Introduction

Ongoing/dates vary: Find out about volunteer activities at Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre and reserve.

Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre, a 942-ha unfenced reserve in the Wairarapa, is a joint project between the Pūkaha Mount Bruce Board, Rangitāne O Wairarapa and DOC.

Long-term and short-term volunteers can get involved with some of New Zealand’s rarest wildlife with these activities:

Local residents are also encouraged to volunteer to learn more about the conservation of wildlife.

Captive management

Volunteers play a vital role in maintaining the reserve. These tasks are seasonal and change regularly - contact the team for more detailed information.

Tasks

The work is mainly practical and field based. All the projects have conservation values.

Ongoing maintenance of visitor sites, tracks and accommodation, including

  • weeding
  • planting
  • pest trapping
  • observing and monitoring captive and wild birds
  • other work such as kiwi and kōkako tracking, and track marking.

Dates

Minimum of six weeks. Long-term opportunities are possible based on performance.

What to expect

Volunteers must be able to enjoy the outdoors and work in a variety of conditions, and have a keen interest in New Zealand's wildlife.

Fitness level required: High level of fitness required, and you must be willing to undertake sometimes laborious jobs like aviary maintenance and predator control in steep country.

Skills and experience required: Good observational skills and the ability to accurately record information. Good English-speaking level and the able to work independently as well as part of a team.

Experience in conservation programmes and captive animal husbandry desirable.

Accommodation: On-site accommodation is often available in return for the voluntary work during your stay. You will be expected to do your share of cleaning and tidying of the house and surrounding area.

Pest control

The lowland podocarp/broadleaf forest has wild populations kākā, North Island brown kiwi and kōkako. The flora and fauna are protected using a network of traps and bait stations spread throughout the reserve. This option is only available to long-term volunteers.

Tasks

Checking and re-baiting traps and bait stations around the area in order to control rats, stoats, weasels and ferrets. There may be other tasks as required.

Dates

Year round

What to expect

Fitness level required: You must be comfortable carrying a day pack with appropriate clothing, safety equipment, and bait/lure. A reasonable level of health and fitness is required.

Skills and experience required:

  • confidence to work alone within a forest environment
  • basic navigation skills including map and compass work
  • able to walk along forest tracks with a variable and uneven surface
  • not squeamish
  • able to record data with a high degree of accuracy.

Training: Volunteers will be provided with the appropriate training and equipment required.

Telemetry

The reserve has a population of North Island brown kiwi, many of which require ongoing monitoring. This option is only available to long-term and local volunteers.

Tasks

Volunteers will assist field staff to monitor the locations of these kiwi using telemetry equipment and have the chance to become involved in other volunteer projects at the centre.

Dates

Year round and weather permitting

What to expect

Fitness required: You need to be comfortable carrying a day pack with appropriate clothing and safety equipment. A reasonable level of health and fitness is required.

Skills and experience required:

  • confidence to work alone within a forest environment
  • vasic navigation skills including compass work
  • able to walk along forest tracks with a variable and uneven surface
  • able to record data with a high degree of accuracy.

Training: Volunteers will be provided with the appropriate training and equipment required.

Location

Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre is approximately 20 minutes north of Masterton on SH2. There are few public transport options in and out so volunteers should ideally have their own transport.

Contact

Pūkaha National Wildlife Centre 
Email: volunteer@pukaha.org.nz

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