Instead, the zoo had plans to increase numbers of some of its current animals, including the blackbuck, zebra, and ostrich.
Masamba and ungulate senior keeper Josh de Waard. Masamba passed away last year. Photo / Tom Eley
“[They] do better with certain population numbers, so we will be looking to adjust for those welfare preferences,” he said.
Fleming said the zoo was a “complex ecosystem requiring ever-changing methods” to keep animals, visitors and staff happy, and space is a “critical component”.
That includes reviewing and upgrading habitats, improving animal enrichment, boosting visitor safety and accessibility, and ensuring facilities meet “modern animal care standards”.
He said the zoo was focusing on bringing existing “animal habitats up to standard”, as zoo standards continuously evolved as animal management improved.
The “priority” was the Savannah habitat, which includes giraffes, rhinos, bison, ostriches, deer, and antelopes.
“Having the new property gives us the much-needed space to deliver those improvements efficiently and safely when the time is right.”
Future decisions about species are made with a “strong focus” on conservation, animal welfare, and the zoo’s long-term strategy.
“This land purchase gives us flexibility for future planning, but it doesn’t signal a sudden expansion of species,” Fleming said.
“Our focus is on providing the best possible care to the animals who already call Hamilton Zoo home.”
Hamilton City Council chief executive Lance Vervoort.
The council’s chief executive, Lance Vervoort, said this was the first time the property had been available in more than three decades.
“Property is rarely more affordable than it is now and we might not have this opportunity again for a long time, if ever,” he said.
He said the purchase allowed space for planned future habitat developments, such as the southern white rhinos.
Vervoort said the “planned” rhino management facility directly bordered the property.
“Having this land gives us safer and more efficient access away from visitor areas, saving between $600,000 and $800,000 on that project alone.
“Not only is the property in the best location for access to hard-to-reach areas of the zoo, having this property will allow us to save around $900,000 in efficiencies.”
Decided by a unanimous council vote in December 2025, the purchase was funded through the council’s Strategic Land Fund, with money available following the sale of a previous strategic land holding in Rototuna.
Malisha Kumar is a multimedia journalist based in Hamilton. She joined the Waikato Herald in 2023 after working for Radio 1XX in Whakatāne.