Environment – Wētāpunga return to mainland

On the biodiversity front, we can report some wonderful progress. We recently topped up our tīeke/saddleback population with 30 more birds from Tiritiri Matangi Island. Birds are some of the most visible and colourful messengers of a recovering ecosystem, but of course it takes all types of native species for a well-functioning natural system. 

That is why it is so rewarding that a recent night search confirmed breeding of wētāpunga, which is a first on the mainland for more than one hundred years. Wētāpunga are giants: when fully grown they can be heavier than a mouse or sparrow, which is pretty mind-boggling for an insect! This species goes further back than tuatara – an estimated 190,000,000 years. They are just one of the amazing species that only survive here because of  predator control and habitat restoration. 

However, our sanctuary can only thrive with ongoing support from the community, both through participation and through donations. 

A little bit of background: the construction of a pest-proof fence at the end of the Whangaparāoa Peninsula was achieved in 2010, after which introduced predator species were removed. The sanctuary is open, free for all to enter and enjoy. 

The Shakespear Open Sanctuary Society Incorporated (SOSSI) is a registered charity, and we are a key partner, with Auckland Council, in maintaining the sanctuary. Our ongoing work includes predator control and monitoring of the fence line, awareness raising activities like signs, as well as preparation and maintenance of tracks throughout the park. 

We also run a plant nursery that produces up to 12,000 native seedlings, which you would have planted if you came to a planting morning recently. 

Another key role for us has been fundraising for the re-introduction of native endangered species to the sanctuary to ensure their survival. Many other native species have made it their home, and some have already “spilled over” the fence to your gardens. 

To finance the nursery, the animal transfers and signs, we must continuously raise funds, and this is where we are hoping you may be able to help with a donation. Because SOSSI is a registered charity, every donation above $5 allows you to claim one-third of the amount donated back from the IRD.

Twenty dollars allows us to buy a tray to carry plants to the planting area; $50 provides a stainless-steel rat trap, $395 a radio transmitter for a Kiwi, $600 a wildlife camera and $750 covers the cost to transfer one bird to the sanctuary. To help us help our native wildlife, please go to the website www.sossi.org.nz/support/donate

We hope that all of you continue to enjoy walking through the sanctuary and the visits from native birds in your garden.