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National Wildlife Centre, Mount Bruce, Wairarapa.

Provider: Department of Conservation

Region: Wellington

Duration

Ongoing

Description

The National Wildlife Centre is a Department of Conservation facility involved in captive breeding programmes and an onsite restoration project. The centre is located in the North Island, 30 kilometres North of Masterton on state highway 2. The facility was created in the 1960's, initially to rear the endangered takahe. In subsequent years the centre has become involved in a number of endangered captive breeding programmes including; Campbell Island teal, New Zealand shore plover, stitchbird/hihi and North Island brown kiwi. The centre is situated next to the 942 hectare Mount Bruce Reserve. In 1996 North Island kaka were reintroduced into the reserve and successfully bred in 1998. In 2001 the Pukaha Mount Bruce restoration programme was established. Since this date North island kokako and North Island brown kiwi have also been reintroduced.

If chosen, successful volunteers will assist either the captive breeding team or the restoration team. Volunteers involved in the captive breeding programmes will undertake jobs such as collecting leaf litter, pruning, weeding aviaries, food preparation, feeding, general cleaning, predator proofing and bird observations. Those volunteers selected to assist our restoration team will be responsible for trapping, track clearing, baiting and possibly kiwi & kokako tracking.  Other duties may also be delegated depending on the time of year and the volunteer’s capabilities.

Skills required

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