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Celebrate Seaweek at Auckland Zoo

Monday 27 February 2012, 2:41PM

By Auckland Council

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Auckland Zoo
Auckland Zoo Credit: Auckland Zoo

AUCKLAND

Dive in to Auckland Zoo to celebrate Seaweek from Monday 5 March to Sunday 11 March and discover how we can all be kaitiaki (guardians) of our coasts.

‘One Ocean – Too Much Love? Turning the Tide’ is the theme for this 2012 national celebration, and the Zoo has marine-themed activities and encounters happening throughout the week for all visitors to enjoy.

Explore the Sustainable Coastlines Education Station shipping container (5 – 9 March) and join Zoo educators and Wai Care for fun activities in the Te Wao Nui’s Conservation Centre. For a whale of a tale, head to our New Zealand Centre for Conservation Medicine where you can find out all about the vet team’s recent forensics work on a Bryde’s whale. Check out other Seaweek hotspots around the Zoo and take in encounters with little penguin, dotterel, fur seals, sea lions and eels.

“Seaweek reminds us that we have spectacular coastal environments to celebrate and explore throughout New Zealand, but that not all of them are in such great shape. The good news is we can all play our part in helping to restore and protect them. That can be as simple as keeping our dogs off dunes and beaches where seal and shorebirds live, or choosing to buy fish using a ‘Best Fish Guide’,” says Auckland Zoo director Jonathan Wilcken.

“As a zoo, we’re committed to sharing our skills and resources to help wildlife and wild habitats on our back doorstep. Recently, we’ve had staff helping to care for marine life affected by the Rena oil spill. Right now, we have keepers out in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park helping conservation partners to settle in and monitor the population of rare shore plover that have recently been released on Motutapu Island,” says Mr Wilcken.

“We really hope Aucklanders will come out in force this Seaweek and join us in celebrating and discovering more about this country’s amazing coast, explore more about what the Zoo’s doing, and share ideas about what we can all do to ensure healthy marine environments for the future.”

Seaweek www.seaweek.org.nz is an annual celebration of the sea coordinated by the New Zealand Association of Environmental Educators. This year Auckland Zoo will host its official opening by Conservation Minister, the Hon Kate Wilkinson, at 7pm on 5 March.