The National Wildlife Centre at Mt. Bruce, about two hours north-east of Wellington in the Wairarapa, had its beginning in 1958 as a rearing facility for the recently-rediscovered takahe on the Kelvin Grove Farm, owned by aviculturist Elwyn Welch. Later run by the then New Zealand Wildlife Service (now the Department of Conservation), other endangered species were added over the years, including five kakapo in 1961 although these all turned out to be male and only one survived for more than a few months. The actual species housed at the facility change as conservation issues dictate. Currently there seems to be a trend for DoC to oppose having most NZ birds in captivity even though captive breeding has more than proved its worth over the years (that is just my impression, and it may be incorrect).
Several years ago when I visited Mt. Bruce for the first time I thought it was fantastic, giving me as it did the opportunity of seeing kokako and stitchbird, two species I had never seen before in the flesh. This visit was somewhat less satisfying, and I think the problem was that I had just been to the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary and Kapiti Island during the previous few days, at both of which I had seen most of the Mt. Bruce species living free in a wild state. But the National Wildlife Centre has only a $10 entry fee so it is still a worthwhile attraction, especially for bird-interested foreigners who may not have the chance or ability to see these birds wild. However anyone expecting lots of birds will be disappointed -- this is still primarily a breeding facility for select endangered birds and there are only seven species on display here, as well as tuatara. There are many wild (and reintroduced) native birds common along the paths, including kaka, fantails, riflemen, whiteheads, tui, NZ pigeons and bellbirds.
The numbers on the map in the gallery signify the following species:
1) yellow-crowned kakariki
2) three aviaries (two for stitchbird, one for North Island kokako)
3) North Island kaka
4) North Island kokako
5) this is labelled as a kiwi pre-release enclosure but apparently is rarely used as such. It was originally a takahe enclosure, although in the last few years these birds were moved to the much better enclosure overlooked by the cafe at the entrance. There is currently only one takahe at Mt. Bruce but there is talk of getting some excess birds from Mana Island and returning this (5) to a takahe enclosure again.
6) stitchbird
7) two aviaries for North Island kokako
8) two aviaries for stitchbird
Other points to mention:
a) outside the map's lower right-hand edge there are two blue duck aviaries further along the path going to the right of the Wetland area (and beyond those an out-of-bounds breeding area for shore plovers and Campbell Island teal).
b) the Kiwi House (by aviary 8) has a pair of North Island brown kiwi. It appears to have originally been designed as a series of enclosures (at least three, possibly four) which have now been joined up as one big enclosure. The girl at the desk said it had always been a single enclosure but that seems unlikely given the obviousness of the walls with doorways punched through them. I think she may not have been working there for too long because she wasn't even aware that Mt. Bruce used to have great and little spotted kiwi (neither of which they have now). There is a tuatara enclosure at the exit of the Kiwi House.
c) the kaka feeding is held at 3pm every day, when supplementary feeding is provided to the forest's kaka population. These are descended from captive-bred birds that have been released; there is now a population of about 100 birds and the feeding allows monitoring of the birds.
d) the Californian redwood trees (labelled on the right side of the map, below 5) were originally planted as a forestry experiment before the Wildlife Centre was established here.
e) there is a track being constructed from near aviary 2, which will trail around through the forest beyond the centre to allow visitors to try and spot the wild kokako that have been reintroduced here (currently there are about 30 birds). There are also currently 19 reintroduced brown kiwi in this forest.
Several years ago when I visited Mt. Bruce for the first time I thought it was fantastic, giving me as it did the opportunity of seeing kokako and stitchbird, two species I had never seen before in the flesh. This visit was somewhat less satisfying, and I think the problem was that I had just been to the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary and Kapiti Island during the previous few days, at both of which I had seen most of the Mt. Bruce species living free in a wild state. But the National Wildlife Centre has only a $10 entry fee so it is still a worthwhile attraction, especially for bird-interested foreigners who may not have the chance or ability to see these birds wild. However anyone expecting lots of birds will be disappointed -- this is still primarily a breeding facility for select endangered birds and there are only seven species on display here, as well as tuatara. There are many wild (and reintroduced) native birds common along the paths, including kaka, fantails, riflemen, whiteheads, tui, NZ pigeons and bellbirds.
The numbers on the map in the gallery signify the following species:
1) yellow-crowned kakariki
2) three aviaries (two for stitchbird, one for North Island kokako)
3) North Island kaka
4) North Island kokako
5) this is labelled as a kiwi pre-release enclosure but apparently is rarely used as such. It was originally a takahe enclosure, although in the last few years these birds were moved to the much better enclosure overlooked by the cafe at the entrance. There is currently only one takahe at Mt. Bruce but there is talk of getting some excess birds from Mana Island and returning this (5) to a takahe enclosure again.
6) stitchbird
7) two aviaries for North Island kokako
8) two aviaries for stitchbird
Other points to mention:
a) outside the map's lower right-hand edge there are two blue duck aviaries further along the path going to the right of the Wetland area (and beyond those an out-of-bounds breeding area for shore plovers and Campbell Island teal).
b) the Kiwi House (by aviary 8) has a pair of North Island brown kiwi. It appears to have originally been designed as a series of enclosures (at least three, possibly four) which have now been joined up as one big enclosure. The girl at the desk said it had always been a single enclosure but that seems unlikely given the obviousness of the walls with doorways punched through them. I think she may not have been working there for too long because she wasn't even aware that Mt. Bruce used to have great and little spotted kiwi (neither of which they have now). There is a tuatara enclosure at the exit of the Kiwi House.
c) the kaka feeding is held at 3pm every day, when supplementary feeding is provided to the forest's kaka population. These are descended from captive-bred birds that have been released; there is now a population of about 100 birds and the feeding allows monitoring of the birds.
d) the Californian redwood trees (labelled on the right side of the map, below 5) were originally planted as a forestry experiment before the Wildlife Centre was established here.
e) there is a track being constructed from near aviary 2, which will trail around through the forest beyond the centre to allow visitors to try and spot the wild kokako that have been reintroduced here (currently there are about 30 birds). There are also currently 19 reintroduced brown kiwi in this forest.
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