Maungatautari
ecological island is the worlds largest fenced nature reserve. Forty
seven kilometres of predator proof fence surround the Maungatautari
forest, with the aim of preserving and increasing the numbers of
native New Zealand species. The introduction of rats, stoats,
possums and other small predator species to New Zealand has severely
affected the populations of the native birds and other species;
including the elusive Kiwi.
I
visited Maungatautari one weekend to take part in a Kiwi health check
experience. I arrived at the stated time, feeling pretty excited
about the afternoon to come. However, when I checked in, the
volunteer at the visitors centre looked dismayed and told me she
didn't think it was running that day. I was so disappointed to hear
this, and quite confused as to what had happened. The team at
Maungatautari, it seemed, were as at a loss as I was, and offered me
a private tour of their Wetland reserve whilst they tried to sort
everything out.
I
headed with my guide down to the wetland area as he explained the
predator proof fence and the other methods of keeping the native
species safe. The main attractions in the wetland reserve are the
Takahe and the Tuatara. The Takahe is a flightless bird so
endangered that it was once thought to be extinct, until a population
was found in the mountains in Fjordland. I was lucky to spot a
breeding pair and their one year old offspring; the offspring tend to
stay with the parents for up to 18months, but the newly hatched
Takahe remained out of sight.
The
Tuatara is a much older species than the Takahe; this reptile was
walking the earth alongside the dinosaurs! Found only in New
Zealand, the Tuatara are also endangered and are no longer found in
the wild on mainland New Zealand. Their population decline is not
only due to predators, but also due to their slow breeding habits;
tuatara breed about every two years, and the eggs take up to two
years to hatch! Maungatautari reserve have 22 Tuatara in their
wetland area. Sightings can be tricky, so I was thrilled to see
three Tuatara, including a male and female sharing a burrow (a sign
of impending breeding) - a truly Jurassic experience!
On
our return to the visitor centre I was met with good news – the
Kiwi health check was indeed going ahead! It appeared the time of
the event had changed and I had been missed off the email list to
notify attendees of this change. The six of us on the tour were soon
on our way into the reserve, leaving the footpaths behind and
following our two guides into the depths of the bush. The guides,
with the help of their Kiwi-sniffer dog, had already tracked down the
Kiwi they would be carrying out the health check on. The Kiwis on
Maungatautari, although behind a fence, are wild and very rarely come
into contact with humans. Indeed, Kowhai, the Kiwi we would be
checking, had not been seen by our guides for over 18months. The
purpose of the health check is just that – to monitor the health of
the mountain's Kiwi pouplation, through visual inspection of eyes,
mouth, ears, quality of coat, and weight. Kowhai, a two year old
male North Island Brown Kiwi, was declared in fine health, and we
then all had the superb experience of being able to hold a wild
Kiwi!! It was incredible to hold such an endangered species; Kowhai
was much heavier and bigger than I had imagined, I could feel the
power and strength in his legs as I held them tightly. The beak is
extraordinarily long, although in reality Kiwis have the shortest
nose of all birds (the nose being measured from the nostrils to the
beak tip, and the Kiwi's nostrils being right at the end of the
beak!), and the coat of Kiwi feels more like the coat of a German
Shepherd than feathers. It is truly an extraordinary bird!
