Zoological Society of Auckland inc.

Board of Managers

President

Dr Lorne Roberts PhD; BSc (Hons)

Lorne is a senior lecturer in the Department of Natural Sciences, Unitec, New Zealand teaching into sub-degree and undergraduate programmes. His areas of teaching are anatomy and physiology, ex-situ conservation, zoo history, philosophy and ethics, captive wild animal husbandry, population management and enclosure design. He is the Programme Leader for the certificate programmes within the Department and Curriculum Leader for the only zoo keeper qualification within New Zealand, the Certificate in Animal management - Captive Wild Animals and also holds a position at Auckland Zoo as liaison for the programme.

Lorne is a zoo accreditation officer for the Australasian Regional Association for Zoological Parks and Aquaria, scientific advisor and operational committee member for the Kea Conservation Trust, and board member of the New Zealand International Biology Olympiad. Lorne is a director of a company (ZooTech) that provides expertise on animal acquisition, accreditation and auditing for zoos. Previous research includes hormone monitoring in captive sea lions and Sumatran tigers, visitor perception, advocacy and learning within zoos, enrichment techniques for captive wild animals, and currently is involved with Kea population studies and research into bird repellents for baited pest control programmes.

Vice-president and Editor of Society Publications

 Willow van As MSc; BA.BSc

I completed my BA.BSc (majoring in English and Biology) at The University of Auckland, and followed this by achieving an MSc (with distinction) in Behavioural Ecology gained at the Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK. After returning to NZ I joined the Zoological Society of Auckland in February 2009, and found attending the seminars an extremely fascinating insight into current research and events related to the broad field of zoology. I am passionate about all creatures, from the tiniest of insects to the largest of whales. Their behaviour, conservation and the issues surrounding them and the environment, both in captivity and in the wild, are of great interest to me, and have been since I was young. I also continue to support a number of wildlife organisations through both volunteer work and donations. By becoming one of the Board of Managers I believe I could combine my zoological knowledge with my passion for wildlife and conservation, my creativity, and my strong interest in education and quality research, in order to bring fresh ideas and contribute to the growth of the Zoological Society. I am certain that I would be a valuable member of the Board, and look forward to the opportunities and challenges it may present!

 General and Membership Secretary

Christine Liggins

Christine moved to New Zealand from the UK in 2004. She was a logistics manager for a herbs and spice importer, with a part time job of budget adviser on the North Shore. Christine has now stepped back from the full time job to concentrate on budget advice and insolvency management -helping clients manage their money and debts. She became a volunteer of Auckland Zoo in 2005 and also the train driver in 2007, joined the Zoo Society in 2007 and became the Secretary in June 2008.

Treasurer

Renny Hayes

 I'm 50, a graduate, even a qualified accountant and have worked in the recruitment industry for 25 years. I was made a director in 1989 so have plenty of experience of boards, committees and camel design.Have volunteered at Auckland Zoo for a couple of years and at Marwell Zoo (in the UK) before that. First went to Africa in 1985 and have been back many, many times since. I've seen polar bears, blue whales, leopards, brown bears, aardvarks, jackals, giant tortoises and puffins (to name but a few) in their natural habitats.

David Attenborough will always be one of my 'fantasy' dinner guests. I have a donkey and several other pets. This is the first (and probably last) Cliff Richard concert of my life; David Bowie is my musical icon.

Events Coordinator

Jean Wilson

Having been a member of the AZS since 1976, Jean served a 10-year term on the Board including as Treasurer. Having kept and bred NZ Forest Geckos for 10 years, Jean was also a member of the Herpetological Society from 1989-1993. She started volunteering at Auckland Zoo in 1997 and has been a Behavioural Enrichment volunteer ever since. She has coordinated the Behavioural Enrichment team at the zoo for the last 6 years, and co-ordinated the Animal Watch department for approx 2 years. She is also part-time co-ordinator for the Volunteers on the weekends and represented the Volunteers and the Auckland Zoological Society on the Conservation Fund Committee for the past 5 years.

Board Members:

 Mark Farnworth BSc (Hons); MSc

Mark is a senior lecturer at Unitec New Zealand teaching on sub degree and undergraduate degree programmes within the Department of Natural Sciences, Unitec New Zealand.

Prior to Unitec Mark completed his Master's Degree and 3 years of active research at the Scottish Agricultural College, Scotland's main agricultural research facility and a world leader in the field of farm animal welfare research. Here he worked on a wide range of collaborative studies which concentrated on behaviour and welfare. He spent 9 months working in Denmark as foreign project leader of a nationally funded project investigating the effects of aggression on the welfare of intensively raised pigs. He also taught post-graduate students and was involved in public education and web design for the dissemination of scientific information to the public and interested parties.

Mark's primary interests lie in the fields of ecological behaviour and animal welfare. Through collaboration he hopes to expand his knowledge and research, concentrating mainly on the welfare of intensively reared livestock and the potential for behavioural diversity and enrichment within an economically viable framework.

Jules Robson BSc

Since undergraduate Zoology days, Jules has held a keen interest in Conservation having been a volunteer at London Zoo's Primate house, as well as been a member of the Primate Society of GB, Marine Conservation Society and the Fauna & Flora Preservation Society. He is equally committed to hands on local conservation efforts, having, as a young man, been a member of the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. Currently he is coordinating a riparian restoration project in South Auckland.

Jules is the Head of Biology at King's College School in Auckland and combines his joint loves of travel and biology, having recently taken students on field trips to Galapogas Islands, Amazon rainforest, Argentina and the Great Barrier Reef.

Ex Officio

Auckland Zoo's Conservation Officer - Peter Fraser NCCWA

Peter is the Conservation Officer at Auckland Zoo and has been appointed to the ARAZPA Field Conservation Committee - a committee which aims to identify insitu conservation priorities in Australasia. Prior to this he was lecturer and Programme Coordinator for the Certificate in Animal Management (Captive Wild animals) at Unitec, New Zealand for 2 ½ years. Peter was also employed by Auckland Zoo as a keeper between 2002 and 2004 prior to taking up his position at Unitec. Peter is also a founding trustee, operational committee member and secretary of the Kea Conservation Trust.