Karori Wildlife Sanctuary

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Lower Karori Reservoir looking North-East

Karori Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected natural area in Wellington, New Zealand, where the bio-diversity of 252 ha (just under a square mile) of forest is being restored. The sanctuary covers an area that was previously used as the water catchment area for Wellington, between Wrights Hill (bordering Karori) and Kowhai Park. The undertaking to create the sanctuary is a good example of an Ecological island

The most crucial aspect of the Sanctuary is a predator-proof fence -specifically designed to exclude 14 species of non-native land mammals ranging from possums to mice- that encircles the 8.6 km perimeter of the Sanctuary. Construction of this fence was completed in 1999 and all 14 species of mammalian pests within the perimeter were then eradicated. This predator proof fence is of great conservation significance- being a world first. In terms of its meeting conservation goals so far, Karori wildlife sanctuary has met with considerable success thanks to the effective design of the encircling fence. It has since inspired a raft of similar projects throughout New Zealand, with predator proof fences now protecting the biodiversity of many other areas of forest. Examples include; 98 hectare Bushy Park in Wanganui, the 7.7 hectare lowland podocarp forest remnant of Riccarton bush/ Putaringamotu in Christchurch city and perhaps most notably a 3,500 hectare tract covering an entire mountain thanks to the Maungatautari Restoration Project in the Waikato.

As of 2006 the fence has been successful in excluding all but the one, smallest species- the house mouse. The flora and fauna in the Sanctuary is at present recovering from its pre-managed degraded state - The original primary forest that covered the valley was burnt off in the 1850s and 1860s and and was farmed up until 1906- the native forest has been regenerating ever since but in most areas is still only in the early stages of succession with small hardy trees such as Mahoe dominating . Members of the original Flora that are now missing from the site or rare - include large podocarp species such as rimu, matai, miro, kahikatea, and totara - are being re-established. Northern Rata has also virtually disappered from the valley and a number of seedlings have been planted.Already, a wide variety of native trees, without commercial value but of benefit to fauna, is present including a mature colony of the New Zealand tree fuchsia (Fuchsia excorticata).

[edit] Species

Native birds that have been released in the Sanctuary since 2000 include:
- Bellbird, New Zealand (Korimako) (Anthornis melanura)
- Brown Teal (Pateke) (Anas chlorotis)
- Kākā, North Island (Nestor meridionalis)
- Kiwi, Little Spotted (Kiwi pukupuku) (Apteryx owenii)
- Pigeon, New Zealand (Kererū) (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae)
- North Island Robin (Toutouwai) (Petroica australis longipes)
- Saddleback, North Island (Tieke) (Philesturnus carunculatus rufusater)
- Scaup, New Zealand (Papango) (Aythya novaeseelandiae)
- Stitchbird (Hihi) (Notiomystis cincta)
- Tomtit, North Island (Miromiro) (Petroica macrocephala toitoi)
- Weka, North Island (Gallirallus australis)
- Whitehead (Popokatea) (Mohoua ochrocephala)

Other native animals that have been released in the Sanctuary since 2000 include:
- 70 Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) from Stephens Island were released into the Sanctuary in December 2005.

Other native species that are naturalised without needing transfers from outside the area include:
- Birds
  - Fantail, North Island, (Piwakawaka) (Rhipidura fulginosa placabilis)
  - Grey Warbler, New Zealand (Riroriro) (Gerygone igata)
  - Tui (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae)
  - Red Crowned Parakeet (Kakariki) (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae)
- Reptiles
  - Forest Gecko (Hoplodactylus granulatus)
  - Skink