Taronga Western Plains Zoo is always looking ahead, planning for a greener future, and acting for the wild. The Zoo’s new $14 million Wildlife Hospital will do exactly that.

Construction of the new hospital is steaming ahead with an opening planned for later this year.

The Wildlife Hospital is set to be a unique aspect of the overall zoo experience, allowing guests to observe the Zoo’s expert veterinary and conservation science teams in action and to learn about the wildlife conservation programs that usually happen behind-the-scenes.

As part of the new Wildlife Hospital precinct, a Regent Honeyeater walk-in aviary is being constructed so that guests can learn about this critically endangered species and the zoo-based conservation breeding program to save them from extinction. It’s estimated that only 350 Regent Honeyeaters remain in the wild, so this new aviary will give guests the opportunity to connect with this incredibly rare Australian species and to hear its beautiful song. The zoo’s Regent Honeyeater recovery program has proven highly successful with its second ever breeding season successfully hatching an incredible 33 chicks. Work on the Regent Honeyeater aviary walls and ceiling is nearing completion.

In recent months at the hospital construction site, work has commenced on the entry structure. Meanwhile on the main building the structural steel and timber have been installed, and the internal electrical and plumbing is nearing completion. The roof installation is complete, and the construction team will now commence the internal wall linings and window frames.

The animal rehabilitation enclosures behind the main building are also progressing well and the grand verandah timber work is looking, as its name describes, very grand! It is along this verandah that guests will stroll or sit and watch the Zoo’s vets, vet nurses and scientists at work.

The external hard landscaping has only recently commenced, and the site will really start to give way to the construction finish line come Spring.

Construction of the $14m Wildlife Hospital is funded by the NSW Government and also supported by philanthropic donations. This project will also allow the expansion of the critical work of our veterinary team in their care for injured and sick wildlife, as well as our conservation and preventative health care programs.