I have been to many nature walks, safaris and wildlife tours, but none so unique as the one at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari in New Zealand. It is a mountain as old as Earth itself but with a history of ecological destruction as old as mankind, and a story of revival just a few years old.
Maungatautari is a 3,400- hectare mountain that was once a flourishing forest up until the time man introduced his commercial farming methods and predators into an environment where the local animals and birds were used to a predator-free existence. What followed was a complete destruction of the mountain’s ecosystem. But that was a 100 years ago.
According to the sanctuary’s website, about 1,000 years ago, the flourishing forest had 50 bird species, four frog species and three species of bat, besides several other flora and fauna. Human invasion later, the birds were reduced to about 12 native forest species, relict population of one species of frog and one species of bat.
Today, the mountain’s story of revival is a lesson in community participation, and promise and hope for similar destroyed habitats. Maungatautari is the largest total ecosystem recovery project in the world and the largest pest-proof fenced project too. It has three enclosures — not to keep the rightful native inhabitants in but to keep the migrant pests out; pests like hedgehogs, cats, rats, ferrets, weasels, rabbits, hares, possums, deer, pigs and goats that almost killed the natural habitat of the mountain.
The 47-km pest-proof fence ensures that the much-damaged ecosystem bounces back to life, and in the last decade, since its erection, the native bird species has increased by 66 per cent. Recently, the silver beech tree species, previously thought missing from Maungatautari, was found apparently unaltered since the last ice age!
And it is this story that you witness as you walk around the sanctuary mountain — guided or on your own along the walking tracks. You can spot the heroes of the project such as the reintroduced Kaka, Yellow-crowned kakariki or the Western brown kiwi, native geckos, skinks, bats, and towering trees that survived the wave of destruction and young ones that are catching up.
A guided tour is best for wildlife enthusiasts as volunteers will help you spot species and identify them for you. Even their different sounds and calls are explained for you. But when you’re on your own in an untamed forest, a slow stroll around the sanctuary amid birdsong that are muted in urban landscapes can be an exhilarating experience. You may even get a chance to feed the friendly but shy Kakas.
The tree house right at the centre elevates you to the height of the tallest of trees for a breath-taking sight of the forest canopy. But it is at the ground level you should be scouting for the famous New Zealand mascot — the kiwi. Being nocturnal, these birds are best spotted at night and the sanctuary’s night walks will help you with that. Night’s the perfect setting to not just spot the kiwis, but to witness the forest’s night life spring up, complete with glow worms and owl calls.
(The writer was at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari at the invitation of Tourism New Zealand)
