Why you need to visit Maungatautari | Sanctuary Mountain
A fence is a rather innocuous thing. It can be the idyllic picket fence of suburbia, the chain-linked fence of industry, or the farmer’s wire fence. All in all, a fence is not usually something of note.
But when it is instrumental in the conserving of a country's endangered species, it becomes a little bit more than your average fence. Perhaps that is why tours at Maungatautari or Sanctuary Mountain in the Waikato start off with a good overview of the fence. It is a pest-proof fence, designed so possums can not scamper over nor rabbits burrow under.
The fence is 47km long, encompassing 3400 hectares of land, and is one of the largest pest-proof fenced sanctuaries in the world. And inside this fence lives some of the most precious flora and fauna that call Aotearoa home. These include hihi (stitchbirds), tīeke (saddleback), the tuatara, and the kaka, the nosiest parrots this side of the Pacific. When Europeans arrived, they brought with them possums, rats, and stoats. These have decimated the populations of New Zealand’s endemic wildlife. So sanctuaries, such as Maungatautari are essential in trying to boost these endemic species numbers and hopefully have them spread further afield over the fence line. For instance, sightings of kaka in the surrounding areas, such as Hamilton, have become more common and the sanctuary is a big reason why.
Our tour guide for the day, Graham, leads us through the double gates into the green understory of Maungatautari. A double-gated system is needed, not so much to prevent things from getting out, but rather to act as a measure to ensure things do not enter along with you, such as a rabbit. The group is small. Just myself, my partner, and a British couple who seem eager to see what New Zealand birds they can see.
A few steps into the bush, Graham stops and points out a plant and says, Parataniwha. It is a rather unique-looking plant. The leaves are splashed with green and purplish hues and are spread out like a hand. Graham shares with us that this plant is a good indicator of how hydrated the forest is. When the leaves are droopy, it means it has not rained in a while. It also can be used as an indicator that there are no ground grazing animals about, such as goats, as they would have a good munch.
As we continued on, Graham shared interesting info about the park and all the work that has gone into making it the sanctuary it is today. As we enter another gate, we are greeted by a dog. Cue my surprise, as it is a rare sight to see a dog in a wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand. But this dog I quickly saw was a little different than your normal Cujo. He had a transmitter sticking out from his head and wore a heavy-duty muzzle. He was a kiwi dog. Kiwi dogs are trained to seek out kiwis, and he was on the job this afternoon seeking out kiwis on the mountain. Graham informed us that there is around 1000 kiwi that calls Maungatautari home. They have so many kiwis, that they are translocating them during what they call their annual kiwi muster to places such as Tongariro National Park in central North Island. This is exciting because Tongariro is where Maungatautari initially got their founder population of North Island brown kiwi from when the fence was first erected. A full-circle moment.
Continuing on after getting in a few serotonin-boosting dog pats, Graham told us that many birds during this time are quite inactive. Basically, the birds like to have an after-lunch siesta. And the thing is, with tours such as these, the wildlife truly calls the shots. You may see a bird, you may see a whole flock of birds, or you may see zilch. And that is what I love about experiences like this. The wildlife is the one in control. We are lucky enough to be able to walk in their world and experience some of it.
As Graham finished explaining why there seemed to be no birds around, the forest shook itself from its sleepy daze with the screeches of kaka, New Zealand’s large bush parrot who has a perchance for screeching like Jurassic Park extras and tearing up tree trunks with their powerful beaks. Kaka was suddenly everywhere. Flying around the trees, climbing up vines and hanging upside down, and soaring high overhead. All the while, screeching like the bird dinosaurs that they are.
Entering the clearing, the kaka numbers increased. The clearing is aptly named. A part of the bush that is surrounded by trees, but itself is sans trees and foliage. There are seats all pointed towards one thing. A feeding station, where onboard are two kakas having a good ole drink on this hot day. The chatter stopped amongst the humans as we all stared upwards and outwards, watching the kaka antics. They are the entertainers of the bush, and you can spend hours watching them.
We drifted off from the kaka circus to the Tower. Another aptly named feature of Maungatautari. It is flights and flights of stairs, up to a viewing platform. The tower dances in the wind as you walk up, kind of unnerving, but we were assured of its stability. Once at the top, we are above the canopy. Looking down, I see the fern, that I once walked beneath, now I am high above those green fronds. Graham tells us that sometime the Kaka will follow guests up here, but today they seem content to remain around the food down below. Fair enough. The only trees bigger than us right now are the giants of the forest. Graham points out a Northern Rata. A parasitic plant. It started its life as a vine, roots shot to the ground, and eventually, it enclosed the host tree. Now it is its own tall tree 40m high.
After spending some time marvelling at all that was above and below, we descended. Graham let us loose in the forest. We had been led by him. Educated about this wondrous space under his tutelage and now it was time for us to wander and explore. See what stories we could find in the undergrowth and in the canopy, see whom we would meet in the trees and in the leave litter.
We parted ways. And I ventured further into the green. With a mind filled with stories of this symbol of what conservation and passion can achieve and a heart eager to see more of this sanctuary. Be it catching a quick flash of green from the tiny and incessantly moving North Island titipounamu (rifleman), 80 of which were released in this sanctuary last year, the fifth only translocation of these tiny birds to have happened in New Zealand. Or hearing the laughing-like call of the tīeke. Or seeing the flash of yellow from a hihi. The wondrous thing about Maungatautari is there is this heady anticipation of possible magic and wonder. You may see a rare bird, mushroom, tree, or insect, that you have never experienced before and this may be around the next bend of the track. There is something wondrous about that.
At the moment, there are many exciting future ventures in the cards for Maungatautari. Such as the educational centre, the potential kakapo that may call Maungatautari home after a fence upgrade (at the present moment, it has been proven that the kakapo, who are prolific climbers, would be able to climb the fence, so an upgrade is needed) and the welcome return of international visitors.
Location - 99 Tari Road, Pukeatua 3880
Hours - Opening hours: 9:00am - 4:00pm daily. Closed 25th December
Price - Dependent on whether you go with a guided or self-guided tour. If you go with the self-guided, it is $26.00 for adult admission