Kids need to expend some energy these school holidays? We’ve got you covered! With heaps of space to explore and things to see, come along to Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne and get out in nature. We’ve also got some fun activities planned to help keep the kids busy - read on to find out more!

Patterns and frequency of moult vary depending on species and age: some manu may have one or several moults throughout the year, and these may be partial or full body moults.

Kūkūwai/wetlands are crucial ecosystems. They help with flooding, improve water quality, and provide a home for many plants and animals. Unfortunately, over 90% of them have been drained in Aotearoa, and the remaining ones are still under threat.

While the other side of the world hunkers down for winter, and carols about snowmen and freezing temperatures ring out in shops, having Christmas in summertime can feel a bit out of place. But there are many things that make Aotearoa feel festive!   

This summer, we're encouraging you to explore further into the sanctuary and take notice of things you may not normally see, hear or feel.

Whether you’ve visited 100 times or never, there’s always something new to notice if you slow down and take it all in.
 

Pīpīwharauroa are one of our two forest bird species that migrate outside New Zealand. They spend the winter 4,600km further north, mainly in the Solomon Islands. As well as their major annual migrations, the other distinctive feature is that they are brood parasites – they lay their eggs in the nests of riroriro/grey warbler and let those birds raise their young!   

While generally we let the forest regenerate by itself, each year the conservation team does some planting to facilitate the establishment of species that would not otherwise come back into the sanctuary. This is a key part of our 500-year vision!

The sun is out, the puawānanga/clematis is blooming, and love is in the air -- amongst toutouwai, or North Island robins, that is.  

There's so much to see and do at the ecosanctuary in the heart of Wellington. Whether you’ve been 100 times or never there’s always something new to do and see.  

New Zealand’s only fully parasitic plant has been successfully germinated at the Lions Ōtari Native Plant Conservation Laboratory in Wellington. The milestone germination was of rare seeds gifted from Ngāti Rereahu in the first translocation to involve all six Greater Wellington iwi.