Upgrade keeps sanctuary gates closed

The former Zion Wildlife Park, now Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary, is closed until at least the end of February. Photo / File

Remedial work at Whangarei's Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary is still being done and the park will be closed at least until the end of February.

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

The park was also formerly owned by TV's the Lion Man, Craig Busch.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) ordered the park closed to the public between July 1 and July 31 while the animal enclosures were upgraded to meet new standards. MPI then extended the closure until August 31 but the upgrading has still not completed.

Martin Weekes, a director of Bolton Equities, said the company was working through a list of remedial work, including building extra enclosures, with at least four to six weeks of work still to be completed.

"We're still beholden to the MPI and even when we complete the list of work, they [MPI] may require us to complete some other work so it's difficult to put a timeframe on when we are going to reopen the park," Mr Weekes said.

MPI usually does inspections on the park upgrade every four to six weeks.

"Our building programme will run through until the end of February, assuming the weather is good. The remedial work is necessary because the facilities were not maintained over the years," Mr Weekes said.

"So we just need to make sure everything is done properly and also [adheres to] the new, tough code introduced by the ministry and that's why we want to make sure everything is safe before we let the public in."

MPI spokesman Jim Flack said the ministry was yet to receive an application from the park operators to reopen.

"When the enclosures are completed, and we received an application to reopen, we will inspect them. There is no set time frame, but the approval process will not continue indefinitely," he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Weekes revealed former park operator Mr Busch is planning to move between four and eight big cats from the sanctuary to a new wildlife park he has opened near Rustenburg, South Africa, called Jabula Big Cat Sanctuary.

Mr Busch first broached the idea late last year but had not put a deadline on moving the big cats, Mr Weekes said.

"We're waiting for him to do that and it will clear the space for us to bring in new animals," he said.

There are 34 big cats including lions, tigers (including white tigers), cheetahs and a black leopard.

Mr Weekes said the park would love to have another black leopard.