Birds and other creatures from a Christchurch aquarium and kiwi enclosure have had to be removed and some of them put down following last week's earthquake.
Southern Encounter Aquarium and Kiwi House in the central city, which housed housed stingray, mudfish, eels, kiwi and tuatara, has been deemed unsafe and has been closed.
Spokesperson Lynn Anderson said approval was given for several trips into the cordoned-off inner city to carry out an evacuation of the aquarium.
Larger fish such as stingray and groper had to be put down because of concerns for their survival and because of the danger to staff in getting them out, she said.
Ms Anderson said other creatures were released into the wild or transferred to care facilities elsewhere.
