mitted to the welfare of animals and wildlife both within the zoo and around the world. As well as caring for their animals, Wellington Zoo participates in breeding programs both locally and internationally, and contributes to conservation and research programs both within the zoo, around the country and even overseas. It works cooperatively with other zoos around the world through studbook keepers, who are responsible for maintaining relevant data on a particular species within a programme to ensure genetic diversity. Wellington Zoo is a full institutional member of the Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA). In addition to breeding programmes, the zoo is also involved in several community conservation projects. The Kerer? Discovery Project is a cooperative effort with Zealandia: Karori Wildlife Sanctuary, Te Papa and Pukaha (Mount Bruce). This project aims to make Wellington a better place for kerer?, the native wood pigeon. Places for Penguins is a cooperative effort with the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand to identify and protect nesting areas used by blue penguins around Wellington coastal areas. The zoo has also embarked on the Whitaker's Skink Recovery Programme, an initiative dedicated to breeding and managing Whitaker's skinks. The skinks are considered locally extinct in the Wellington region and the zoo currently cares for 1/6th of the entire surviving population. Te Kohanga The Nest is an animal hospital dedicated to assisting injured wildlife. The hospital contains a salt-water pool designed for rehabilitating injured seabirds. Te Kohanga The Nest opened on 9 December 2009, and has since treated over 5,000 native animals. Patients are brought to the hospital by members of the SPCA, the Department of Conservation, Zealandia, and local member