September 2017: Pukaha Mt Bruce

Since staff at Pukaha last caught up, the Pateke pair now have six ducklings in their care. The Whio, that live in their free flight aviary have also been sitting on a clutch of five eggs.

Also the first monitored wild kiwi chicks were safely hatched in the reserve. Staff said it was great to see the first conservation breeding of the season had taken place in the new free flight aviary. It is a super sign that the wildlife love this new space as much as the visitors who go to see the new young ones at Pukaha.

Free flight aviary popular at Pukaha Mt Bruce

At Pukaha Mt Bruce staff have been delighted with the way the birds have settled into their new home in the free flight aviary. The whio and pateke are loving their new areas and are not difficult
to spot. The whio are in an ‘internal aviary’ with a new river run while the other birds are all together in the bigger aviary space. Both the pateke and whio are breeding pairs.

The korimako seem to spend all day singing and while the kaka and kereru took a little while to settle in, they are now happy and busy in their new space and are almost oblivious to the visitors
who walk through the aviary.

If you are lucky enough to be at Pukaha at the free flight aviary at around 4pm there could be a ranger talk at the “Final Flight” area. It tells the story of the restoration project for the Pukaha forest and how captive breeding can help to protect and grow our endangered species.