I visited Staglands Wildlife Reserve on February 6, which is a public holiday in NZ, and this year fell on a rather cold and wet (at least in the morning) Wednesday. Staglands was established in 1972, and is a privately-owned collection of native and exotic birds, as well as various domestic species, nestled in the Akatarawa Valley, in the Tararua Ranges north of Wellington (lower North Island). This was my first visit, and hadn’t realised how difficult it is to get to - it’s probably the most difficult zoo to get to in NZ! We approached from the west coast (Waikanae), and had to drive 20kms from the highway up through forest on very narrow roads around very windy corners. It would have been very fun if there was no chance of oncoming traffic, but there was quite a bit of that, resulting in some rather nifty manoeuvres if I do say so myself. Upon arrival, we paid the $19 entry fee, and were handed a map of the park (http://www.zoochat.com/1794/map-reserve-staglands-2013-a-308210/). The path took us around the café and through the Forest Wetlands area. First was a lawn area, inhabited by Peacocks, Mallards and Pigeons, most clamouring to be fed (http://www.zoochat.com/1794/entry-lawn-staglands-2013-a-308202/). The reserve sells small animal feed bags for $2. The first aviary was ahead, this held a single Blue Duck and a couple of North Island Kaka. The aviary was mesh, and looked a little bit old, but the aviary itself was perfectly suitable for its occupants. The following ponds (http://www.zoochat.com/1794/forest-wetland-staglands-2013-a-308203/) held a variety of waterfowl – Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Mute Swan, Paradise Shelduck, Australian Shelduck, NZ Scaup, Brown Teal and more Mallards (http://www.zoochat.com/1794/brown-teal-staglands-2013-a-308204/). The signs mentioned other species too – Mandarin Duck, Black Swan, NZ Shoveller, Grey Teal & Grey Duck, but we didn’t see these. Nearby was the large Barn, a new building which can be used for BBQs and by groups. The path then passed the Kune Kune Pig enclosure (http://www.zoochat.com/1794/kune-kune-pigs-staglands-2013-a-308205/), and then led through the first walkthrough aviary. This was essentially a netted hillside, of a good size, with nice plantings, holding a pair of Kea and at least one North Island Weka (http://www.zoochat.com/1794/kea-walkthrough-aviary-staglands-2013-a-308206/). This is believed to be the first walk-through aviary ever constructed for kea, and contrary to expectations the birds have bred in here previously. The exit led into an area containing a Horse paddock and stables, which held a Clydesdale and a Welsh Pony. Within the stable was another kune kune, this one with a litter of new-born piglets. Past this area was the trout pond (http://www.zoochat.com/1794/trout-pond-staglands-2013-a-308207/), home to a good number of large Rainbow & Brown Trout, as well as a mute swan. Next was the Toe Toe Aviary, the largest walkthrough aviary in the park at 50m long (http://www.zoochat.com/1794/toe-toe-aviary-staglands-2013-a-308208/). This appears to be a meshed over gully, but is actually a natural bank on one side, and an artificial bank on the other. In here are a variety of exotic birds, we saw Budgies, Cockatiels, Indian Ringnecks, Rainbow Lorikeets, Java Sparrows, Domestic Pigeons and Chinese Turtle Doves, although the signs suggest various gamebird species are also present. Beyond was the main Blue Duck aviary (http://www.zoochat.com/1794/blue-duck-staglands-2013-a-308211/), built on a bank to recreate the mountain stream habitat this species is naturally found in. Staglands is NZ’s most successful breeder of this species, with their original pair producing 38 chicks. As with other native bird aviaries, the signage for the blue ducks was excellent (http://www.zoochat.com/1794/blue-duck-signage-staglands-2013-a-308209/). The path then leads down to the Akatarawa River, which we crossed (followed by a peacock) via a suspension bridge. On the far side was the Settlement Aviary (http://www.zoochat.com/1794/settlement-aviary-staglands-2013-a-308212/), which held a pair of Short-billed Corellas, Ring-necked Pheasants and some white peacocks. Beyond this is the Old Bush Settlement itself, a recreation of an abandoned settlement, circa 1900, with a variety of buildings. These were quite neat, with lots of detail. Some could be entered and are nicely furnished (http://www.zoochat.com/1794/old-bush-settlement-building-staglands-2013-a-308213/). In an old stable was another kune kune sow with piglets, and there were a number of chickens roaming through the old township. Just past this area the forest opens up, and there is a “bush railway”, which is a cleverly designed cart on railway tracks that children can ride. Beyond this was the Tarn, a very-nice alpine wetland type area, with boardwalks crossing the water, which is home to various Domestic Ducks and Black Swans. The path then led into the Deer Park, a large hillside enclosure, containing a small herd of Fallow Deer, who were keen to be fed, as were their Sheep and Goat companions (http://www.zoochat.com/1794/fallow-deer-park-staglands-2013-a-308214/). There was also a variety of bird species present, including Paradise Shelduck, Cape Barren Goose, Canada Goose, Turkey, Peacocks and a Rook! The rook was special, as it was the first time I have seen this species in NZ. I think it is an escapee from the reserve, as they used to be kept in the Settlement Aviary and are very good escape artists. There is an established population in the lower North Island, but I think an escapee is more likely here. A path up the top of the deer park gives views over the reserve, but it was a bit too wet for us to want to go up there. In the far corner of the park was the Croft, which holds three Donkeys, including Peppy, who has been at the reserve since 1976. The deer park exit leads directly into a hide, which provides views into the NZ Falcon aviary (http://www.zoochat.com/1794/nz-falcon-aviary-staglands-2013-a-308215/), home to a pair of these endangered birds, part of a captive breeding programme. Outside this is a walk-over exhibit, with a wooden boardwalk traversing a forest clearing, which is home to Auckland Island Pigs (http://www.zoochat.com/1794/auckland-island-pig-staglands-2013-a-308216/). This is a rare breed of pig, descended from 17 individuals removed from Subantarctic Auckland Island in 1977, before the species was exterminated there. The path then led back down around the settlement to the river’s edge, where a “bushman’s bridge” lead back across the water. The path continues up behind the Toe Toe Aviary to the “Secret Garden”, a children’s walled garden with a variety of Chickens, Rabbits, Doves and a pond with Red-eared Turtles. This was the last exhibit, from here the path passed the Kea aviary, with a look down on the birds possible, and then returns to the café. Overall, Staglands is a nice little park, with a decent sized collection of relatively standard native birds, exotic birds and domestic species. There are a couple of species missing that one would expect to find here, the most obvious being native Parakeets. I think this is the only zoo in NZ to hold Rook. The standout parts were the Tarn area, Deer Park, Auckland Island Pig enclosure and the Trout Pond. Most of the aviaries looked a bit bleak, but this was mostly due to the mesh and generally bad weather, as the aviaries themselves provided excellent homes for their inhabitants. It is a difficult place to visit, and given the species present, I wouldn’t recommend it to international visitors (who have plenty of other attractions in the area that would be better), but it is a good place for locals to visit, and there are a number of exotic birds not displayed elsewhere in the lower North Island.
My bad there! I was going off the exhibit sign at Staglands which appears to say 1977, but could have originally said 1999 (attached below). The Rook photos aren't the best, it was a wee way off in the paddock and they are a bit blurry, so I've just attached one below:
