Toutouwai

Monitoring Toutouwai/ North Island Robin at Taranaki Mounga. The Taranaki Mounga project is working towards a vision of He Kawa Ora – Sustaining the Health and well-being of Te Kāhui Tupua and their people through restoring the ecological vitality of Taranaki Mounga in partnership with iwi, agencies and community.

‘‘Mt Taranaki is the revered volcanic peak at the heart of Taranaki region. A rich cloak of native vegetation spreads in all directions from its steep volcanic cone and across the adjacent ranges. It is surrounded by lush dairy farms and more than 300 waterways radiate from the mounga and adjacent ranges. The forest is thick with trees like kahikatea, tawa, tōtara, and rātā, with a twisting ‘Goblin Forest’ that gives way to mountain cedar and red tussocks in the alpine zone. Rare native birds like North Island brown kiwi, whio/blue duck and seabirds can still be seen occasionally in the Park. But like most areas of New Zealand, much of the native biodiversity has been laid to waste by introduced predators like wild goats, weasels, stoats, possums and rats. Taranaki Mounga’s objectives align with the Government’s vision of a predator free New Zealand by 2050.’’ Taranaki Mounga project