Magnificient Maungatautari

The Kaka, an endangered primitive parrot found  in Maungatautari and a few other parts of New Zealand.

One of our first trips out of Hamilton was to the nearby Maungatautari Ecological Island.  It is not an island surrounded by water, but rather it is 3,400 hectares (about 8,400 acres) of habitat surrounded by predator-proof fence.

47 km of fence keeps introduced rats, cats, weasels etc. from killing native wildlife.

Aside from bats, New Zealand has no native mammals.  Many of the birds that evolved in the absence of these furry predators were rather over-trusting, many were flightless, and all were apparently delicious.  Many species were particularly prone to over-hunting by hungry humans (500 pound tame chicken anyone?).  Others that weren't driven to extinction by humans have been pushed to the brink by the rats, cats, stoats, and other mammals that we brought with us.

Takahe were believed to be extinct for 50 years.  After their rediscovery, their population plummeted to 112 birds in 1981.

Some sensitive native species survived only on literal coastal islands that were not colonized by humans and their mammalian cronies.  The unspoiled islands provided temporary refuges for small populations of vulnerable species.  This is where the fence comes in - intrepid New Zealanders started fencing off large areas on the mainland and removing all of the mammals from within the fences.  This is no small task - you try and find the last mouse in 11,000 American football fields... of forest.  Many of these projects have been successful, and have provided predator free islands in the midst of an ocean of bird chomping mammals.  Several endangered species including Takahe and Kaka have been reintroduced to Maungatautari.

Kakas are beautiful, cheeky, and LOUD!

We visited Maungatautari with Daniel and Kara - our wonderful hosts while we have been getting situated in Hamilton.  They know quite a bit about New Zealand and are avid hikers (aka trampers), but they didn't have any complaints about moving at a snails pace while we investigated every plant, insect, and bird along the trail.  We have both really enjoyed spending time with them.

Eagerly learning about native trees

 Also, the bush! <3

At Maungatautari there is a tower you can climb to get up into the canopy of the forest.  The NZ sun up there is hot, but the view was amazing.  We learned about the rata (tall tree below).  Like the strangler figs of tropical America, the plant starts as a vine, and over many decades they overtake and kill the tree they grow upon, remaining standing on their own as magnificent trees.  I can't wait to see their red flowers!

Chaffinch and ferns

It wouldn't be right if we didn't mention the insects!  These weta boxes provided daytime hiding places for the huge insects.  I didn't imagine how well they would work - as we hiked along, it seemed that each box was crammed with more and more wetas of increasing size!

One weta, two weta, WHOAH !

We were also super excited to come across this four spined weevil.  The spines presumably would make it a pain in the neck (literally) for any hungry bird.

 

While engrossed in photographing the weevil we suddenly realized that we were surrounded by a friendly group of Toutouwai - the not so common North Island Robin.  These are not very similar to the American Robin (Turdus migratorius har har), but are much smaller.  Something about their curious and docile nature just makes them fantastic to watch.  If you stand still they will hop right up to your shoes - flipping leaves for small insects that you may have scared from hiding!

Toutouwai.  They look like they are on stilts!

We can't wait to go back and do some more tramping in Maungatautari.  Maybe we'll see some other rare species unique to New Zealand - Tuatara or Kiwi!