ZB ZB
Sport
100 Years of ZB
Live now
Start time
Playing for
End time
Listen live
Listen to NAME OF STATION
Up next
Listen live on
ZB

Listen: 100 Years of ZB Podcast hosted by Mike Hosking

'Need to have a new model': Orana Wildlife Trust Board co-chair on financial woes

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Fri, 11 Sep 2026, 5:44pm
The drive through lion reserve has been at Orana Wildlife Park, on the western outskirts of the city, since 1976. Photo / NZ Herald
The drive through lion reserve has been at Orana Wildlife Park, on the western outskirts of the city, since 1976. Photo / NZ Herald

Beloved museums and zoos in New Zealand, like Wellington Zoo, Orana Wildlife Park, and MOTAT, are struggling to keep the lights on.

Orana Wildlife Trust Board co-chair Dr Ken Hughey joined Andrew Dickens to discuss the financial difficulties facing them and other similar attractions. 

The financial struggles are not contributed to visitor numbers, which Hughey says are increasing, but instead the operating costs.

"The difficulty with the model that pretty much all of the large zoos, and there are other entities like that as well... is that they're becoming more and more expensive to run."

LISTEN ABOVE

Take your Radio, Podcasts and Music with you