The Valley That Managed To Transform a CityMr Paul Atkins, Chief Executive of the well-known Zealandia Bird Sanctuary recently visited with the Kapiti Rotary Club, and presented facts about the preservation of wild-life in and about Wellington that interested a large audience.
Many species of native birds including Tui; Kakapo; HiHi; Korimako; Kaka and Fantail, have been provided with a predator-free safe haven within a fenced valley, in which to breed and live naturally. This has had the effect of bringing bird-life back into the surrounding suburbian gardens, and residents can once again enjoy the benefits of watching and listening to the attractive calls of native birds in their own surroundings.
Zealandia staff have been actively involved in the encouragement of a predator-free Wellington. Rats, opossums, and stoats have now been eradicated from the suburb of Miramar. There is an initiative to give priority to bringing about a Wellington that can boast being the ‘world’s first pest-free capital’.
Zealandia attracted almost 73,000 visitors in the past 12 months, and these included 4,600 cruise-ship passengers from all over the world. Comments relayed to staff have been very complimentary, and many overseas organisations have expressed intentions to emulate the wild-life preservation example that has been set in Wellington.
When asked about the future, Mr Atkins replied that ‘Zealandia is leading a transformational change in the way people think about the value of nature, and learn how to nurture and live with it in the places we live’.
Photo: “Paul Atkins Left), CEO of Zealandia Wildlife Park is congratulated by Rotarian Tim Beere (Right) on his outstanding address to Kapiti Rotary.