Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari is the largest fenced eco-sanctuary in Aotearoa New Zealand. Image: LEARNZ.
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, in the central Waikato region, is the largest fenced eco-sanctuary in Aotearoa New Zealand. It’s surrounded by a special pest-proof fence that helps protect native plants and animals from predators like rats, stoats, and possums. This fence is one of the longest of its kind in the world!
Inside the sanctuary is an ancient forest filled with some of our rarest native wildlife. Visitors can walk along well-kept tracks, hear native birds, and see what Aotearoa New Zealand’s environment looked like before pests arrived.
The mountain has been protected as a scenic reserve for close to 100 years. In the early 2000s, local people worked together to build the pest-proof fence and remove all introduced mammals (except mice). Since then, native plants and animals have had a safe place to grow and thrive.
Visitors can walk along well-kept tracks at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari. Image: LEARNZ.
There are three smaller enclosures within the wider sanctuary:
- Te Tui a Tane (Southern Enclosure) – This is the largest of the three enclosures. It has a tall viewing tower and classroom space within the forest. The name means “the weaving together of all things Tāne,” referring to Tāne, the atua of the forest.
- Northern Enclosure – This was the first part to be fenced. To celebrate its completion, 3,000 school children and supporters joined hands around it to show community support.
- Tautari Wetland – A special wetland that is home to native fish, tuna, takahē, and tuatara. It includes boardwalks and a tuatara viewing area. The tuatara habitat was designed with shade and mulch to attract insects, which the tuatara eat.
There are also other walking tracks that traverse over the maunga (such as the Wairere Traverse, 5-6 hrs one way) that are suitable for experienced hikers.
Te Tui a Tane, Southern Enclosure, is the largest of the three enclosures and has a tall viewing tower and classroom space within the forest. Image: LEARNZ.
A thriving ecosystem
Due to the pest-proof fence, Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari serves as a haven for some of our most endangered birds. The fence was designed by a company called Xcluder® and is built so pests cannot climb over, dig under, or get through it.
The fence is 47 kilometres long and made with:
- over 850,000 staples
- 240 km of wire
- 100,000 square metres of mesh
- thousands of screws, posts, and rivets!
The pest-proof fence has made Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari a safe haven for some of Aotearoa’s most endangered birds. Image: LEARNZ.
Now that browsing animals like goat and deer have been removed, the forest is growing back naturally. Visitors will notice thick undergrowth and a diverse array of plant life, ranging from tiny seedlings to towering canopy trees. Birds are also helping to spread seeds and grow new trees.
Visitors will notice thick undergrowth and many layers of plant life inside the sanctuary. Image: LEARNZ.
Discover more about the birds of Maungatautari.
Learning at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari also has an education programme for students of all ages. Learning takes place outdoors in the forest, where students can explore, observe, and participate in activities linked to subjects such as science, social studies, and health and physical education. Sessions are designed to help students understand how people can care for nature, protect taonga species, and support a healthy environment for the future.
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari can also bring conservation to your classroom through a virtual online learning session. It's the next best thing to a visit!
Discover more about the Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari Education Programme.
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari also has an education programme. Image: LEARNZ.
Māori kupu | key words
Aotearoa | New Zealand
Maungatautari | Name of the mountain, meaning ‘suspended mountain’ – sacred to local iwi
Tāne | Māori god of the forest
Te Tūī a Tāne | “The weaving together of all things Tāne”
Tuna | Eel
Takahē | Rare flightless native bird of Aotearoa
Tuatara | Native reptile found only in Aotearoa New Zealand
Whānau | Family or extended family
Taonga | Treasure; something prized
Sources:
