Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Animals stolen from petting zoo

By PAUL CHARMAN - Eastern Courier

The park is famous for a petting zoo, where children handle and feed small animals, but on January 4 thieves prized latches off two locked hutches and stole all the animals within.

The intruders made off with Trevor the guinea pig and a rabbit from one hutch and a tame mother rabbit and her five one-month-old babies from the other.

The zoo still has a flock of chickens and some pigs but children used to the smaller animals have been devastated by the loss, says park ranger Mimouk Hannan.

"It was a really selfish act which has spoilt the fun of a lot of people," says Ms Hannan.

She still holds out hope that the missing animals will be returned and has asked the public not to bring animals as replacements.

"We have families and children coming here from right across Manukau and asking after the animals that were taken."

With hutches that Waimokoia School youngsters built in the shape of Thomas the Tank Engine, the petting zoo has been an attraction for many years.

"Waimokoia students visit us every week during term time to help out on the park. There's going to be a lot of disappointed kids."

Omana Regional Park draws up to 2000 visitors at weekends, who are attracted by safe swimming, a playground and barbecue area and coastal tramping.

Plans are well advanced for the Omana Children's Day on March 4, boasting tractor rides, storytelling, puppets and traditional games such as egg and spoon races.

People with information about the missing animals should call Omana Regional Park rangers, phone: 536 6007.

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