AusLeisure

Mogo Wildlife Park has reopened its doors, two months after staff protected its hundreds of animals from a devastating bushfire that swept through the NSW south coast on New Year's Eve.

NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian was on hand yesterday to mark the reopening with the public admitted from today.

Free tickets have also been handed to local families impacted by the destructive fires, giving them the chance to welcome back the popular tourist attraction and celebrate a story of resilience.

The attraction came under threat when the Clyde Mountain fire tore through the nearby township of Mogo. While the town was evacuated stayed on at the zoo and enacted their fire plan.

While residents in the small coastal town were advised to head to the beach on New Year's Eve morning 16 staff from the zoo decided to go to the park to protect the some 200 exotic animals.

Some businesses in town were destroyed but, aside from damage to the perimeter fence, the park was largely unscathed and all animals were kept safe.

Advising that the survival of the animals was down to a well-executed bushfire plan,

Mogo Wildlife Park Director, Chris Staples told the ABC “people have said ever since New Year's Eve, 'What made you make the decision to stay?' There was never a decision - it had to be this.

"These animals are family and that was shown by everyone who stayed."

Staples said some of the animals sheltered in his own home on the zoo premises, larger animals such as giraffes and rhinos were given access to all of their paddocks, and the more dangerous species like lions, tigers, gorillas and orangutans were held in their night dens.

He said the survival plan included access to plenty of water and staff were in constant communication via two-way radios.

Advising that the attraction had been impacted by the loss of visitors over the peak summer season but it was a relief to get back to normal, Staples added "the simple fact is there's nothing better than that beautiful energy of people enjoying encounters with animals, and I'm desperate to have it back again."

After two months of cleaning up, the NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons joined other dignitaries in marking the parks reopening.

Fitzsimmons stated “in my view, the Mogo Zoo is a role model for how people should prepare and plan for bushfires and disasters impacting them.

"You've only got to look around at the extraordinary grounds here, the wildlife - and to have largely boundary fences impacted and requiring repair, but every animal survived."

Calling on tourists to visit and support bushfire-impacted businesses, Fitzsimmons went on to say “we want people right across NSW, right across Australia, right across the world to come and visit NSW, visit all those fire-affected areas of NSW including the south coast, they want you to visit.

"What I can guarantee you is there will be plenty of smiles and there'll be a warm handshake to welcome you to their town and serve you and support you on your visit to these areas."

Image: NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Transport and Roads, Andrew Constance join Mogo Wildlife Park Director, Chris Staples to unveil a plaque marking the attraction's reopening. Courtesy of Mogo Wildlife Park/Facebook.

Related Articles

25th February 2020 - New research highlights impact of Coronavirus and bushfires on Australian business

17th February 2020 - Fire Fight Australia concert raises $9.5 million for bushfire relief

6th February 2020 - Extensive bushfire damage prevents Selwyn Snow Resort opening for 2020 season

27th January 2020 - International adventure tourism community rallies to support Australia during bushfire crisis

23rd January 2020 - Zoos SA plans wildlife recovery strategies following bushfires

19th January 2020 - Federal Government announces $76 million bushfire recovery package

14th January 2020 - Zoo and Aquarium Association develops plan to help wildlife recover from Australia’s bushfire crisis

12th January 2020 - Royal Agricultural Society fears impact of bushfires on Sydney Easter Show

5th January 2020 - Bushfires push numerous Australian animal species towards extinction

31st December 2019 - Heroic effort by zookeepers saves Mogo Wildlife Park from devastating bushfires

5th November 2019 - Southern NSW’s Mogo Zoo acquired by Western Sydney’s Featherdale Wildlife Park

28th September 2017 - Mogo Zoo to expand Orangutan and Gorilla exhibit

20th September 2017 - Mogo Zoo giraffe birth caught on camera

18th February 2016 - Mogo Zoo stands tall for conservation

3rd March 2015 - Mogo Zoo prepares its reveal of southern white rhinos

18th March 2009 - Mogo Zoo Lioness shot dead

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.