“In the case of birds, fireworks can result in them abandoning their nests or worse, fatally injuring themselves. Here at the Zoo, we currently have precious taonga such as kiwi, pāteke, tīeke, kororā/little penguin, kea and kākā breeding,” says our bird curator Dr Juan Cornejo.
“We’re especially asking those in our local communities living in closer proximity to the Zoo to not let off any fireworks – over Guy Fawkes, or at any time. While our teams proactively plan and put measures in place to protect the kararehe/animals in our care over this period, it’s near impossible to fully protect them from fireworks exploding at unpredictable times day and night. We’re also concerned for other wildlife and people’s pets in the area.”
Like other organisations in New Zealand, including our colleagues at Auckland Council, Auckland Zoo has long held the view and called on the Government to ban the public sale of fireworks for private use. A ban would not only protect all animals throughout Aotearoa, it would also keep people safe, protect our environment and eliminate the risk of fires and their associated impacts and costs.
This year, NZ pet retail store, Animates, is seeking public support to ban the public sale of fireworks for private use. You can sign this petition here to show your support.
