Sirocco fever to hit conservation sanctuary

When you see a man dressed in a bright green, fluffy, bird suit, with a matching face painting, milling among farmers at Fieldays, you know it must be in the name of conservation.


Sirocco will be at Sanctuary Mountain .Maungatautari in August-September. Photo by P Brown.

“Sirocco, one of fewer than 130 kakapo left on the planet, is the spokesbird for the endangered kakapo – so he came to Maungatautari in 2012 and he’s famous on Youtube, he’s got his own Facebook page, and is a real ambassador for the species.

“So this [Fieldays promotion] about raising awareness around kakapo, and awareness around Maungatautari as a sanctuary.”

Sirocco will give three tours per night from Mondays-Wednesdays and four tours nightly from Thursdays-Sundays, subject to weather conditions and the bird’s health and happiness.

Departing from Manu Tioriori Visitor Centre at 99 Tari Rd, Pukeatua, tour-goers will experience the magic of the ancient forest at night, learn about kakapo, how they became so rare and what’s being done about it, and experience a 20-minute audience with Sirocco in his specially-built enclosure.

“You’ll also meet his minder and hear stories of Sirocco’s life at his home on Maud Island, before a guided walk through the bush down our gently sloping track,” says Matt, who says those who saw Sirocco at Maungatautari last time are keen to see him again.

“Bookings are filling up really quickly,” says Matt, who says fund raised from Sirocco’s tours will help support the Maungatautari project and kakapo recovery.

With many rural landowners milling around Fieldays, Matt says the Department of Conservation site was promoting a classic conservation message: ‘Think globally, act locally’.


Visitors check out the Department of Conservation’s Fieldays site last month, where Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari staff were stationed.

“Many passing through are able to talk to staff about weed control and pest control – and if you do a little back in your own backyard it has that flow-on effect,” says Matt.

“And rural people are keen, because they see the rats and mice and stoats and think ‘how can I get rid of those bloody things’ – and it’s [conservation work] simple and just takes a bit of time and effort.

“Then next year they come back with some good stories about what they’ve done.”

To learn more about Sirocco’s Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari tours, visit
www.sanctuarymountain.co.nz/sirocco


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