Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, Wildlife reserve in Fendalton-Waimari-Harewood Community, New Zealand

Willowbank Wildlife Reserve is a wildlife park in Christchurch with 95 species in three sections: exotics, heritage farmyard and New Zealand natives. The exotic area holds capuchin monkeys, capybara and ring-tailed lemurs; the farmyard keeps rare breeds such as Arapawa goats and Enderby Island rabbits; the native section includes kea, tuatara and four kiwi species. A central waterway is home to longfin eels.

Willowbank Wildlife Reserve opened in October 1974, founded by Michael Willis and his wife as a typical zoo with exotic and farmyard animals. As Willis became more interested in conservation, the park added native species and rare farmyard breeds. It now hosts the New Zealand Conservation Trust, which raised 200 kiwi chicks between 2007 and 2013.

The place displays New Zealand animals in settings that look like their natural homes, showing visitors how staff care for each species and why protection matters. Walking through helps you understand which creatures exist nowhere else on Earth or only in a few protected spots.

The grounds are accessible for visitors using wheelchairs, and there is a restaurant on site where you can eat or drink. Plan to spend several hours walking at a comfortable pace to explore all the areas and watch the different animals.

Visitors can join scheduled feeding sessions and watch rare animals like the Enderby Island Rabbit and Kune Kune Pig, which exist almost nowhere else in the world. Seeing these creatures up close is special because they barely survive in the wild anymore.