booking.com (hotels), Bookabach (self-contained in NZ), or Hostelworld (budget). See all our personal favourite NZ hotels here.
- Cars (gas or electric): we use RentalCars to search for deals and dealer ratings.
- Motorcycles: we have heard good things about BikesBooking.
- Campervans or Motorhomes: we use Campstar where Albom Adventures readers get a 3% discount.
- Activity discounts: we check Bookme.com for discounts of up to 70% on activities.
- Private guides: we do have a go-to when we hire a private guide.
- Travel Insurance: while not required, we always opt for travel insurance and start at InsureMyTrip to compare coverage plans.
Check out our travel resources page for more companies that we use when you travel. And don’t forget to download our free New Zealand packing list when you sign up for our newsletter.
What are your favourite animals at Wellington Zoo?
For more on New Zealand, start here: New Zealand Road Trips: Itineraries for North or South Island Adventures, or you might like …
Disclaimer: I was provided with a complimentary entry to aid in writing this page. However, the opinions expressed here are strictly my own.
Alissa Apel
That looks like fun! I just won a membership to our zoo from our local library. I’m so excited! Our zoo is rated #1 in the world. Crazy! I could never get through it all in 1 day.
Rhonda Albom
Do you live in Omaha or San Diego? I had to look it up, found two lists, two #1 ranked zoos. Isn’t that the way it always goes. I love the San Diego Zoo, and couldn’t get through that one in a day. I haven’t been to Omaho. Wellington, on the other hand is easy to get through in a few hours. Sometimes it feels like everything in New Zealand is small.
Charlotte
Fabulous photos! x
Michelle
Great pictures!
The Malayan Sun Bear is new to me.
Rhonda Albom
I hadn’t seen a Malayan Sun bear before we visited this zoo. I am pretty sure it is the only bear in New Zealand.
Leovi
I like these animals, beautiful pictures !!
Amila
beautiful photos.Seems it is a beautiful zoo to visit.
These days,zoo is our favourite topic with our son,he’d love to see these photos,specially the giraffes. 🙂
Cascia @ Healthy Moms Mag
Cool photos! I love going to the zoo.
Barbara Radisalvjeivc
That pelican is unlike any I’ve seen here. Ours are brown. I really enjoyed seeing a different group of animals from what I can see at our small local zoo, which doesn’t have much. It’s the last zoo I have visited and you can see in in about fifteen minutes. I wish I lived closer to San Diego sometimes.
Rhonda Albom
I have never seen a brown pelican either, but now you have me wondering, as I did live in Northern California for 15 years.
Jay @CraftySpices
Very nice pictures from some Lovely animals. Nature is filled with so many beautiful things.
Paul Sachs
Great pictures & commentary! It poured the one day I was in wellington, so the zoo was out.
Paul Sachs
Ashleigh @Simply Wright
These are so cool, thank you for sharing! I just love animal pictures! Have a wonderful week.
Claire
Love shots, the bear is my favourite :):)
Lisa Ross
Never mind the animals, love the minion goggles 😉
Those caracals are cool too!
Rhonda Albom
LOL – I forgot I had them in one of the photos. She got them as a holiday gift and wears them all the time.
LD Masterson
I love zoos that try to give the animals some semblance of their natural habitat. I’ve seen too many concrete cages. Loved your pictures.
Rhonda Albom
This one did a pretty good job of this, but could probably do better. It seems to be part of the plan.
Julie
I love zoo’s. I haven’t been for ages and must go once the summer heat disappears and we are back to nice days again.
Lexa Cain
What great pics! I had no idea the Kiwi was nocturnal. I think that’s the first bird I’ve ever heard of that is. The Caracals were very cool, and the sun bear, too. Thanks for sharing your beautiful zoo!
Corinne
Rhonda, I missed the zoo first time around, but now I wished I’d gone…Next time!
lourett
Wow!..never seen those animals for real… Hope one day I can 🙂
Joyce
Wonderful photos. I like the giraffes the best.
Mary Denman
Wow! Never seen a bear like that! How cool he stood up for you!
I have an ISO of 25000 too on my Canon! LOVE IT!!
Rhonda Albom
My Canon didn’t go that high, which worked out great for Sarah. She gets to shoot it now, while I have my Olympus.
Lyn@The Travelling Lindfields
I’m going to have to go back just to see the zoo!!. ‘Lovely weather’ – I’ll bet it was windy though – lol.
Indrani
Nature’s amazing creatures. Lovely pics from the visit.
Happy WW!
kristi
I agree great photos! Loved the first one of the bear and of course the giraffe. Sara had a good capture of the giraffe’s pattern. I had never seen one up close like that!
Rhonda Albom
Sometimes I am amazed as to how close you can get to the animals in New Zealand. I forget it’s not like this everywhere.
Nancy
That bear is really cool. He reminds me of one of my favorite Far Side cartoons, though. There’s a bear with a bulls-eye on its chest, and another bear says to him, “Bummer of a birthmark, Hal.”
Rhonda Albom
LOL – I will never be able to look at this poor sun bear again without thinking of this comment. Fantastic image. I can see the cartoon in my mind, and on this bear.
Alissa Apel
It really looks like you got super close to that bear! You got some great shots.
I live right by Henry Doorly Zoo. It’s HUGE! You can’t even walk through all of it in one day.
Rhonda Albom
The bear enclosure was quite open, unlike many of the other exhibits that were glass encased. It just made it easier to get a good shot. Don’t worry, I wasn’t that close. Never in danger.
Comedy Plus
How fun. I’ve not been to a zoo in years. The last zoo I visited was the Oakland Zoo. My favorite zoo is the San Diego Zoo. That takes days to explore.
Have a fabulous day. 🙂
Rhonda Albom
I will admit, my favorite zoo is also probably the San Diego Zoo, although I haven’t been in at least 13 years. It’s much more of everything, animals, space etc. For New Zealand, the Wellington Zoo was a very pleasant surprise.
Patrick Weseman
Great pics, wow. Love them.
http://csuhpat1.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-heart-of-san-franciscounion-square.html
Charlotte
Great photos! Love the one of the bear!
YAM
Hari OM
Long time since visiting zoos – several good ones in OZ – but Sydney’s own Taronga Zoo is pretty darned good. Was surprised when you said it was your first pelican sighting; they are ubiquitous round Aussie coasts and had rather assumed they were equally so over in NZ… Love the carcals lurking in the shade… YAM xx
Rhonda Albom
We visited several zoos when we were in Queensland, but missed the Sydney and Melbourne zoos. Somehow, in three visits to Australia, I never saw a pelican. I didn’t see kangaroos, Kuala, and even a platypus in the wild.
Karren Haller
Great photos, love them all my favorite was the giraffes, there amazing animals!! And those bears claws, uhhh they would hurt!!
Hope you have a great day!!!
Alex J. Cavanaugh
The one in the tall grass is scary!
I didn’t know kiwis were nocturnal.
Rhonda Albom
She is even more scary when she dresses medieval and runs through the forest wielding swords with her friends.
As for the Kiwi birds, they are nocturnal and flightless
Nick Wilford
Great shots! I visited many zoos during my travels but not Wellington, I think I went to the one in Auckland? Is there a zoo there?
I guess the Tasmanian Devil was having a rest after all his whirling around!
Rhonda Albom
Yes, Auckland has a big zoo, and I have been many times. I think that is why I hadn’t been to the Wellington zoo before this weekend. I was surprised to see animals like the bear and a caracal that aren’t in the Auckland zoo.
stevebethere
I enjoyed your photos all good shots that Tasmanian Devil looked so comfy heheh! I liked the one above the Giraffes too heheh!
Have a zootastic week Rhonda 🙂
Stephanie
looks a great day out and the Pelican made me smile too – he looked a little awkward, bless Cute Tasmanian devil though 🙂
Merlinda Little ( @pixiedusk)
Amazing photos! Such a nice weather too for a zoo trip. My fave animal is always Giraffe and the ones in this zoo looks magnificent =)
Rhonda Albom
I am the same. Even with all these new and interesting animals, I always make my way around to the giraffes.