Unique and wonderful is a good way to describe New Zealand’s flora and fauna, a good collection of which can be found at the Rainbow Springs Kiwi Wildlife Park that has been a popular destination of visitors keen to experience the country’s amazing wildlife up close since 1932. Located at the northern entrance to Roturua the park it is spread over 22 acres and is a great place to get to know natural New Zealand and other species during the day or night.
Visitors can decide where to start on their discovery adventure by studying the map of the park, available free at the entrance, putting on the mp3 audio head sets to hear all the information before starting the journey. The park is home to several fauna and flora endemic to New Zealand such as the flightless, nocturnal solitary kiwis, the tui, the large New Zealand pigeon, the largest species of in the world, parakeets, Kaka-a large flightless forest dwelling parrot that uses its beak and feet to swing through trees, the Morepork owl, gaudily coloured rainbow lorikeets, wallabies, NZ wild pig, and other species such as cockatiel, swans, brush tail possums. One of the main attractions undoubtedly is the living dinosaur-the tuatara that has been around for 225 million years! It can survive for a year without food that has obviously contributed to its survival.
As the park’s name denotes, several crystal clear streams run through it and are full of trout. Over 2 million litres of fresh water gushes up from these streams naturally.
Nocturnal encounters with the park’s wild inhabitants give a unique insight into the country’s ecology. The park uses some of the most innovative garden lighting systems available, out of which over 700 coloured night lights highlight the park’s plants and animal collection and create shadows and secret areas providing a new experience for night visitors to walk through. The best way to see the shy kiwi is in the night and visitors get a unique opportunity to see it active during this time of day.
As all kiwi’s are threatened with extinction the park has a well known kiwi conservation program. Visitors are lead through each stage of conservation from hatching and bringing up the kiwis to kiwi egg collection in the wild through to until they are in good shape to be released into the wild. The kiwi is New Zealand’s unofficial national symbol.
Located right beside the major hot pools in Roturua, the city’s major attraction and the CBD,Millennium Hotel Roturua provides warm comfortable accommodation with views over the city, lake and the hotel’s garden courtyard, relaxing spaces and leisure facilities that include a heated indoor pool, private and communal Jacuzzis, a sauna and relaxing spa treatments that makes this Roturua hotel a good holiday destination. Having garnered experience over many years, this Roturua hotel accommodation is able to fulfil the requirements of its many guests and to deliver a relaxing holiday experience.
