TRAVEL DIARY

A weblog regularly updated by Jodi Rose.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

3:24 PM
Posted by jodi rose

Wonderful visit to the Pukaha Mt Bruce National Wildlife Centre, winner of the Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria award for on-site conservation. THe Campbell Island Teal (rare duck) remained hidden, but I saw Kokako, Kaka, Takahe (round, flightless bird thought to be extinct until some discovered in the 50's or 80's, with surely some relationship to the dodo), Tuatara (amazing camoflage lizards in existence since the age of the dinosaurs), and gorgeous brown Kiwi in the noctural viewing area. Very excited to finally see a kiwi.

A beautiful walk through the second generation forest, which includes rimu, hinau, rata, kahikatea, tawa, tree fern and easter orchid, all lush, moist and verdant, mossy twisted boughs, very middle earth.
Strangely, also a grove of california redwood, planted here in the 1930's in an experiment to see if they were a viable plantation timber - apparently not, as the trees grow too fast and don't become a hardwood in this climate, like they do in the states. So that was the thrill of nature for today. Dropped in to Bridget's sheep farm next door, she was out but the sheep are all home in the paddock and up the hill, with her three dogs snoozing off their mornings exertions.