MAY 2014 No. 49
kerer큰
IN THIS ISSUE
SPECIES UPDATE PAGE 6
NASTY NATIVES PAGE 10
THE LIFECYCLE OF A SHAG PAGE 14
IN FOCUS PAGE 20 kererū magazine © ZEALANDIA kereru@visitzealandia.com www.visitzealandia.com/kereru EDITOR Kimberley Collins kimberley.collins@visitzealandia.com ON THE COVER Photograph by Chris Helliwell
FOUNDATION MEMBERS DAY PAGE 24
CONTRIBUTORS Chris Moore Chris Helliwell Helen Bichan David Brooks
COMMENT
I have been getting out from behind my computer screen and into the sanctuary when I can and enjoying the sunny weather. On every second Monday I join a group of members who take an informal walk together. It’s a great way to meet people and learn about native flora and fauna. Out in the bush I can see firsthand the commitment and hard work that is undertaken by our volunteers. I was particularly lucky with the weather when I joined volunteers, Chris and Barbara, and helped set traps for the mouse audit. They were full of stories about their work as volunteers and I was reminded that these stories from the sanctuary are what make us who we are. This edition of Kererō is filled with those stories. We have responded to calls for more content by creating an online eMagazine with more articles, links and bigger print that you can share with your friends. It also helps us help the environment by reducing the number of issues that we print and send. I would like to introduce our new editor, Kimberley Collins. She is part of the growing number of next generation conservationists using online media to build community and share conservation stories with the world. She has created an interactive magazine for you to enjoy online and I encourage everyone to sign up. I trust you enjoy the feature articles, interviews, recipes, interesting facts and personal encounters with nature.
Hilary Beaton - CEO, Zealandia
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WHAT’S NEW?
KIMBERLEY COLLINS
Little spotted kiwi inspire children to learn on ZEALANDIA’s new school sleepover programme. The kiwi holds a special place in Māori culture because it was seldom seen and only came out at night. It was traditionally known as “te manu huna a Tāne’, the hidden bird of Tāne (god of the forest). Today, this precious taonga is even more elusive.
“Understanding how living things are suited to their particular habitat and how they respond to changes in their environment – be those natural or human-induced - is an important part of the Nature of Science learning. We provide the perfect example of that.”
The little spotted kiwi was thought to have been extinct on mainland New Zealand since 1875. ZEALANDIA became the first conservation project to reintroduce New Zealand’s smallest kiwi to the mainland in 2000. The kiwi have prospered within the fenced sanctuary, safe from the mammalian predators that first decimated their numbers in the late 1800’s, and are often heard whistling in the valley at night. Conservation science is an integral part of ZEALANDIA, and provides content for the education team to run a range of programmes that aim to inspire the next generation of environmental scientists. For many years, ZEALANDIA has seen students explore the valley and come face to face with a range of endangered species during the day. Now, ZEALANDIA is inviting schools to participate in school sleepovers and night tours that will ensure students get up close and personal with the little spotted kiwi.
Students from St. Teresa’s Primary School in Wellington were the first to trial the new programme. Their experience began with an evening tour, where they enjoyed the evening birdsong that has been absent from the mainland for more than a century. After dinner, they returned to the valley to experience the sounds, sights and smells of the Sanctuary after dark.
“It really helps students to understand science when they see conservation in action and learn about some of New Zealand’s endemic species,” says ZEALANDIA Education Team Leader Darren Van Hoof.
With such a successful start to the programme, the ZEALANDIA education team is looking forward to welcoming schools from around New Zealand, inspiring the next generation of students who care about conservation, and providing a real-world context to their Nature of Science curriculum.
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“They were buzzing after they finished their first tour. They were chattering away over dinner – talking about what they might see and hear after dark. It was really nice to see so many young people excited about the environment,” said Van Hoof. Many students were surprised to learn that there are kiwi are living so close to their homes in Karori, with one saying they “never knew what kiwi sounded like, or that they were in Wellington! I’m going to listen for the kiwi from my house across the hill at night from now on.”
BEYOND THE FENCE
LISA ARGILLA
MORTEN ALLENTOFT
Kākāpō Recovery Programme welcomes newly hatched chicks
Genetic study confirms humans as the reason for moa extinction
Six kākāpō chicks have hatched for the first time in three years.
New Zealand was home to 9 species of moa until humans arrived, around 1300 AD. The abrupt extinction of these large, flightless birds left scientists wondering what role hunting played in their demise.
On Codfish Island (Whenua Hou), one egg was found crushed in the nest. Rangers transferred it to an incubator and repaired the shell using tape and glue. Miraculously, the egg hatched and “Lisa One” is doing well. On Little Barrier Island (Te Hauturu-o-toi) “Heather One” hatched just 2 years after a small population was introduced to the island. This is the first time kākāpō have bred on the island. “Heather One” was transferred to Auckland Zoo earlier in the month to be treated for pneumonia after she became severely underweight. She has since been moved from intensive care and is thriving; she has been on display at the zoo, with many people coming to see her. Kākāpō don’t breed every year and usually synchronise laying with bumper rimu fruiting. But if the fruit fails to ripen, nests often fail. 2014 is the first time in 3 years that kākāpō have laid eggs.
Scientists in Denmark have confirmed that humans were responsible for the extinction of the moa. The study looked at DNA from 281 moa fossils and found that genetic diversity was constant for 3000 years before their extinction. This suggests that the population was stable before the arrival of humans and contradicts research from the University of Otago that suggested the moa population was already in decline when humans arrived, dropping from between 3 and 12 million to just 159,000. The extinction of moa due to hunting highlights the extinction risk that many species face today due to human activities like habitat destruction, introduction of exotic predators and hunting. It is a reminder of the importance of conservation In reducing the risk of extinction.
MEET A MOA AT ZEALANDIA! The moa model at ZEALANDIA is probably the closest you’ll ever come to the real thing. One of the biggest birds ever to have walked the earth, moa became extinct in the 1500s due to hunting. The life-sized animatronic model at ZEALANDIA was created in 2010 by Izzat Design. VISIT THE ZEALANDIA EXHIBITION TODAY www.visitzealandia.com/exhibition
SPECIES UPDATE
PETER LAURENSON
STEVE ATTWOOD
Kākā breeding season best yet
Kākāriki nesting in natural nests
The last few chicks have finally fledged, marking the end of a long and productive season. The boisterous parrots kept volunteers and staff busy monitoring the nesting attempts of 31 pairs, the highest number to date. 104 chicks were banded, including the 500th since kākā were first released in 2002.
The kākāriki breeding season kept volunteers and conservation staff busy from July to April. They monitored 26 breeding pairs, twice as many as last season. A total of fifty nests were found and while most were in man-made nest boxes, 15 were found in natural holes in tree fuchsia, mahoe, fivefinger, tree fern and pine stumps. By the end of the season, 155 nestlings were banded. This is highest number of date and an excellent indication that the kākāriki population is healthy.
Kākā were also translocated from ZEALANDIA for the first time. Two nestlings were taken to Pukaha Mount Bruce but were taken to Massey University for treatment after one chick showed symptoms of lead poisoning. The chicks were rehabilitated and returned to Pukaha Mount Bruce, where they were raised to independence in the aviary. They have since been banded and transferred to an aviary at Boundary Stream in the Hawkes Bay, where they are settling in well and waiting to be released in spring. Vet staff from Wellington Zoo visited ZEALANDIA to take blood samples from 9 other chicks. Results showed that 3 siblings in a different clutch also had high levels of lead. They were also transferred to Massey University for treatment and will be eventually released at Boundary Stream. ZEALANDIA is working to understand the issue further and has enlisted help from Massey University researcher, Aditi Sriram, who is planning a study in lead toxicity levels and contamination pathways. It is thought that birds ingest the lead by chewing on nails and flashings found on older houses. The lead may be passed on to the chicks when they are being fed, but it is possible that it is also being transferred into the egg. One way that Wellingtonians can reduce the number of lead poisoning cases is by not feeding wild birds – especially if houses are older with lead fixtures. Page 6
To find natural nests, transmitters were attached to the tails of 10 breeding males who were not associated with a known nest box. Conservation staff used radio telemetry to pin-point their locations. Because males only visit the nest every 2 hours of so, this proved to be quite time consuming and often frustrating. But persistence and hard work paid off, allowing the team to identify their nest sites and monitor outcomes. Learning more about nest site selection also inspired staff to create easily monitored “natural nests”, They placed mamaku ferns on their sides between trees, creating a long cavity – the perfect place for kākāriki to nest!
SPECIES UPDATE
BRENDON DORAN
VUW
Elderly takahē ready for retirement
Tuatara thriving at ZEALANDIA
ZEALANDIA’s retiree takahē didn’t nest this season, the first time in many years.
Five juvenile tuatara were released at a special event during Tuatara February. Over 100 people came to watch the release and see the young reptiles up close in their transport containers.
Puffin (female) and T2 (male) were brought to ZEALANDIA from Mana Island in 2011 as ‘conservation advocates’ after they failed to produce chicks for many years. Takahē were thought to be extinct until their rediscovery in 1948. They remain critically endangered, with around 250 left alive today. Puffin and T2’s departure from Mana Island made room for a more fertile pair to take over.
The tuatara hatched from eggs that were rescued from certain death in early 2011 after they had been disturbed in the wild. They were taken to Victoria University of Wellington for incubation before being returned to the sanctuary in late 2011 for display in the nursery enclosures. Here they have thrived - the largest 5 were removed and released to allow more space for the remaining tuatara to continue to grow. The tuatara population at ZEALANDIA appears to be thriving with breeding detected every year, and juvenile tuatara regularly sighted by visitors behind the “tuatara” fence along Lake Rd.
Few Takahē live beyond 20 years. Puffin will be 19 years old in December and T2 will be turning 20 in November. It would seem the time has finally come for them to put up their feet and enjoy retirement.
Record breeding season for hihi This summer was the best yet for hihi at ZEALANDIA, with many females producing 2 clutches of eggs.
ZEALANDIA’s Conservation Manager, Raewyn Empson, is happy with their condition, saying that both birds appear to be healthy and relaxed around visitors. They’re certainly enthusiastic come feeding time, and are often seen hurrying towards their feeders. As an ‘advocate pair’, they have enchanted thousands of visitors to the sanctuary and raised awareness for the plight of their species.
A total of 26 females nested, producing 101 fledglings - beating the previous record of 89 in the summer of 2005/2006. In a sanctuary first, three females took up residence in natural tree holes instead of nest boxes, which hasn’t been seen since they were introduced at ZEALANDIA is 2005. JANICE MCKENNA Page 7
Q&A
WITH LOU SANSON We spoke with Lou Sanson, the Director General of the Department of Conservation, about how he is settling into his new role, the battle for our birds, and how ZEALANDIA plays a role in conservation.
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You have been at the Department of Conservation for 6 months. How are you settling into your new role? I’m absolutely loving it. One of the real pleasures is seeing the energy in communities to do conservation. We’ve got 500 community groups with over 12,000 people who want to get involved in conservation - it’s fantastic. My real priority is looking at how we can make these community groups, like ZEALANDIA, a success. Our new strategy is about partnerships - with communities doing conservation on and off private land. It’s reassuring the hear so many good stories about what ZEALANDIA has done for the city. You know you have made a big impact when people are talking about tūī in the garden and being kept awake by kākā. There’s something about New Zealand birds that inspires people and makes them really proud. How do you see community restoration playing a role in DOC in the future? The Department of Conservation looks after the public conservation estate, which makes up a third of the country. Unfortunately, the birds don’t recognise if they are on public or private land, so we see the community playing a role by making their land wildlife-friendly. You’ve created this magnificent area of sanctuary that’s populated with birds, and the people surrounding the sanctuary are contributing by having bird-friendly gardens. How you see ZEALANDIA to Wellington is how we see conservation land to New Zealand - we want to ensure that these assets are treasured by the public, and see communities taking care of the periphery while we take really good care of the core. And how are you taking care of the core? DOC is actually moving away from managing birds on an individual basis and asking “how do you protect huge areas of New Zealand from rats and stoats and weasels and possums, to enable the birds to come back?” How will the upcoming 1080 drop contribute to that vision? Yes, that will be over 700,000 hectares and we’ve already done 150,000. That’s taking it from 5% of all the public land to 12%. So it’s a big increase. We can do it for $17 a hectare, it’s pretty cheap. The operation is called Battle for our Birds and we hope it will make a difference. Community groups on the fringes of areas where there are 1080 drops notice the effects. They’re barely keeping a handle on trapping predators, and suddenly they’re barely catching anything! So, combined, the community and DOC are a force to be reckoned with. What do you think of ZEALANDIA? As I said, you’re doing a marvellous job. The other area we want to explore with you is in the space of environmental education. You play a key role in that. Anybody that’s raising awareness, particularly in that school-age group, is important to us. We can change hearts and minds of people in their mid-life, but it’s good to engage with school kids and get them interested in conservation.
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NASTY NATIVES BY CHRIS MOORE
New Zealand’s forests are pretty benign, but here and there one comes across a plant that can cause grief through poison, cuts or pricks. From relatively harmless to downright noxious. Chris Moore writes about some of the nasty natives that you will find at ZEALANDIA and throughout New Zealand.
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Stinging Nettle (Ongaonga) Urtica ferox A truly nasty plant if not treated carefully. The hypodermic needles on the leaf edges and blade can inject a neurotoxin which causes a rash, irritation, and pain which can persist for some days. In severe cases of stinging death can occur in humans, dogs, and other animals. Despite its nasty reputation ongaonga plays a significant part in the life cycle of the Red Admiral butterfly, or kahukura. Ongaonga is a favoured food for the butterfly caterpillars which make their home amongst the leaves. (Both the butterfly and the caterpillar are immune to the plant’s toxin.) Poroporo Solanum laciniatum
STEVE ATTWOOD
The unripe berries and leaves are poisonous as they contain the toxic alkaloid solasidine. The berries can only be considered edible when the skin of the fruit starts to burst. Probably best avoided! The plant was cultivated in Russia for its solasidine, which was used as a base material for the production of steroid contraceptives. It is a native of NZ and the east coast of Australia (where it is called Kangaroo Apple). The plant is quick growing and is mostly seen on forest or track verges. Silver Tree Fern (Ponga) Cyathea dealbata The “nasty” part of this tree fern is the woody fibre of the trunk, which is poisonous. Māori would tip their spears with it, presumably hastening the demise of any unfortunate on the receiving end of the spear! They also took the starch from inside the trunk and cooked it into cakes, unleavened bread, and pudding-like dishes. Probably the best known plant in NZ with the underside of its fronds being a distinctive silvery colour. The frond appears on all manner of advertising material and on sports teams’ paraphernalia. It also appears on our national coat of arms and there is a proposal for it to be incorporated into a new national flag. Incidentally, the national coat of arms also features a woman named Zealandia.
MARK JENNER
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Bush Lawyer, Tātarāmoa Rubus spp Bush Lawyer is a vine which needs direct sun to thrive. The leaves and stems have very sharp, backward sloping thorns which aid its climb to the light of the canopy. As a young plant it often appears on track verges where it can bring the unwary tramper to sudden and painful stop.
SHANNAN MORTIMER
It is found throughout the country, up to an altitude of 1,000m. It has small scented flowers in late spring. These are followed by a small, yellowish-red, blackberry-like fruit that are edible and make a nice jam. The plant is a close relative of the blackberry. Cutty Grass (Toetoe) Cortaderia fulvida A beautiful plant found throughout the country up to an altitude of 1,000m. Young plants are often encountered on track edges or clearings where many a tramper has found to their grief why it’s called “cutty grass”. It has very sharp, backward facing serrations made of silica (glass) which can easily cut the skin.
KAYLENE HELLIWELL
The stems of toeotoe (kākaho) are used by Māori in tukutuku panels (the ornamental lattice-work put around the walls of meeting houses).
Hook Grass (Kamu) Uncinia uncinata
MAX PARKER
An innocent enough looking plant often found alongside tracks. Its seeds are far from innocent though as they have little hooks which enable the seed to be distributed by attaching to passing animals – a process known as epizoochory. Men with hairy legs are especially vulnerable! NZ Blueberry (Turutu) Dianella nigra They are oh so pretty, but beware, the seeds are mildly poisonous and have been implicated in the death of a toddler. Turutu is a small, narrow leafed, flax like plant endemic to this country. It grows naturally in open forests and on banks. Small white flowers form on long drooping stalks. Bright blue berries follow in summer and autumn.
RICHARD MAYSTON Page 12
This is a hardy plant that thrives in sun or semi shade. It looks great when planted en masse.
With your support we can sow seeds of wonder in the hearts of generations At ZEALANDIA seeds germinate and grow. Endangered species gain a foothold and the birdsong is returning. But sustaining this process in the city needs something more – your support, your generosity.
BECOME A MEMBER AND RESTORE WHILE YOU EXPLORE
TURN YOUR DOLLARS INTO SOMETHING LASTING AND LIVING
Just $99 for a Family for a full year visitzealandia.com/membership
Every donation counts visitzealandia.com/seed Txt SEED to 4741 to donate $3
THE LIFE CYCLE OF A SHAG BY DAVID BROOKS
DAVID BROOKS Page 14
One of the great things about ZEALANDIA is the opportunity to get close to our native wildlife and see their behaviour in a natural setting. The chance to watch two pied shag chicks grow up in nests on the lower lake late last year IS the best example of this for me in the near-decade I’ve been a member. I’ve seen the pied shags nesting from a distance in the big macrocarpa on the the far side of the lake and at Makara. But to be able to follow the progress of chicks in a nest just three metres from the pontoon walkway was amazing. I’m a regular visitor to the sanctuary – it’s a great place to take photos of birds, to see the changes through the seasons or just to enjoy a walk in nature so close to the city. In June, I saw a a pair of shags courting – twining their necks, grooming, and softly clasping each others’ beaks. A nest started to appear in the same spot two weeks later. By September the birds were on the nest. On hearing that chicks had hatched in early October, I made a beeline for the sanctuary. Over the next six weeks or so, I returned weekly until I saw the nest empty by late November. I hadn’t been alone, many I spoke to were also regular visitors and there were usually others snapping photos of the nests. My first thought on seeing the two chicks in the nearest nest was their total helplessness, lying in the bottom under their parent. With totally bald, dark-skinned bodies and pale heads, only a mother could love them. Every so often a head would pop up, accompanied by high pitched calls for a feed. The following week, the chicks were twice the size and covered in down. One of the chicks was larger and more active and seemed to be getting the main share of the food as it thrust its entire head into its parent’s gaping mouth. On my third visit, just one chick remained in the nest. The remaining chick was growing so fast, it was hard to see how there would have been room for more than one chick in the rickety-looking heaps of sticks. After a month, the chicks were bigger than their long-suffering parents, and the first real wing feathers had appeared. I saw the chick in the nearest nest looking skyward for the returning parent, who soon returned and spread its wings to dry about a metre away from the nest. The chick could wait no longer. It stumbled off the edge of the nest and along the log on which the nest rested. Flapping its still only half formed wings to keep balance, it shuffled towards its parent, calling plaintively. I felt sure it would fall in the water and could hardly look, but sure enough it reached its parent and lunch was served. In the remaining couple of weeks that I saw the chick, its feathers grew and it began to resemble a sleek adult shag rather than a roly-poly cartoon character. Although I was a little sad to see the nest empty, I did see the juvenile and one of the parents roosting at the nest site one evening in February. What I want to know now is will the parents return and build another nest at the same place this year? Page 15
Two adults engage in a courting ritual.
DAVID BROOKS
The older, surviving chick walks a fine line for some food.
DAVID BROOKS
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The chicks hassle their parent for a feed.
DAVID BROOKS
The older, surviving chick on its nest.
DAVID BROOKS Page 17
BUG WEEK ZEALANDIA celebrated all things cute and crawly from April 18 to 25 for Bug Week. A range of exciting events and activities were held throughout the sanctuary with many children taking part in daily bug hunts.
Children’s menu goes down at treat during Bug Week Weepu the Wētā’s special bug menu for children was release for a limited time during Bug Week. It featured interesting dishes such as worms on toast, creamy cicada dip, baked ham and cheese spider, and ladybird cupcakes. The classic spider (ice cream and Foxton Fizz) was also a hit and many adults were seen taking a trip down memory lane.
This wētā hotel was designed by an unknown artist. Their description included an exciting menu that featured “roached eggs”, “salad with wētā cheese”, “caved ham” and “waitomo-ato soup”. Page 18
BOOK REVIEW BY HELEN BUCHAN
Lichens of New Zealand: An Introductory Illustrated Guide Written by Allison Knight New Zealand is exceptionally rich in lichens, and harbours around 10% of the world’s lichen species. They are an important, yet often overlooked, component of every ecosystem from the seashore to the mountain tops, and contribute over 1800 taxa to New Zealand’s biodiversity — nearly as many species as seed plants. This introductory guide provides an introduction to the extraordinary diversity of New Zealand lichens. It has full colour images of over 250 common lichen species, plus a glossary illustrating more than 60 useful identifying features. Species are divided into 4 colour-coded ecosystems and displayed in order of the three main growth forms. At the recent John Childs Bryophyte, Lichens and Liverworts workshop I found it very user friendly and now regard it as the place to start when looking at lichens in the field. It’s small enough for the backpack and the laminated cover protects it when lying on the ground while one examines low placed lichens. It can be purchased from the Botanical Society of Otago.
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IN FOCUS BY CHRIS HELLIWELL
I recently assisted in a Maud Island frog transfer - between enclosures, to mix up the adult breeding population found at ZEALANDIA. After meeting and performing bag checks, we headed into the valley to the sounds of kiwi and ruru. We soon reached the first enclosure – a small, fenced off area just off the main track. Before we entered, Raewyn – ZEALANDIA’s Conservation Manager – briefed me on what to look for, making sure that I didn’t step in the wrong place. As Raewyn set up her equipment, I looked up and immediately found a Maud Island Frog staring back at me. I was amazed at how well camoflagued it was – blended into the leaves on the ground. Photographing these amazing creatures at night was a challenge – but a few test shots allowed me to get the settings just right. As the adult frogs were being captured from within the enclosure I photographed what they were doing. They were all around us and we had to be very careful where we stood. Once the frogs had been captured they were measured and photographed for identification and then we were off to the second enclosure to release them. Walking through the valley to the release site we could again hear the calls of male & female kiwi – one of the many pleasures of being inside ZEALANDIA at night. We reached the release enclosure where the frogs were gently deposited, quickly disappearing under the leaves and rocks inside the enclosure.
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A Maud Island frog on the edge.
CHRIS HELLIWELL
The frog is picked up and examined before being transferred to a new enclosure.
CHRIS HELLIWELL
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CHRIS HELLIWELL
The bumpy skin of a Maud Island frog Page 22
CHRIS HELLIWELL
A leaf-veined slug
CHRIS HELLIWELL
A vagrant spider feasts on the carcass of a cicada
CHRIS HELLIWELL Page 23
SOLID FOUNDATIONS RECOGNISED AT ZEALANDIA
ZEALANDIA’s Foundation Members were honoured on April 24 at a special event to celebrate 20 years since the first seeds were planted to begin the community driven restoration project. Chief Executive Officer Hilary Beaton welcomed and thanked over 200 guests, sharing her commitment to celebrating the successes of the sanctuary. “With the time, love and commitment of the Foundation Members, the seeds of success have germinated and grown. Endangered species have regained a foothold and the birdsong is returning to Wellington,” she said. “Although there is still much to do, we felt it timely to honour the Foundation Members’ commitment, passion, and contribution to our 500 year vision.” Wellington City Council Chief Executive Officer Kevin Lavery also commended members on their achievements, telling them “ZEALANDIA will inspire many young environmentalists who will contribute to the city and the country’s sustainability efforts. “You’ve blazed a new trail for the council too, showing us what can be done if you make it a priority to protect and enhance the city’s unique environment.” This was followed by a ceremonial planting of 20 flaxes, where children and grandchildren were encouraged to muck in, sowing the seeds of conservation into the hearts and minds of future generations. The day also came with an exciting announcement. The launch of ZEALANDIA Stories – a crowd-sourced project that aims to capture the experiences of those who have been so heavily involved with bringing the birdsong back to Wellington.
Little Robbie Tocher mucks in and helps to plant a flax bush during the Foundation Members’ Day under the watchful eye of his grandmother, Naomi. Page 24
Chris Horne and Barbara Metcalfe.
Wellington City Council Chief Executive, Kevin Lavery.
Haley Robinson, the daughter of Jim & Eve Lynch.
ZEALANDIA Conservation Manager, Raewyn Empson with her grandsons, Oscar and Max.
Lynette Burrell and Pam Ball muck in with Fundraising Coordinator, Jon McQueen.
Foundation Members plant 1 of 20 flaxes to celebrate 20 years since the first seeds were planted at ZEALANDIA.
To celebrate 20 years since the Karori Sanctuary Trust deed was signed, ZEALANDIA is asking members, visitors, and Wellingtonians to share their stories.
www.visitzealandia.com/20years
We’re looking for videos, podcasts, stories, poems, drawings – any way you want to share what ZEALANDIA means to you and your family.
INSTAGRAM Visitors are encouraged to share photos they have taken on Instagram using the #ZEALANDIA hashtag. Here are a few from the summer season!
“Spiders look amazing.” @mr_tree_hugger
“I’ve never seen beauty quite like this... New Zealand, you have my heart.” @debskittles
Well I’m getting a great view! Wish you were One of the many kākā at Zealandia! there with me! @maxlipman @saylinz247
FOLLOW ZEALANDIA ONLINE FOR THE LATEST UPDATES! Page 26
facebook.com/zealandia instagram.com/visit_zealandia twitter.com/zealandia
THE LETTERBOX My name is Elinor, I am 12 years old. My favourite animals are birds. So I am very lucky to live ‘in’ the bush. I wanted to write to you about the birds in my garden. There are all sorts of birds in our garden. Such as tūī, sparrow, kākā, kererū, morepork, seagulls, and fantails. My favourite is the kākā as they are so smart and curious. We can almost communicate with kākā with a series of clicking, and screeching. Elinor and the kākā, Wellington
Hi Elinor – Alfie Kākā here! I’m only a bit older than you. I’m 13 years old and my favourite animals are birds too, so we have a lot in common! I’m very impressed that you have so many birds visiting your garden. The kākā without bands are mostly babies and still learning how the world works. Have you seen them puff up and beg to their parents for food? Do stay in touch and say “skraaark, click, whistle” to your brother, mum, dad, and the birds that visit your garden from me! Alfie Kākā, ZEALANDIA
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD OUR GUIDE TO FEEDING BIRDS. Page 27
RATA CAFE RECIPE TABBOULEH SALAD
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Ingredients
Instructions
150 grams course bulghar wheat 2 tomatoes half a red onion 100 grams parsley (curly or flat, chopped) 2 lemons 50ml olive oil a handful of baby spinach salt and pepper to taste
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Cook the bulghar wheat in boiling water for approximately 15 minutes, or until soft. Strain and place into a large try to cool to room temperature. Remove seeds from the tomato and dice. Peel and finely dice the red onion. Zest and juice the lemons. Finely chop the parsley. Add bulghar wheat, tomotoes, red onion, lemons, and parsley to a bowl and mix through olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Sanctuary Guardians play vital role in achieving ZEALANDIA’s 500-year vision
SHAUN MATTHEWS ZEALANDIA is managed by the Karori Sanctuary Trust, a not-for-profit, community-led organization. Through the sanctuary, the Karori Sanctuary Trust provides the opportunity to experience and appreciate the natural heritage of New Zealand and to help influence behaviour in one’s own environment. The vision is to be a world-class conservation site and enable New Zealand’s forest and freshwater ecosystems to be experienced in a way that upholds ZEALANDIA’s own 500-year vision – to restore a corner of mainland New Zealand as far as possible to the way it was ‘the day before humans arrived’. To ensure that this is upheld, a group of guardians was established to oversee the Karori Sanctuary Trust board and safeguard that founding concept. “By keeping a watchful eye on the governance of the trust, we ensure that the vision and values of the trust deed are upheld,” said Jim Lynch. Jim was the originator of the sanctuary concept and founder of the Trust in the early 1990’s. He currently sits on the Guardian council and is a Founder-Vice Patron of the Karori Sanctuary Trust. “We want to make sure that ZEALANDIA is being the best it can be – and that the members are happy with how it’s going. We want to keep in touch with them and create a dialogue. If they want to start that conversation – we’re here to listen.” explained Lynch. The 8 Guardians also represent the interests of ZEALANDIA’s members who are responsible for their appointment. Members elect four guardians, and appointments are made by Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington City Council and the Wellington Tenths Trust. Find out how you can get in touch with the guardians: www.visitzealandia.com/guardians
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VISIT THE
ZEALANDIA STORE
With a strong focus on high-quality, New Zealand made items the Zealandia Store is the perfect place to stock up on gifts for your friends and family, or pick up something special for yourself! We have an extensive selection of natural history books and there are wonderful toys for all ages. Wherever possible, we source our stock from local designers and artisans, making this a great place to pick up authentic, original souvenirs of your visit to New Zealand. We stock glass, ceramics, natural cosmetics, merino products and jewellery too. We are also happy to order in.
IN STORE NOW
Take home one of the world’s one and only cuddly toy moa!
Sue Shore Jewellery
Be one of the only people in the world to have your very own Mini Moa! Specially designed for Zealandia, he’s exclusive to the Zealandia Store and Te Papa Store and will make a great gift for young nature lovers.
Just $29.99
Boh Runga Jewellery Range Page 30