Rainbow Springs packed with Conservation Week activities

News Release

Rainbow Springs packed with Conservation Week activities

Rotorua, 3 September 2012 – Rainbow Springs is packed with Conservation Week activities ranging from how to attract native wildlife into your garden, to meeting face-to-face the pests and predators that are a everyday threat to our wildlife.

Conservation Week is held each year by Department of Conservation to help raise awareness of the benefits of conservation and encourage people to get involved. This year it runs from September 9 - 16 and is themed 'Love your parks'.

Claire Travers, Kiwi Encounter Kiwi Husbandry Manager says, "Without the help of volunteers, public donations and support from local businesses here at the park, conservation of our native wildlife would struggle and Conservation Week does a fantastic job highlighting the work everyone does and encouraging more people to lend a hand and help.

"We're also proud to announce the addition of another local company to our sponsor list. Genus has come on board to help us control one of native wildlife's biggest threats, pests."

Rainbow Springs also has the ongoing support from Kiwi Transportable Homes, New Zealand Education Tours, Springbrook Foods, Molly Woppy Cookies and Rotorua Campervans.

Rainbow Springs Conservation Week activities:

• 9 & 16 September - Natives in your Backyard – learn how to encourage native wildlife back into your garden at home. Make your own backyard feeder and learn what to plant to bring the natives back.
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• 11 September - When cute and furry goes bad! – a fun and interactive talk about the predators and pests that endanger our native species every day. Meet the biggest culprits up close – a possum, a rat and rabbit. Finish with a Treasure Hunt around the Park and a guided night tour to see kiwi and the juvenile tuatara up close.
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• 15 September - Kea Playtime – did you know that kea are an endangered species? Did you know they’re as intelligent as a Gibbon monkey? Learn all about these very clever birds including why they’re so endangered and join in making them some fun toys.
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There is a $5 per person charge for each activity and the money is donated to wildlife funds for kiwi, kea and tuatara at Rainbow Springs. All sessions are geared for kids and adults and will happen rain, hail or shine.

For more details check out the 'what's on' section at www.rainbowsprings.co.nz

Rainbow Springs is an icon of New Zealand tourism and has been open since 1932. Spread over 22 acres of Rotorua parkland, Rainbow Springs is a conservation and breeding haven for endangered New Zealand species such as Kiwi and tuatara. The park offers a unique wildlife experience for visitors, who can see animals in their natural environment, both during the day and night. Features of the award winning tourist attraction include New Zealand's only 'open to view' Kiwi hatchery, and a range of wildlife including trout, tuatara and native birds.

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