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Kiwi Translocation Season is underway!

The kiwi kōhanga at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is nationally significant with a booming western brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) population. 2024 is the third year that translocations have taken place from Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari to wild sites, with 222 birds transferred to Tongariro, Wellington and Taranaki. Planning commenced in 2023 and translocations started in March 2024, founded in strong collaboration between Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, mana whenua, and Save the Ki...

Restoration Plan

Restoration Plan 2019-2029...

New Reception Desk Whakairo

Umu Tawa or Gathering of Tawa: Umu (oven) represents the central theme of the reception desk and the tawa (Beilschmiedea tawa) is the timber of the reception desk. Umu tawa also represents the stream that flows from the Southern Enclosure, and the many Tawa that are represented on our maunga....

Air New Zealand Safety Video

Yes! You've found the right place!...

Biosecurity Stations

At Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, biosecurity is an important job that is 24/7. Biosecurity measures help us to protect the pest-proof fenced sanctuary environment by keeping it free of unwanted organsisms. Unwanted organisms are those that cause damange to the ecosystem. Pest animals and pest plants can stowaway in or on our gear, or footwear....

The Bush Boardroom

Bring your workplace out into nature. Discover the story behind Kylie Rae's Bush Boardroom experiences....

Kiwi chicks hatched on Mākara's hills - the first in 150 years!

Heart-warming news came from The Capital Kiwi Project in late November with the announcement of the discovery of two pēpē kiwi. These precious pēpē represent the first kiwi chicks hatched in the wild in the hills of Te Upoko o Te Ika in 150 years. We are thrilled to hear this news as these are offspring of kiwi, Whetū, one of 50 kiwi that were transferred from Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari to Wellington as part of the translocations that took place earlier this year. This new generation ...

Building Relationships

Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari and Ngāti Koroki Kahukura were invited to Taranaki Mounga, where the team were given first-hand experiences of the ecosystems that surround the majestic mountain....

Kākāpō relocated to reduce monitoring load

The Department of Conservation is investigating new monitoring solutions for the Waikato kākāpō population after the trial has shown some kākāpō continue to be highly active....

2022 - 2023 Annual Report

We are very pleased to present our Annual Report for the year to 30 June 2023. It has been another year of outstanding achievements for our team of Inspired Kaitiaki at Sanctuary Mountain® Maungatautari....

New insights gained from kākāpō translocation

The trial kākāpō population in the heart of the Waikato continues to give insights after a determined parrot found a way to leave the fenced sanctuary....

Six more kākāpō moved

A further six kākāpō have been released at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari....

Kākāpō one month on

It's been one month since kākāpō arrived at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari....

Kiwi Health Check with TV1s Breakfast

Jenny-May Clarkson is walked through a kiwi health check at Sanctuary Mountain® Maungatautari....

Kākāpō return to the mainland in historic translocation

The Department of Conservation in partnership with Ngāi Tahu is moving four male kākāpō from Whenua Hou/Codfish Island near Rakiura Stewart Island to Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, Waikato today....

Copper Skink Release

On the 31st May 2023, 43 copper skinks were released to Te Tūī a Tāne, southern enclosure as a salvage translocation procedure. Sourced from a development site at Rotokauri (Edin Rotokauri), the translocation was a collaborative effort between mana whenua (source iwi Ngati Mahanga and Ngati Wairere), Hamilton Zoo, Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, MADE and Wildlands Consultants....

Fence modification complete

We are pleased to share that the fence modification in preparation for kākāpō is complete! Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari has been working for a number of years with The Department of Conservation's Kākāpō Recovery Group to bring kākāpō to the maunga. Kākāpō are amongst the rarest birds in the world, with just 247 in existence. Currently, Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari offers the only potential mainland site suitable for kākāpō and will provide much-needed habitat for the grow...

Major Milestone in Kiwi Conservation

We have come to the end of our kiwi translocation season and what a season it has been. A major milestone was reached in our kiwi conservation. It was just 18 years ago when the first kiwi were released onto Maungatautari, the first kiwi to live there in over a century....

If You Seek Wellness Through Nature

Rongoā rākau – an introduction to Māori herbal medicine...

Opening of the Manu Korokii Profile Group Education Centre

At dawn on Thursday 2 February, we held a kawanga whare (opening ceremony) to bless our Manu Korokii Profile Group Education Centre with the rising sun....

Biodiversity Team Training on Anchor Island

Dr. Janelle Ward and Dan Howie recently had the amazing opportunity to learn about kākāpō on a two-week trip each to Anchor Island in Fiordland....

Hihi Conservation at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari

Hihi Conservation Trust Update by Mhairi McCready Conservation Officer...

2021-2022 Annual Report

We are very pleased to present our Annual Report for the year to 30 June 2022. It has been another year of outstanding achievements for our team of Inspired Kaitiaki at Sanctuary Mountain® Maungatautari....

Support for Mauri of the Maunga Gala Dinner

The evening was amazing on many levels including: bringing our community together; securing the final funds required to begin the 47km fence modification; and raising the awareness of the Maunga and critically, the Kākāpō recovery programme. Over 390 people gathered, raising over $100,000 to bring the treasured Kākāpō to Maungatautari....

New biodiversity market launched

A new biodiversity market was launched today with the first transaction of biodiversity units between Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari (the seller) and Profile Group Limited (the buyer). The mainland ecological island is now able to raise funds for conservation management from the sale of biodiversity units through the newly minted Ekos Sustainable Development Units Programme....