The zoo had developed a financial sustainability and recovery plan to deal with the crisis, two years after raising concerns about “inevitable financial demise” if Christchurch City Council<\/a> did not provide annual long-term funding.<\/p>\n The council ultimately agreed to provide $500,000 per year for three years.<\/p>\n Orana Wildlife Park in need of $4 million to stay open<\/p>\n Orana Wildlife Park Trust co-chair Dr Ken Hughey said the future was challenging.<\/p>\n “We believe the support is out there,” he said.<\/p>\n “We’re already working with key partners in that space and we’re incredibly positive that we’ll get to the immediate shortfall of just around $4 million. We hope to have a big announcement to make within about three weeks.”<\/p>\n Spokespeople for the ministers of Finance, Conservation and Culture and Heritage confirmed their offices had not yet been approached by the zoo.<\/p>\n Orana Wildlife Park Trust co-chair Dr Ken Hughey.<\/p>\n RNZ \/ Nate McKinnon<\/p>\n Conservation Minister Tama Potaka announced in August $30,000 for Orana Wildlife Park for a breeding programme for the critically endangered white-bellied skink.<\/p>\n Ash Murphy, a manager in the Department of Conservation’s terrestrial biodiversity unit, said that funding was on hold – alongside $145,000 to be shared with Auckland Zoo for a breeding programme for Hamilton’s frogs – while Orana Wildlife Park showed DOC the work could be completed.<\/p>\n “Orana Park has been a DOC partner in conservation for many years and they’ve have been doing great work managing breeding programmes for some of DOC’s most threatened species like the k\u0101k\u0101riki karaka\/orange-fronted parakeet,” Murphy said.<\/p>\n “DOC staff will meet with Orana Park next week to talk about the 27 native species held at the park, including those in the captive breeding programmes.<\/p>\n “DOC is confident in Orana Park’s ability to provide good care for the birds and other native wildlife they have.”<\/p>\n Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger said, in a statement, the council was aware of the zoo’s financial plight and council staff were preparing a report to be considered by councillors at an upcoming meeting.<\/p>\n Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger.<\/p>\n RNZ\/Nathan Mckinnon<\/p>\n But Harewood ward councillor Aaron Keown said he would sign a cheque for $4 million right now if it was up to him.<\/p>\n “You’re talking numbers like that $4.1 million, those sort of numbers can be found across multiple places,” he said.<\/p>\n “You could literally close every library for one day a week and you’d have that much money spare. If you were to ask the people of Christchurch would they rather have all the libraries open just six days a week and we can have Orana Park flourishing or we keep all the libraries open but we execute all the animals at Orana Park and don’t be part of an international breeding programme and a national breeding programme?<\/p>\n “There’s so many places councils could save money and then put it into breeding programmes so we don’t have to put down those animals and close up the park because that’s your alternative to not funding it properly.<\/p>\n “That’s your alternative to not funding it properly – I’ll call a spade a spade – those animals will have to have a long sleep.”<\/p>\n Councillor Aaron Keown said he would be extremely disappointed if other councillors did not get behind Orana Wildlife Park.<\/p>\n RNZ \/ Nate McKinnon<\/p>\n He had suggested introducing a regional targeted rate for Christchurch city and the Waimakariri and Selwyn districts to provide ongoing support for Orana Wildlife Park.<\/p>\n “It should be a regional targeted rate, exactly the same as the museum,” Keown said.<\/p>\n “Now the museum collects 20-odd million dollars a year. We only need one-fifth of that for Orana Park. You do it on a regional [basis], but then we have a schools programme where because regionally you’ve been paying rates to fund the park all schools then have access to do a schools programme each year which is funded by that rate. So then schools only pay the transport to and from.<\/p>\n “Now you suddenly get value for that spend and so that’s the type of way that I would look at funding that park and picking up the shortfall. And a lot more kids would learn a lot more about animals and animal welfare and international conservation by doing visits there.”<\/p>\n He would be extremely disappointed if other councillors did not get behind Orana Wildlife Park.<\/p>\n SAFE says the priority now is the welfare of the animals.<\/p>\n RNZ \/ Nate McKinnon<\/p>\n But animal rights group SAFE said Orana Wildlife Park’s dire financial situation demonstrated zoos were no longer affordable and New Zealand needed to work towards ending them.<\/p>\n SAFE chief executive Debra Ashton said traditional zoos no longer worked commercially and the public expected greater animal welfare.<\/p>\n “It’s a pretty dire situation for them to be under but obviously the priority now is the welfare of these animals,” Ashton said.<\/p>\n “These institutions are increasingly outdated and fail to meet the physical, psychological and welfare needs of animals anyway.<\/p>\n “If zoos were genuinely prioritising conservation and animal welfare they would focus on creating expansive natural habitats and supporting wildlife in their natural environments.<\/p>\n “It’s pretty clear that this is a very expensive undertaking which is why we need to stop doing this.”<\/p>\n The government should support genuine conservation, help zoos transition away from animals as entertainment, Ashton said.<\/p>\n Friday’s revelation of Orana Wildlife Park’s financial dire straits follows a difficult two years of scrutiny for the zoo.<\/p>\n A sign at the park in 2024.<\/p>\n RNZ \/ Nate McKinnon<\/p>\n In 2024 a 1News investigation revealed a string of animal deaths and injuries at the zoo<\/a>.<\/p>\n The park’s leaders responded by defending its track record and saying allegations of poor animal welfare were “taken out of context”.<\/p>\n![\"Dr](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4JIH45O_260911_Orana_Park_04_jpg.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Christchurch](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4K812Z5_020525NMCHRISTCHURCH03_jpg.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Orana](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4JIH12A_260911_Orana_Park_08_jpg.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"White](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4JIH2ZS_260911_Orana_Park_05_jpg.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Orana](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/4KRKVSU_1P2A9866_jpg.jpeg\")
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