Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary gets ready for re-opening

Whangarei's lion park - now named Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary - will reopen next year.

Owners of Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary - home to lions and other big cats- are planning to re-open the popular tourist drawcard mid next year.

While the operators are keeping mum on remedial work and likely re-opening dates, they indicated on the Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary Facebook page plans to re-open in mid 2017.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has not given the park the "all-clear" to re-open because it has not yet been granted the necessary approvals under the Biosecurity Act.

"If the park is granted the necessary approvals under the Biosecurity Act and can open to the public, there is neither a timeframe by which it must open nor a necessity to do so. It will be at the discretion of the park owners," a ministry spokeswoman said.

The ministry ordered the park closed to the public between July 1 and July 31, 2014 while the animal enclosures were upgraded to meet new standards. MPI then extended the closure until August 31 of that year but the upgrading had still not been completed by the first quarter of 2015.

Bolton Equities, which is based in Remuera, Auckland, but has land holdings in Northland, bought the business from previous owners Earth Crest in mid 2014 and the place is being upgraded to meet new rules around animal enclosures.

The park was also formerly owned by TV's Lion Man, Craig Busch.
It is understood health checks on all 27 big cats started this week and will run over the next three weeks.

Dr Lisa Argilla is leading the health checks.

"Lisa is helping us to make sure we bring this place forward, we are all very excited to see the park heading in the right direction and look forward to sharing it with everyone," the sanctuary said on its Facebook page.

Park owners are publicly requesting donation of blankets and large towels for the comfort of large cats when they recover.

Those wishing to donate can drop them off at the New Zealand Home Loans' office on Rathbone St in Whangarei.