Ongoing projects for 2009 / 2010

- building of a big bird pond
- upgrading the ongoing pest management
- we are working on a educational program
- building protective housing for penguins and Weta's

 

Conservation Park 'Tui Nature Reserve' is well on the way to restore 42 hectare native bush, in the Outer Pelorus of the Marlborough Sounds. After 15 years, the bush is flourishing and the bird numbers are definitely up! This year we started the second stage of our project.

Plan is to boost the numbers of Geckos (we focus on Forest and Marlborough Green), Red Crowned Kakariki and the Giant Weta. We have build safe enclosures in the reserve to breed species for educational benefits and for future release on local predator free area's. This stage of our project, is in line with our vision to create a completely restored 'mainland island' with its original wildlife.

 

 

A fence has been build, to protect a part of the reserve from wild pigs and together with cooperative neighbours, a future predator fence would have the potential to protect the whole peninsula. With this in mind we can start in a later stage a release program, for the newly bred animals.

Meanwhile we will use the enclosures for display and education to visitors. All capture, holding and potential release of the reptiles will be under a licence from the Department of Conservation.

We are also part of the official Predator Control Programme of the Department of Conservation. We have two young specially bred dogs that are being trained to find rats and stoats. The dogs are a cross between the Fox Terrier and Border Terrier.