Essential maintenance and upgrades

We do everything we can to make sure you have an amazing experience every time you visit Auckland Zoo.

To ensure we’re meeting the requirements of a good modern zoo today and into the future, it’s necessary that we carry out essential ongoing maintenance and upgrades to our animal habitats and visitor spaces.

On this page, you’ll find information on what areas of our Zoo are currently being worked on. We aim to have the most up to date information available, however please be aware that weather and other circumstances can impact these dates.

PSA: Lion habitat maintenance

The African lion habitat will be receiving a refresh from Monday 9 December until Friday 13 December 2024. This essential mahi includes installing new infrastructure to ensure a better flow of water through the Zoo, as well as removing sediment in the lions’ moat.

While you won’t be able to visit the Zoo’s pride of lions – sisters Aziza, Kibibi and Ilola – during these works, you’ll be able to visit the rest of our sprawling Africa Safari Track as you usually would.

PSA: Australia Bush Track upgrades

Soon you’ll see some changes to our Australia Bush Track.

To welcome some new species to our Zoo whānau – kangaroos and frilled necked lizards! – some essential upgrades need to take place in key areas on the track.

You’ll still able to visit the majority of the track (and say g’day to cockatoo Captain) but our brolga and emu habitat, as well as the adjoining aviary with lorikeets – will be temporarily closed until the end of the year.  

Here are the expected maintenance dates:

• The brolga, emu and lorikeet aviary will be closed from Monday 26 August until the end of 2024*. 

*Please note the Tasmanian devil, Sulphur crested and red-tail black cockatoo habitats and the monsoon hut with lace monitor, goliath stick insect and Avondale spiders are able to be visited. You can find our latest map which outlines these areas here.