Watch the animals open their presents early this Christmas

One of the meerkats at Orana with their present. Photo: Orana Wildlife Park

The animals at Orana Wildlife Park will open their presents on Christmas Eve - and you can be there to see it.

Orana staff have been hard at work preparing a range of Christmas treats to deliver to all the animals a day early.

It will be a special Christmas for two of the park's recent arrivals, Kamili the giraffe and Tostada the spider monkey, as they celebrate their first festive season in Christchurch.

Both were transferred to Orana as part of managed regional breeding programmes as their species continue to be threatened by habitat loss.

Kamili, a 20-month-old female giraffe, was transferred from the Perth Zoo three weeks ago.

Orana Wildlife Park's new 20-month-old female giraffe Kamili. Photo: Orana Wildlife Trust

She has ancestral ties to Orana as her father (Armani) was born there in 2002 and her auntie, Harriet, still lives there.

Said Orana head Christmas elf Rachael Mason: “This is a homecoming Christmas for Kamili so we’ll make sure we celebrate appropriately. We’ve prepared some tasty treats for her tomorrow.”

Tostada, the 23-year-old spider monkey, was recently transferred from Hamilton Zoo.

“I’m sure Tostada thought all his Christmases had come at once when we introduced him to our four delightful monkey girls three weeks ago.

"The girls gave him a very warm welcome and we’ve since seen lots of grooming, which is a great sign.

"I’m fairly sure he’s already had a pre-Christmas treat - but we’ll ensure he is well looked after tomorrow too,” she said.

Park staff are also preparing to say farewell to the orangutans Charlie, Melur and Wanita.

The orangutans will be transferred back to Auckland Zoo in mid-January.

“Over the past two years, we have had the privilege of holding Charlie, Melur and Wanita whilst a new home was created for them in Auckland," said Ms Mason.

"Their short-term stay in Christchurch is coming to an end but we’re excited to have the opportunity to celebrate Christmas with them.

“It has been an absolute delight for us to work with the orangutans, they are simply amazing animals.

"We have also thoroughly enjoyed liaising closely with our Auckland colleagues, who have been working on rotation in Christchurch.

"We will be sad to see the orangutans go but people still have time to enjoy seeing them at Orana until mid-January."