Pukaha Mount Bruce Wildlife Centre is a wildlife restoration organisation based around a protected forest area in New Zealand's Wairarapa district.
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The forest was acquired by the government in the 1870s as part of the “Seventy Mile Bush” which covered the area from Masterton to Woodville before European settlement. Most of the bush was destroyed and converted to farmland, but the 942 hectare Mount Bruce block was protected as a Forest Reserve. Some 55 ha of this were further protected as a Native Bird Reserve, administered by the Wildlife Service.
In 1962, the centre was established to breed and release endangered native birds on these 55 hectares. Takahe (a very rare bird, thought extinct, but rediscovered in Fiordland) were the first species introduced. In the same decade, a large number of brown teals, buff weaks and kakarikis were released.
A major event occurred in 2001: the entire forest became part of the wildlife reserve, extending the area from 55 to 942 hectares. Therefore, they increased their capacity to breed birds and diversified species, and also started to manage the area. About 100 km of tracks were cut and thousands of traps and bait stations were scattered. Thus they set up an area for the wildlife with a quite low predator pressure.
The main objective of Mount Bruce National Wildlife Centre is to help restore the native wildlife. Currently, the restoration mostly concerns birds, but will expand to bats and reptiles such as the tuatara.
Bird releases started in 1996 with the kākā, a kind of parrot.[1] There are currently about 100 in the forest and the goal is to have a population of 600 in a few years.[2] Kiwi and kokako followed in 2003. There are only 400 pairs of kokako in New Zealand. Fifteen kiwis are currently living in the forest and five in the centre's nocturnal house, including some chicks. For the breeding programme, they incubate takahe and kiwi eggs to protect chicks and thus give them the chance to become adult.
Many schools visit the centre. Some sponsor a kiwi, so they can follow its progress since the release. They participate in the LEOTC (Learning experiences Outside the Classroom) education programme, giving them the chance to see the kiwi and to learn about environmental problems facing New Zealand.
The second biggest mission of the centre is to welcome tourists and to educate them about environmental things and the protection of the wildlife. Indeed, there are about 50,000 visitors per year.
There are several tourist facilities: a Café, some aviaries to discover the native birds and the nocturnal house where they can see the shy kiwi. Moreover there are some guided visits and a daily feeding demonstrations for kākā and eels.
There is a staff of about 15 people. Two work in reception, seven work with the birds or on forest regeneration, two on marketing and communication, three or four at the café. There are also many volunteers, from all over the world, who help the rangers with various tasks including preparing for the bird feeding and maintaining the aviaries and the park for the tourists.
It is closed only on Christmas Day.