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Mount Bruce Centre
Print: Brown Teal, Buller's 2nd edition
Description
Pukaha, Mount Bruce, is New Zealand's National Wildlife Centre for conservation of some of our most endangered wildlife. Mount Bruce is also a centre for environmental education and an eco tourism destination. Kiwi, kokako, kaka and other wildlife are now being restored to the forest with the support of the local community.
Pukaha, Mount Bruce is a partnership between the National Wildlife Centre Trust, Rangitaane o Wairarapa and Department of Conservation.
A key role undertaken is the captive breeding of threatened wildlife undertaken at the National Wildlife Centre within the Pukaha, Mount Bruce, forest.
History
In the 1870s the Crown purchased the greater part of the Seventy Mile Bush and the bush was subsequently surveyed, sold and cleared. The Mount Bruce block was retained as Forest Reserve. For the next 100 years the NZ Forest Service was the primary agency responsible for the Mount Bruce forest although the Wildlife Service was responsible for the birds within the Reserve.
In 1958, four Takahe chicks were brought to Mount Bruce for rearing. The Takahe and by then, other birds, were moved to the present site in 1962 and the Wildlife Service took on this avicultural role.
In 1987 the Department of Conservation took over the Wildlife Service and Forest Service roles and now jointly administers the National Wildlife Centre with the National Wildlife Centre Trust Board.
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