What I Learned From 20 Years Running a Zoo (with Karen Fifield, Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo)
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After 20 years leading Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo, Karen Fifield is preparing to step down as Chief Executive.
So we sat down with her to ask a simple question: What has a lifetime in zoos taught her?
Her answer reaches far beyond the animals that visitors see. It’s about conservation, technology, ethics, diversity in the workplace, animal welfare, storytelling, and learning to share the planet with other living beings.
Karen reflects on what animals have taught her about authenticity, why good zoos must be built around care and trust, and why facts alone rarely change how people see the world.
As she puts it, “we’re storytellers as human beings, we are not fact collectors.”
This is a thoughtful conversation about animals, people, and the role of good zoos in a changing world.
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What animals taught Karen during her time at Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo
Lessons from observing animal behaviour
Chimpanzee leadership styles and what we can learn from them
The evolution of zoos towards conservation organisations
How technology shapes conservation research and outcomes
Why Karen cares so much about animal welfare
The 5 domains of animal welfare
What Karen has learned about leading people in a ‘heart-based’ profession
How to empower staff to do their best work for animals
The changing role of women in zoos, conservation, and leadership
Why storytelling is more powerful than facts alone
The evolution of technology in the zoo sector
Karen’s outlook for the future of zoos and technology
And much more…
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Originally from Australia, Karen’s zoological career began at Taronga Conservation Society Australia and Zoos Victoria before she joined Te Nukuao Wellington Zoo in 2006. In June 2026, Karen will step down as Te Nukuao Chief Executive after 20 years in the role.
Alongside her Chief Executive role, Karen was also the President of the Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia (ZAA) and was the most recent President of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) before she completed her term in October 2025.
In 2023, Karen was recognised as one of the Power 10 Zoo and Aquarium Blooloop Top 50 Influencers internationally, and in 2016 became a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit MNZM for services to Business and Animal Welfare.
Under Karen’s leadership, Te Nukuao has celebrated many achievements. In 2009, Te Kōhanga The Nest, a state-of-the-art veterinary hospital, opened. The Zoo was the first Toitū carbon zero-certified zoo in the world in 2013 and won the inaugural WAZA Environmental Sustainability Award in 2018.
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