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Nga Manu Nature Reserve Nga Manu Nature Reserve visit 2011

Discussion in 'New Zealand' started by Chlidonias, 29 Jul 2011.

  1. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    The last time I visited Nga Manu Nature Reserve was in 2008. I thought I'd written a review then but I can't find it so apparently I hadn't (EDIT: I did find it after all, see post #2). Anyway, I went back yesterday so now is as good a time as any for a review. There's no public transport to get directly there but its not too far outside Waikanae (about 3km to the entrance gate - and then another km to the actual entry!) so I just walked from the Waikanae train station.

    The reserve covers about 13 hectares but most of it is bush-walks. Rather disappointingly there haven't been any upgrades to the captive collection at Nga Manu since my last visit and, indeed, it has actually gone backwards with the removal of two of the aviaries (leaving only eight, and three of those are basically one divided - trivided? - aviary). The aviaries are looking quite tired and old, and almost all the birds are very common species you can see easily around the Wellington suburbs such as tui and native pigeons, the only exceptions being western weka (although I didn't see them), Antipodes Island parakeet, kea, and also kaka I suppose (although thanks to the Karori Sanctuary kaka are now a common sight in some parts of Wellington). Surprisingly there's not even any red- or yellow-crowned kakariki on display.

    The real highlight of Nga Manu is the nocturnal house which is now about 28 years old. Whereas most nocturnal houses in NZ just house kiwi and morepork, the one here has always had a range of other species on offer. As well as North Island brown kiwi and morepork, there are also little owls, koura (freshwater crayfish), inanga (Galaxias maculatus, a native freshwater fish), Wellington tree weta, tuatara, and kiore (Polynesian rats). I've never actually seen a live kiore before (they weren't here in 2008) so that was quite exciting. In 2008 there was also a weasel and a brush-tailed possum here, but the weasel exhibit now has a stuffed weasel (well, OK, almost certainly the same individual weasel!) and the possum exhibit has the little owls in it. There are also stuffed examples of stoat, ferret, possum, cat and hedgehog.

    Nocturnal House notwithstanding, I honestly wouldn't recommend overseas visitors (or locals really) to visit Nga Manu, especially not over, say, Mt. Bruce, Karori, or the Wellington Zoo. The $15 entry fee is well overpriced for what is on offer, especially given that there are so few aviaries and so few birds. Its the school holidays at the moment but the place was almost deserted and I can't help but feel that they can't get much in the way of return visitors. The bush walks are nice but you can do that for free anywhere. A bit sad really because it could have a lot of potential.

    Photos in the gallery, including a couple of the kiore.

    Full bird list:
    North Island brown kiwi
    White-faced heron
    Black swan
    Mute swan
    Paradise duck
    NZ scaup
    NZ shoveller
    Grey teal
    Brown teal
    Pukeko
    Western weka (did not see)
    NZ pigeon
    Antipodes Island parakeet
    Kea
    Kaka
    Little owl
    Morepork
    Tui

    and then:
    Wellington tree weta
    White-tailed spider
    Tunnelweb spider
    Koura

    Inanga
    Long-finned eel

    Common tuatara
    Whistling tree frog
    Southern bell frog

    Kiore
     
  2. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    should have looked harder before posting: I found the earlier review here http://www.zoochat.com/17/nga-manu-nature-reserve-13760/

    Changes notable include that in 2008 there were eastern rosellas, ring-necked pheasant, yellow-crowned kakariki, blue duck, and North Island weka (now they have, according to the sign there, western weka from the South Island). Brown teal and an Antipodes Island parakeet have been added to the collection though. The dive tank for the scaup (photo in the gallery) is now impossible for viewing because the window has become opaque, which is unfortunate)

    The entry price has also gone up by $5 which can't help their visitor numbers!
     
    Last edited: 29 Jul 2011
  3. zooboy28

    zooboy28 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the update Chlidonias. Although I have never been, I had heard that they had removed all the aviaries on the bushwalk tracks, leaving only those near the entrance.

    Also know that the orange, yellow and red parakeets are still at the reserve, although presumably not on display. Canada Geese were also there recently, but I'm not sure if these were wild or captive. They also have geckos (Duvaucels, forest, common & Wellington green), and common skink, but I don't know if these are on display.

    Finally, I have heard that Nga Manu is keen for Takahe, and (I think) have started planning a new exhibit for this species (although if I was DOC I would be spreading the spare birds out a bit more, already some in Wellington, but none in upper North Island - except Tiri).
     
  4. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    that is interesting. There were definitely no kakariki on display or if they were they weren't sign-posted and I didn't see them [you say they have orange-fronted kakariki? Or was that a slip of the tongue...er, fingers], and definitely no lizards sign-posted either (I was going to write "definitely no lizards on display" but then thought maybe there might actually be some unlabelled in the tuatara terrariums). They are currently building a classroom; perhaps they may put some lizard tanks in there.
     
  5. zooboy28

    zooboy28 Well-Known Member

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    One of my friends did a week there earlier this year as part of a course, and I got her to write me out a complete species list (she also did Staglands, so I have a list for there as well), and she said they had 0.0.1 Orange-fronted Parakeets and about 7 Red-crowned. Their census (updated Jan 2011) lists all three species, but with yellows as phase-out, so maybe they have since left the collection. I will ask her about the lizards and parakeets and see if she has anymore info.
     
  6. zooboy28

    zooboy28 Well-Known Member

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    So apparently there were some red-crowned parakeets in the aviary with the wood pigeon near the entrance, although this was in May, but there were also some off-display. The orange-fronted parakeet was also off-display, apparently because it is not clear whether or not it is a hybrid...

    Lizards are not on display apparently, but for unknown reasons.
     
  7. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    OK, I figured if there were some kakariki they would be in that aviary, but there was no signage for them and I didn't see or hear any birds in there apart for the pigeon (who kept trying to fly onto my head!)