About Us

Wild Eyes is the brainchild of Wellington producers Paul Ward and Vicky Pope.

The site offers a new way for Kiwi kids to connect with nature. It triggers them to see and enjoy the wonder, excitement and adventure that our natural and scientific world can contribute to their lives.

Wild Eyes offers a digital springboard for NZ kids to get outside to explore and learn. It enables them to engage with the natural world in fun and dynamic ways and provides digital rewards for completed missions. For this first generation of digital natives Wild Eyes creates a relevant social currency by allowing them to share and connect their passion for the natural world online, with a community of their peers.

We want New Zealand kids to exchange their square eyes for their wild eyes. Rather than couch kumara sitting glued to screens and disconnected from the natural world, Wild Eyes aims for kids to enjoy playing, creating and learning outside. Ultimately we aim for these Wildings to become advocates for their native taonga and resources, and become the scientists, kaitiaki, conservationists, ecologists and artists of the future.

Wild Eyes has been developed with the investment of NZ On Air’s Digital Media Fund and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Nation of Curious Minds' science innovation fund. The team at Salted Herring in Wellington helped us turn our idea into digital reality. 

Along the way we’ve been fortunate to have additional support from NZ educators and scientists, digital entrepreneurs from NZ and offshore, te reo cultural advisors and other partners such as Forest & Bird and the Department of Conservation. You can check out our Wild Eyes crew by going to the Partners section of the website.

Wild Eyes is first and foremost for kids, and we have developed the platform with a talented group of tamariki who have guided us along the way.

See you in the wild!