<h2>Coming soon to the Zoo</h2>

<p>Auckland Zoo has had a rich and eventful history and on 16 December 2022 we will celebrate 100 years of working with you, for wildlife.</p>

<p>We are curating some key highlights over the decades to share and show the zoo&rsquo;s evolution from our early days, to becoming the wildlife conservation organisation we are today.</p>

<p><a class="small primary button" href="https://rfal77254.activehosted.com/f/14" target="_blank">Sign up to be the first to explore our timeline</a></p>


Colourful and tenacious entrepreneur John James Boyd establishes what could be referred to as New Zealand’s first ‘zoo’ – first in Whanganui in 1905, and then in Auckland’s Onehunga in 1911. Despite challenges and a stream of battles with multiple councils, his efforts would inadvertently bring about the creation of Auckland Zoo in 1922.

1910s

John James Boyd, he ngākau whakapuke, he mau kaha, he rakahinonga, ā, nānā i whakatū te whare kararehe tuatahi o Aotearoa. Tuatahi, ki Whanganui i te tau 1905, tuarua, ki Onehunga, Tāmaki Makaurau, i te tau 1911.  Hāunga ngā wero me ngā taupatupatu ki ngā Kaunihera ā-rohe, nā āna mahi i tū ai Te Whare Kararehe o Tāmaki Makaurau i te tau 1922.

Te orokohanga o Te Whare Kararehe o Tāmaki Makaurau – mai Onehunga ki Ngā Puna o Waiōrea

The origins of Auckland’s Zoo - from Onehunga to Western Springs

This decade sees a flurry of activity as Auckland Zoo works to establish itself in its expansive Western Springs setting. This involved tree planting and creating gardens, developing animal areas ahead of new arrivals from overseas and hiring key staff to progress this exciting new experience for Aucklanders. 

1920s

I ēnei tau ka kitea te nui o ngā mahi ki te whakawhanake i te Whare Kararehe i tōna kāinga o Ngā Puna o Waiōrea. He whakatupu rākau, he mahi māra, he whakarite nōhanga kararehe i mua i tō rātou taenga mai i tāwahi.  Ka mutu, te kimi kaimahi ki te whakawhanake i tēnei hei wheako hou mō Tāmaki Makaurau.

Te orokohanga me ngā tau tōmua o Te Whare Kararehe o Tāmaki Makaurau

The creation and early years of Auckland Zoo

The 1930s were a tough decade for Auckland Zoo as the Great Depression takes hold and visitor numbers drop. A change in leadership sees the Zoo embark on a media campaign to boost struggling visitor attendance. Despite the challenging circumstances, improvements are made in the way animals are cared for and the Zoo aspires to become a leader in conservation education.

1930s

He wā taumaha ngā tau o te 30 mō Te Whare Kararehe o Tāmaki Makaurau.  I te Wā o te Korekore, i mimiti haere ngā manuhiri. Ka huri te hautūtanga, ka eke te Whare Kararehe i tētahi huarahi pāpāho ki te pōhiri manuhiri. Hāunga ngā taumahatanga, ka kounga ake te āhua atawhai o ngā kararehe, ā, e manako ana kia noho hautū Te Whare Kararehe i te mātauranga whāomoomo.

Ngā uauatanga o te Wā o te Korekore

The Great Depression brings difficulties 

The impacts of World War II continue for the Zoo. A significant number of staff leave to join the war effort and restrictions on animal imports and exports mean no new animals. To counter this, the Zoo offers the community generous tram concessions, and a special War Utility Exhibit is created to show visitors how to efficiently use kitchen and garden waste at a time when food was scarce.

1940s

E rongo tonu ana Te Whare Kararehe i ngā taumahatanga o te Pakanga Tuarua o te Ao. Ka wehe ētahi kaimahi ki te pakanga, ka aukati te wehenga me te kuhunga mai o ngā kararehe hou. Hei awhi, ka tuku pāhi eke kā rēra te Whare Kararehe ki te hapori, ā, ka whakatū te War Utility Exhibit ki te whakaatu ki ngā manuhiri me pēhea te whakamahi i ngā para o te kīhini me te māra i te wā o te korekore. 

Ngā tau o te Pakanga Nui – Ka hiki Te Whare Kararehe o Tāmaki Makaurau i te mānuka

The War Years – Auckland Zoo rises to the challenge

After years of austerity during and after World War II, Auckland Zoo sets about upgrading and creating new animal and visitor areas, thanks to increased funding from Auckland City Council. The appointment of a new curator sees the Zoo shift its focus away from science and research, to acquiring animals for the purposes of entertainment, following overseas trends.

1950s

He nui ngā taumahatanga i ngā tau o te Pakanga Tuarua o te Ao, whai muri anō hoki. Ka whakarite Te Whare Kararehe i ētahi nōhanga hou mō ngā kararehe, i ētahi wāhi hou mō ngā manuhiri nā runga i te pūtea tautoko a Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau. I te kuhunga mai o tētahi kaitiaki hou, ka huri te aro o te Whare Kararehe, mai i te pūtaiao me te rangahau, ki te kohi kararehe mō te ngahau pēnei i tāwāhi.

Te aronga hou me ngā whakawhanaketanga

New developments and a change in focus

Under new director Derek Wood, Auckland Zoo begins to move in a more progressive direction – this includes the creation of natural enclosures for animals. The chimpanzee tea party era comes to an end, and the establishment of the Association of Zoo Directors of Australia and New Zealand sees a more coordinated and scientific approach to animal management and breeding programmes.

1960s

I raro i te whakahaere o Derek Wood, ka whanake te Whare Kararehe. Ka whakatū nōhanga oranga mō ngā kararehe, ā, Ka oti te wā o ngā tīpāti makimaki. Nō te whakatū o te Association of Zoo Directors of Australia and New Zealand, ka kite i tētahi aronga tapatahi, pūtaiao anō hoki ki te manaaki me te whakatupu kararehe.

He huarahi ki tētahi Whare Kararehe hou

Towards a Modern Zoo

Auckland Zoo grows its educational offerings for school children and adults. Ian Haldane is appointed as the Zoo’s first education officer and new curator Graham Meadows helps establish an animal technology course to educate the next generation of zookeepers. The Zoo also moves towards a more equal workforce by hiring its first women zookeepers.

1970s

Ka whakatipu ake Te Whare Kararehe i ngā tukunga mātauranga mō ngā tamariki me ngā pakeke. Ka tohua te kaipupuri mātauranga tuatahi, a Ian Haldane, ā, ko te Kaitiaki hōu, a Graham Meadows, i āwhina ki te whakatū i tētahi akoranga hangarau e pā ana ki ngā kararehe hei whakaako ki te reanga hōu o ngā kaitiaki kararehe. Ka anga hoki Te Whare Kararehe ki te whakataurite i te tira kaimahi mā te tohu i te wahine hei kaitiaki kararehe.

Ngā tāwhai nui i te mātauranga me te whiwhinga mahi

Great strides in education and employment

The Zoo focuses on creating great experiences for Aucklanders and improves facilities to enhance animal welfare. A new veterinary hospital opens, panda-monium ensues when 300,000 visit the Zoo over a three-month period to see giant pandas Xiao Xiao and Fei Fei, and a new director brings a strong vision of conservation and community – including establishing the Zoo’s volunteer programme. 

1980s

E aro ana Te Whare Kararehe ki te whakarite wheako papai mō ngā tāngata o Tāmaki Makaurau me te whakapai ake i ngā rawa hei hāpai i te ora o ngā kararehe. Kua whakatuwherahia tētahi hōhipera kararehe, ā, rarī ana te whenua i te takahi mai a te 300,000 tāngata i roto i te toru marama, kia kite i a Xiao Xiao rāua ko Fei Fei, ngā Pāta Nui e rua. Ka mutu, he kaiwhakahaere hou e kawe mai ana i tētehi aronga hou mō ngā take whāomoomo me te hapori – pēnei i te whakatū i te hōtaka tūao a Te Whare Kararehe.

He whanake i te mahi tahi me ngā wheako a te hapori

Growing community involvement and experiences

With the arrival of new director Laura Mumaw in 1988, the Zoo set a clear direction for this decade with a comprehensive new development plan. This bold, new plan outlined the redevelopment of animal habitats and its evolving role in conservation and community engagement. This saw the creation of a new multi-purpose activity centre for visitors, the start of the ‘Friends of the Zoo’ annual membership programme and the building and opening of exciting, new naturalistic habitats. 

1990s

I te taenga mai o te kaiwhakahaere hou a Laura Mumaw i te tau 1988, i ēnei tekau tau, ka koke whakamua te whare kararehe me tētahi rautaki whakawhanake hou. Ko tēnei rautaki hou, i whakatakotohia te hanganga houtanga o ngā nōhanga kararehe, te whakawhanaketanga o ngā momo mahi whāomoomo me te whakaratarata i te hāpori. I kite te whakatūtanga o te whare tātai maha hou mō ngā manuhiri, te tīmatatanga o te kaupapa ‘Friends of the Zoo’ urunga ā-tau me te whakatū, te whakatuwhera i ngā nōhanga taiao hou.

Opening hours

9:30am - 4:30pm

About