The Zoo (New Zealand TV series)

The Zoo was a New Zealand observational documentary series, made by Greenstone TV, that followed the lives of Auckland Zoo's animals and zookeepers. The series explored the new arrivals and births of Auckland Zoo, to the fights, illnesses and mating rituals, how the animals are fed and how they live. The series' production crew were based full-time at the zoo, but the series also followed zookeepers overseas on zoo-related trips.

The Zoo returned to New Zealand's TV One in 2013 for its 13th and final season. In the UK, it aired on Animal Planet.

Season 12 staff stars

 * Christine Tintinger - Senior Primate keeper
 * Amy Robbins - Team Leader of Primates
 * Nat Sullivan - Team Leader of Pridelands
 * Andrew Coers - Team Leader of Elephants and Sea Lions
 * Bethany Jackson - Vet-in-residence
 * Richard Gibson - Team Leader of Reptiles and Invertebrates
 * Natalie Clark - NZ Birds Keeper

Main staff stars

 * Sandra Rice - Senior Carnivore keeper
 * Carly Day - Primate keeper
 * Laurel Sandy - Elephant & Sea Lion keeper
 * Richard Gibson- Team leader of reptiles and invertebrates
 * Richard Jakob-Hoff - Senior Veterinarian - Conservation and Research
 * John Potter - Senior Veterinarian

Former staff stars
Zoo keepers who have previously starred on the show.
 * Trent Barclay - Senior Carnivore keeper (departed Auckland Zoo)
 * Maria Barclay - Senior Vet nurse (departed Auckland Zoo)
 * Sam Stephens - Senior Pridelands keeper (now working at Hamilton Zoo, appears on Wild Vets)
 * Mike Harvey - Keeper
 * Tania Crook - Keeper
 * Brooke Noonan - Curator
 * Maria Finnagan - Curator

Current animal stars (series 12)

 * Oz (Sumatran tiger)
 * Molek (Sumatran tiger)
 * Berani (Sumatran tiger)
 * Doris (alligator)
 * Osiris (cheetah)
 * Anubis (cheetah)
 * Janie (chimpanzee)
 * Burma (elephant)
 * Kaioko (fur seal)
 * Moana (fur seal)
 * Orua (fur seal)
 * Atamai (fur seal)
 * Jelani (giraffe)
 * Zubulu (giraffe)
 * Rukiya (giraffe)
 * Kiraka (giraffe)
 * Nakuru (giraffe)
 * Faith (hippo)
 * Fudge (hippo)
 * Maya (red panda)
 * Mosi (meerkat)
 * Shiloh (zebra)
 * Charlie (orangutan)
 * Melur (orangutan)
 * Madju (orangutan)
 * Wanita (orangutan)

Former animal stars

 * Snorkel (hippo)- euthanized 1 October 2010
 * Kashin (elephant) - euthanized 24th Aug 2009
 * Nisha (sumatran tiger) - *eta deceased May 12, 2006
 * Hari (Asiatic golden cat) - departed Auckland Zoo
 * Hoi-An (Asiatic golden Cat) - departed Auckland Zoo
 * Saigon (Asiatic golden Cat) - departed Auckland Zoo
 * Indra (25-year-old Bornean orangutan) - departed Auckland Zoo

Season 1 (1999)
The premiere season of The Zoo.

2004
This season premiered on TV2 on Sunday 5 September.

Season 10 (2008)
This series aired on TV2.

Season 12 (2012)
Premiered on Sunday 29 July 2012. Currently airs on TV One at 7pm on Sundays.

Zoo Babies (2002)
This 1-hour The Zoo special takes a look at pregnancy, birth and infancy at Auckland Zoo. Explores the successes and failures of trying to breed giraffes, lions, orang-utans, tigers, pink flamingos and the native New Zealand tuatara.

Zoo Babies 2: Raising Baby Iwani (2005)
The story of Baby Iwani, the siamang gibbon, who was rejected by his mother and 'adopted' by zookeeper Christine Tintinger. This 60-minute special leads up to the day Christine has to give him back to Mum.

Two By Two At The Zoo (2005)
Two By Two At The Zoo is a series made up of ten episodes of specials from The Zoo series. Two By Two At The Zoo explores Auckland Zoo's favourite animals and the keepers who care for them.

Episodes

 * Episode 1: Red Panda babies
 * Episode 2: Treating Kashin
 * Episode 3: Rhino enclosure
 * Episode 4: tea party chimps
 * Episode 5: Kiwi Breeding Programme
 * Episode 6: Kura the Cub of Lion Hill
 * Episode 7: Emergency care for Siamang Gibbon twin babies
 * Episode 8: Entertaining a Tiger
 * Episode 9: Iwani the Siamang Gibbon reuniting with his parents
 * Episode 10: Hippos changing homes

Trent's Wildcat Adventures (2006)
Popular Auckland Zoo zookeeper Trent Barclay has a passion for wild cats. In this series of ten episodes, Trent travels to South Africa to encounter wild cats up close and personal in their natural African habitat.

The Zoo: This Is Your Life (2008)
The Zoo spin-off series, The Zoo: This Is Your Life, celebrates five special Auckland Zoo animals. The series follows Indra the orangutan, Kashin the elephant, Kura the lioness, Zabulu the giraffe and Kito the rhino. It features archive video footage and photos, and interviews current and former keepers. All stories feature highs and lows including births and traumatic deaths, stressful journeys, life-threatening illness and daring escapes.

DVD releases

 * Best Of The Zoo: Highlights 1, 2, 3
 * Best Of The Zoo 2: Highlights 4, 5, 6
 * Best Of The Zoo 3: Highlights 7, 8, 9
 * Best of The Zoo 4: The Complete Series 10 (2011)
 * Best of The Zoo 2012: Series 12 (2012)
 * Best of the Zoo: Box Set - Highlights from Series 1 - 9; Zoo Babies & Raising Baby Iwani
 * Zoo Babies & Raising Baby Iwani
 * The Zoo: This Is Your Life

Qantas Media Awards

 * Winner (2004): Best Information Programme
 * Winner (2001): Finalist
 * Winner (2000): Finalist

NZ TV Awards

 * Winner (2001): Most Popular Family Programme

TV Guide 'Best on the Box'

 * Winner (2007): Favourite Documentary Series
 * Winner (2006): Favourite Documentary Series
 * Winner (2005): Favourite Documentary Series
 * Winner (2004): Favourite Documentary Series
 * Winner (2003): Favourite Documentary Series
 * Winner (2002): Favourite Documentary Series
 * Winner (2001): Favourite Documentary Series