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A further 120 Little Barrier giant weta (wētāpunga) have joined the 200 that were released in Shakespear Open Sanctuary last year.
Like the original wētāpunga released in the open sanctuary last September, these were raised at Butterfly Creek Zoo. However, the majority this time were smaller, younger versions – nearly half-grown.
Auckland Council open sanctuary senior ranger, Matt Maitland, says the release on August 31 was very successful.
Auckland Council Park Rangers and Shakespear Open Sanctuary Society volunteers along with kaitiaki of Ngāti Manuhiri, sorted, packed, transported and released the wētāpunga in a one day exercise with a similar number also heading to Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary the same day.
“The immature wētāpunga were translocated now as they are excess to those required to provide an additional 200 adult wētāpunga for each sanctuary later in summer,” Matt says. “Additional animals from different bloodlines strengthen the resilience of this establishing population of a long-time missing species form Auckland mainland.”
Shakespear Open Sanctuary was chosen as the first habitat on mainland New Zealand suitable for the relocation of this species.
They are the largest insect in NZ. When fully grown they can weigh more than a mouse or sparrow. Wētāpunga were once found throughout Northland and Auckland, however due to massive habitat loss and predation they became restricted to Little Barrier Island.
A breeding programme at Butterfly Creek, which began in 2009, has been critical in the mission to save this threatened species.
