Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre

Our ICA Rally Group was welcomed to Pukaha Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre by one of their dedicated staff members, and she also told us about the sanctuary and the work they do.

Visitor Centre

Mount Bruce reserve is a restored forest and captive breeding site, home to Manukura, the only white kiwi in captivity, and other endangered wildlife.   In 1962, the centre was established to breed and release endangered native birds on these 55 hectares. Takahe (thought extinct, but rediscovered in Fiordland) were the first species introduced.   We were thrilled to spot a takahe having a nibble from the feeding station.

Takahe feeding

In 2001 the entire forest became part of the wildlife reserve, extending the area from 55 to 942 hectares, increasing capacity to breed birds and diversified species. About 100 km of tracks were cut and thousands of traps and bait stations were scattered, setting up an area for wildlife with low predator pressure.  Local iwi Rangitāne o Wairarapa gift their great forest, Whataonga (grandfather of the iwi) back to New Zealand in 2014 to continue the conservation work of Pukaha National Wildlife Centre.  It was so pleasant walking along the tracks, with the forest alive with bird song and wonderful stately trees.

 

The beautiful Kokako named Kahurangi was rescued as a young chick, hand reared, and became imprinted with humans so could not be released back into the wild.  The North Island kokako is a large songbird with a blue-grey body, a striking black mask and small, rich blue wattles that arise from the base of the bill and sit under the throat, sadly endangered with a small population. 

Difficult to snap in the aviary, so I borrowed this from the internet

An aviary full of noisy kaka, large, forest-dwelling parrots,  were clowning around and making quite a din.  They seemed to be saying, “look at me, here I am”.  Again, difficult to photograph.

A very noisy kaka

Other native birds were hard to see, as they were keeping well hidden amongst the trees inside the enclosures.  Sad really, as I would have loved to see the beautiful stitchbird and the saddleback.  Never mind, I got to see a huge giant weta instead, luckily not a real one at that size.  This creation was made of perforated stainless steel, and was donated in 2019 by the “Auckland Burners”.  The weta was designed and built in 2014 to take to the Burning Man Festival in Nevada.  Take my word for it, this weta is a monster!

Giant weta sculpture

Eels – love them or hate them, we were there at feeding time.  They were writhing around in a large mass waiting for their treat.  We were told of the amazing sea voyages they take, and also the fact that they breed only once, we didn’t know that.

I’m not a fan of these slippery writhing creatures myself, (except to eat them smoked, but don’t tell the eels that) but a member of the public happily donned wet weather gear and climbed into the stream to help the staff member feed them with spoonfuls of tasty eel lunch.  Rather him than me, they curled all around his legs and feet.

Feeding time for the eels

Visiting the Kiwi House was much nicer, and we got to see Manukura, the only white kiwi in captivity.  This beautiful girl is not albino, both parents were brown kiwi and carried the gene to produce a white chick.  The kiwi is a nocturnal bird so the Kiwi House is kept in semi darkness to mimic night time, so no photos possible.  But Manukura is a postcard girl, and I got her photo from that.

Manukura, the white kiwi

Another famous New Zealand resident on display is the tuatara, who have been around since the time of the Dinosaur.  Although resembling most lizards, they are part of a distinct lineage, the order Rhynchocephalia. Their name derives from the Māori language, and means "peaks on the back". The single species of tuatara is the only surviving member of its order, which flourished around 240 million years ago.

Tuatara

After this visit we spent the night at “River’s Edge” a rural property in Mt Bruce, somewhere completely different, and no one in the group had stayed here before.  It was a lovely tranquil place, but goodness me, the temperature certainly dropped low overnight.

Spent the night at River’s Edge