March 23, 2023
Maungatautari fence goes higher as kōkako thrive
Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust has opened new education centre to show off the conservation work it is doing.
Trustee Linda Te Aho from Ngāti Koroki Kahukura says the centre is at the entrance to the maunga so visitors can find out what to look for before entering the fenced-off reserve in the middle of Waikato farmland.
She says it expects to host at least 3500 school pupils this year as well as corporate groups.
“Our mountain now with a pest-proof fence and reintroduced and regenerated species like kiwi and weka and all the beautiful trees, kākā, kererū, they’re all there, so it’s really important for the next generation to learn about these taonga species which are still highly endangered,” Ms Te Aho says.
The fence is being heightened to keep in a growing kākāpō population, and the reserve is also looking to re-home some of its 2000 – plus kiwi to keep the breed strong.