Animals of New Zealand

Where to find the one and only kiwi bird when you don’t want to rely on sheer luck. This nocturnal bird, a New Zealand native can be found at the wildlife reserves in Christchurch. We visited both reserves, the Orana and the Willowbank wildlife reserve.

The Orana houses New Zealand's only two gorillas in the south island. Orana has larger animals but you could get up close and personal with them. They have scheduled feeding times that as you walk around the park you can view the tigers, lions, and more in action. A personal favorite of mine was getting to see the tiger be fed. I feel that back at large Zoo’s I have been to at home you could not get this close of an experience. Big cats like these typically conserve their energy since they are at the top of the food chain. They only expend it in large bouts when hunting or mating. The tiger was eyeing some small kid who was standing near the fence near him which cracked me up. I guess lunch was not enough for him. Orana also has a vehicle that takes you around the park if needed. Great for those with disabilities that cannot walk for long periods of time. We did need uber to get out here though since the buses do not reach it. The most exciting thing was getting to see the kiwis for the first time. They are about the size of chickens and are rather playful to each other at this reserve. My favorite part of this reserve was racing some ostriches, they were very interested in people and I managed to get them to chase me (on the other side of a fence of course).

My favorite reserve was the Willowbank wildlife reserve mostly because I had Kea land on my back. I would describe the Willowbank to be full of birds and smaller animals. I highly recommend buying some food to feed the birds or the eels. Another thing about the eels, they come right up to you ready to be fed. It was so cool to see them since they are a huge part of Māori culture. The kiwis at this reserve didn’t have a glass wall separating them from us which forced me to resist the urge to reach down and pet them. They are adorable and also extremely defenseless which is why when settlers brought cats, weasels, and other animals their population has shrunk. Their eggs are at risk and are unable to protect themselves at all when young. Another fact about their eggs is that they are almost the same size as an emu egg. Which is astounding given the kiwi bird is so much smaller. My favorite part of this reserve was the Keas since you could walk around with them. They are smart and curious birds and the one that landed on me was checking out my bag. He was fascinated with the mesh on the sides. The petting zoo area at Willowbank had many unique breeds of cattle, goats, chickens so if you are into farm animals this would definitely be up your alley. They also had some peacocks roaming around.

I would highly recommend both of these reserves for both having such a personal closeness to the animals.