Best zoo destinations in Oceania

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Oceania's zoological institutions are anchored by the wildlife sanctuaries and conservation parks of Australia, where the continent's extraordinary endemic fauna has produced a zoo sector oriented as much around native species rehabilitation and breeding as traditional zoological display. The experience of encountering kangaroos, koalas, wombats and platypus in well-managed sanctuary settings is unavailable anywhere else and forms a core part of the wildlife visitor offer across the country.

New Zealand's zoological institutions focus significantly on the country's threatened endemic bird species, with kiwi houses and conservation programmes for native wildlife forming the most distinctive part of the offer. Several institutions operate as genuine species recovery centres whose work is directly linked to national conservation programmes rather than purely visitor entertainment.

Welfare standards and accreditation are generally high across Australia and New Zealand and most major institutions operate to recognised international standards. Advance booking is advisable during school holiday periods when the most popular facilities fill quickly. Behind the scenes experiences and keeper programmes are widely available and deliver considerably more access than standard public admission.