Tiritiri Matangi
Island is a wildlife sanctuary and one of New Zealand's most important conservation
projects. It is located 30km north east of central Auckland and just 4km from
the end of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula. It takes around 1 hour to reach the Island
with 360 Discovery Cruises. 120 years of farming had seen this 220-hectare
island stripped of 94% of its native bush but between 1984 and 1994, volunteers
planted between 250,000 and 300,000 trees. The island is now 60% forested with
the remaining 40% left as grassland for species preferring open habitat.
As we reach the island we
are greeted by the ranger who takes us through some basic safety procedures. It
is important not to smoke to prevent fires and collect all rubbish before
leaving. The aim of today’s trip is to appreciate the conservation efforts led
by The Tiritiri Matangi Island sanctuary, in partnership
between the Department of Conservation (DOC) and the community, through the
Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi, a non-profit community conservation
organisation. We are also here to spot as many birds as possible, and we
were not disappointed. One of the supporters acts as our guide, telling us
about the species and their habitat, and also traditional medicinal plant usage
in Maori culture.
Tuis, fantails,
wood pigeons, black birds, brown saddlebacks, whiteheads, moreporks and robins
are some of the many species found here. Takahes and kiwis can also be found
but are harder to spot!
 |
| Tui |
 |
| Wood Pigeon |
 |
| Morepork owl |
The bush
walk and vistas are impressive and Tiritiri Matangi makes for a great day out. You
will learn a lot about exceptional flora and fauna. Just bring a picnic lunch
with you or pre-order one from the company, and don’t forget your binoculars to
get a better glimpse of the birds.
GO EXPLORE!
Steph
